Greasing problems

[vee12jag]

Hi all,
I have a 56 Series 2 which has been completely rebuild. I'm attempting to grease all the required areas via the provided nipples, I'm finding it pretty impossible to get grease past the nipple into the required area, especially the front suspension/steering.
I'm using moly based grease through a lever arm type gun. I've had the nipples out and cleaned and checked them but still no,luck. Most of the parts are new too.
Do you think an air powered gun will help or a lighter grease?
Appreciate any advise in advance.
Thanks
Mark

[alanworland]

Mine are exactly the same!
Top trunnions are the worst, I use a lever type gun and have to give it my all to get the grease in.
Not blocked or rusted, been like it since day one, never tried an air powered gun though.

Alan

[les]

Sometimes taking the weight off the suspension helps for the trunnions.

[BLOWNMM]

If the weight of the car is on the ground (on its front wheels) one side of the upper and lower trunnion threads will be loaded. The weight on the trunnions needs to be released by jacking the lower suspension arm till the wheel is just off the ground, which takes the load off the threaded joints allowing grease to flow freely around the threads. If the car is jacked with its weight on the chassis rails the torsion bars will load up the threads, and again the lower arms needs to be jacked up to unload the threads allowing grease to flow freely.
Bob

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

Jacking it up is good advice. Sometimes it is impossible to force more grease in. If there is a blockage inside this can be alleviated by extremely careful heating with a blow-torch, though obviously this is a last resort. If it is a new reproduction part it may be blocked due to poor finishing at the manufacturer which is sadly a common problem.

[alanworland]

My assemblies are new (Leyland) swivels with the original trunnions and new grease nipples.
I do get grease through the joints but it is always a struggle! Jacked, not jacked or half jacked!

Alan

[dalebrignall]

sometimes helps if you have an assistant to move the steering whell as you push the grease in

[vee12jag]

Thanks for the ideas guys. Jacking up the front suspension really helped. I can now grease the track rode end and the bottom trunnion. However I cannot get grease in the top trunnion. The nipple is clear.
Could it be something is blocked or an internal grease hole is not lined up properly?
Thanks again.
Mark

[philthehill]

If you cannot get any grease through from the nipple into the top trunnion I would suggest that you remove the top trunnion and investigate.
Once you get the grease through the grease nipple and top trunnion body it just follows a vertical grease channel up and down and then spreads itself around the threads when the steering is turned.
Some trunnions do not have the vertical channel and then it is more difficult to spread the grease; and the grease gun may not be able to push the grease around the threads.
It may be that the old grease has solidified and cannot be pushed around and out past the threads.
It is a relatively easy job to remove the top trunnion to investigate after the load has been taken off the torsion bar. Make sure that the car is securely supported before playing with the torsion bar.
Fit a new trunnion seal (preferably one supplied by Declan Burns) when you have it apart.
When removing the top trunnion count the number of turns to remove and do the same number of turns when re-fitting.
Please let us know how you get on.
Phil

[vee12jag]

Thanks Phil, I will have to remove it I think as you suggest. The seals are new. Very frustrating, I was thinking maybe there is an internal hole that must be aligned to the nipple hole but apparently not.
Cheers

[vee12jag]

Hi chaps, well today I thought I'd remove one of the top trunnions to inspect the lack of greasing situation.
However, I cannot get the pivot pin out. I know the end that connects to the damper arm is tapered but I cannot work it loose and it's only been in place about 1 year. Any ideas?
I have the wheel off and the car on axle stands on the chassis rail. I also have a jack under the bottom of the brake hub and have moved it up and down but the pin will not move.
Also, when I do get it out, I will probably have to replace it along with the bushes. The rubber ones (1 year old) are already starting to deteriorate. Do you guys recommend the poly bushes that I see ESM have?
Thanks
Mark

[philthehill]

I do think that you are going about removing the top trunnion in the wrong way.
You do not have to remove the top pivot pin (Pt No: AAA3653) that fits into damper arm.
All you have to do is take the load off the torsion bar, knock back the locking tab (Pt No: ACA5277) , remove the nut (Pt No: FNZ508) and the stepped washer (Pt No: ACA5278) on the rear end of the pin, remove the rear rubber bush (Pt No: ACA5282 (rubber)), twist the top trunnion and with a bit of rearwards effort on the swivel the trunnion will come away from the pin. Unscrew the trunnion noting the number of turns and the jobs done.
Make sure that there is no load put on the flexible brake pipe.
Once the wheel is off and the car safely jacked and supported a 10 minute job at most to remove the top trunnion.
Replace the top trunnion pivot pin bushes with poly bushes (Pt No: ACA528SPK).
Rebuild in the reverse order.
All part numbers are extracted from the MOSS Minor parts list.

http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/shop-by-mo ... 93df3.html

[myoldjalopy]

Just to emphasise Phil's good and clear advice, when removing the top trunnion it is necessary to twist the top trunnion as you pull it away - I twist it clockwise, looking from above - as without twisting it is very hard to pull off.