Removing nipple to oil steering rack - help!

[Fozz]

I need to remove the grease nipple as I have an oil can rather than grease gun, but have no idea what to use to do so! Presume it can be done through the access hole in the floor rather than from underneath the car?

[alex_holden]

It's fiddly. Normally I just put some oil into a spare grease gun, but on one vehicle I was working on the gun wouldn't seal onto the nipple so I had to remove it and use an oil can. I couldn't get a socket or spanner through the hole in the footwell. I just about managed to get a spanner onto it through the narrow gap above the nearside gaiter to loosen it, then used needle nose pliers through the hole to unscrew it the rest of the way. To put the nipple back on, I pushed a short bit of rubber tube onto the nipple and turned it like a screwdriver.

[Fozz]

Thanks, sorry to be so ignorant, but what is the "gaiter"? Tried needle nosed pliers through the hole, but as you say it has to be loosened first!

[alex_holden]

It's the black corrugated rubber tube on the end of the steering rack. You'll need to take the wheel off to get access to it.

[bmcecosse]

Just use a grease gun - and put grease in the rack! The Mini rack is identical construction - and is specified for grease - as are most racks !