Are my wheels gonna fall off one day?!!

[bluemoggie1970]

Hi, Ever i since I bought my traveller, everyone keeps telling me that when they used to have a Morris Minor, they just turned a corner and the front wheels fell off. Something to do with a knuckle joint??

Is this sort of thing common, if so, why does it happen and how can i prevent it?!!

Thanks

[aupickup]

its not that common , and its not the wheel its the normally the bottom trunnion, keep it well greased at maybe 3000 mile intervals

[LouiseM]

Don't get alarmed - regular maintenance should prevent it happening. There's a lengthy thread on the topic here:
http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=28125

[bluemoggie1970]

Okey dokey, I'll check that thread out, thanks Louise. And thanks aupickup, I'll grease them straight away. Thanks for help.

Luke

[mike.perry]

Give the grease nipples a squirt every time you have a front wheel off to adjust the brakes or whatever.

[bmcecosse]

" There's a lengthy thread " - Very good Louise - very good!

[MarkyB]

Keep going with the grease gun until you see grease coming from the rubber seal of the trunnion.
Grease that escapes from round the nipple doesn't do any good unless you smear it somwhere else like the hanbrake cable.
If you have trouble getting grease to go in the nipple try putting a piece of cloth over it before engaging the grease gun.

[chickenjohn]

In addition, I like to jack both wheels up when greasing the trunnions, support the car on axle stands and grease with the steering on each lock. When doing this, it seems to get a bit more dirty grease out of the trunnion.

[MarkyB]

Anyone care to speculate how long well maintaned trunnions would last?

I think the reputation was "gained" when they had banger status and weren't getting serviced at all.

[aupickup]

will last quite a few years if greased properly and at the correct intervals

my car has still got the original kingpins and the trunnions were changer 15 years ago according to the service record

[chickenjohn]

Anyone care to speculate how long well maintaned trunnions would last?

I think the reputation was "gained" when they had banger status and weren't getting serviced at all.

In theory, if you keep the thread full of clean grease and drive carefully, almost indefinitely!