steering has gone a bit harder

[xpress]

it was a warm day today but i found the steering a bit harder, but after driving it sort of felt a bit better again, in certain places of the steering range. i have not yet lubricated the steering rack, oil or grease? i could put some oil in the telecamet grease gun i have. is this a symptom of needing some oil in the rack or something else?

ps the steering runs true and the car drives in a straight line. no play in the steering range before it actually does anything.

[chrisd87]

Make sure the trunnions are greased nicely, with grease getting to all parts of the thread. As for the steering rack, the manual says EP90 but many members (myself included) use grease without issue. Again, make sure that all parts of the rack get lubricated. If your track rod ends have grease nipples, might be worth giving them a few strokes. Then see if things improve!

[xpress]

thanks for this, how many squirts of grease from a big lazer brand hand pump grease gun do you put in the rack? this car was standing for a wee while before i got so it's not been done for a while possibly.

[bmcecosse]

Go for 10 strokes - can't do any harm. And check the tyre pressures...... 30 psi if on radials - maybe slightly more if running 155 tyres.

[chickenjohn]

I use EP90 oil in the rack, because that is what the manual recommends!

Easiest way to do this is pull up the passenger carpet, remove the grommet blanking plug , undo the nipple with a small socket and use an oil can something like this to squirt the oil in, I give it 10 or 20 strokes, have lovely light steering on all my Minors!

Re screw in nipple, replace grommet and carpet, job done.

BTW, I do this job when greasing the suspension so the front of the car is jacked up and supported with axle stands and I move the rack from lock to lock when adding the oil- seems to allow the oil in more easily.

[james.ed]

but how do you get that nipple off.. i've never managed to get anything into the hole to unscrew it. am i missing a trick.. and if i get it off i dread getting it back on

[chickenjohn]

A small socket fits the nipple, from memory, possibly a 5/16 AF socket fits, or a small WHitworth.

You also need a 1/4 inch socket extension. and an adapter down from the ratchet and you will be able to get the nipple off. Put some grease in the socket so the nipple does not fall out when you undo it.

[xpress]

found the grommet, took it off with some long nose pliers.

used my new clarke big grease gun, squirted in 11 strokes. took five minutes.

took the car for a spin and did a lot of three point turns and moved the wheels from lock to lock about ten times!

hey presto, even lighter steering than before!

[bmcecosse]

[james.ed]

some list of tools.. that'd be why i've never had it off. i might side with using grease, then i just need to wipe and squeeze. no sockets

[bmcecosse]

[chickenjohn]

some list of tools.. that'd be why i've never had it off. i might side with using grease, then i just need to wipe and squeeze. no sockets

Some list of tools??? Only a couple of tools needed to do the job properly! ;-) ;-)

You should have a ratchet a few extensions and some small sockets anyway if you maintain your own car!

Oil is what is says in the BMC workshop manual so that is what I use. BMC knew what they were doing.

[xpress]

What type of ep90 do you use john? And gearbox oil? In fact could you list us your oils and sources?

[chickenjohn]

The last one was probably Comma EP90 oils for Axle and steering rack and 20W-50 for gearbox and engine.

It does not really matter on the brand as long as the lubricant used has the specified ratings.

[bmcecosse]

Most later cars with steering racks specified grease in the rack.......... But, each to their own.