Morris Minor Owners Club

And for those who do not know what a Walford Trunnion looks like here is a photo of a kit suitable for the Marina.[frame][/frame]

To understand the flow of the grease in and through the bottom trunnion assembly I carried out a little experiment today.
I took a new unmodified bottom trunnion with the baffle between the trunnion pin bearings and fitted it to a good standard swivel with the trunnion pin fitted and greased the standard nipple. The grease came straight up the swivel threads past the seal. Because the hole for the grease to pass to the swivel theads is halfway up the trunnion threads and there is no bottom escape for the grease the grease did not go straight to the lower threads. I then fitted a new unmodified trunnion without the baffle - the grease still gets to the upper threads but no so quickly or positively.
I then took another new trunnion and drilled and tapped for an additional grease nipple so that the grease fed into the bottom of the trunnion threads adjacent to the broached grease transfer channel. I found that the grease fed into the bottom of the threads but tended to go straight up the broached channel and out past the swivel seal.
I drilled and tapped for another grease nipple again at the bottom of the threads but opposite the broached channel.
The grease fed into and around the threads without going directly up the broached channel.
The grease was feeding to the trunnion pin and bushs but with the baffle the preferred route of the grease when using the original grease nipple was to the swivel threads.
So in conclusion I would recommend:-
1. A bottom trunnion with a baffle fitted between the trunnion pin bushes is used.
2. An additional grease nipple is fitted at the bottom of the trunnion threads but opposite the broached channel.
3. Both grease nipples that is the original grease nipple and the additional grease nipple are greased at regular intervals.
4. To give a good start to the additional grease nipple the trunnion threads are thoroughly cleaned of old hard grease.
5. The trunnion seal is examined on a regular basis to ensure that its sealing capability is always maximised.

When fitting the additional new grease nipple (I used 1/4" UNF ones) make sure that the grease nipple when screwed fully home does not foul the swivel threads.

So happy trunnion greasing.
Phil[frame][/frame]

That looks like a well thought out and thorough job Phil.
What is the correct word for a gathering of nipples?

Three would be a Scaramanga.......

A 'murder' of nipples? Or is that crows...

What is the correct word for a gathering of nipples? [/quote]

oops I typed a naughty word

samuria wrote:What is the correct word for a gathering of nipples?

oops I typed a naughty word [/quote]

Bit confusing having three though, and them sticking out in all directions!

M25VAN wrote:Three would be a Scaramanga.......

Excellent, Mr Bond

a good hit with a big toffee hammer and the steering arm popped out no probs
hope to get new legs today and back on the road by the weekend

If you can - fit the extra grease nipple as per my post above.
I am certain it will pay dividends
When my suspension is next pulled apart for maintenance I will certainly fit the extra grease nipple to both of the bottom trunnions.

Well done with the arms ! Some have had terrible problems in the past...
Since mention was made earlier of Marina torsion bars - note that MOST Marina bars are NO BETTER than Minor bars and there is Frankly no advantage changing them. Only the VAN bars are higher rated - I believe, and obviously hard to find now.

If looking for Marina torsion bars the ideal way to find what you are looking for is to measure the diameter of the bar between the splines.
The normal duty Marina torsion bar (Pt No: 21H5747) is of 19mm diameter and is no stronger than the Minor torsion bar.
The heavy duty Marina torsion bar (Pt No: 21H5437) is 20.6mm diameter.
I have also found reference to a 20mm diameter Marina/Ital torsion bar but have been currently been unable to find a part Number. If I do find the part number I will post on here.

See also:-

http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f= ... rs#p526076

bmcecosse wrote:Well done with the arms ! Some have had terrible problems in the past...
Since mention was made earlier of Marina torsion bars - note that MOST Marina bars are NO BETTER than Minor bars and there is Frankly no advantage changing them. Only the VAN bars are higher rated - I believe, and obviously hard to find now.

Indeed, very hard to find. My two pairs of Marina commercial torsion bars will be staying on the appropriate vehicles though (pickup and camper van)unless some calamity occurs... Marina cars certainly don't feel like they are firmly sprung although fitting late Ital telescopic dampers transforms them. No use to Minor owners though...

The bottom mounting of the Marina/Ital telescopic dampers will fit onto the Minor thick/thin suspension arms without any modification and it puts the damper bottom mounting centrally over the Minor lower suspension arms which is the best place.

Here is a link to the Maria/ital. bottom damper mounting and there is also a link to the top mounting bracket which can be fabricated to suit.

http://www.marinacoupe.co.uk/

When link is up go to index on the left of page and click on 'front shocker brackets' and all will be revealed. Follow the links through for the drawings.

well that's it back on all 4 wheels and looking the way it should , and by god the steering is a lot lighter to[frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

Yay, back on the road where she belongs. I bet that feels a lot better.

yip sure does