Steering rack lubrication

[Bit of Both]

Hi

Can anyone tell me why there is only one grease nipple on the steering rack?

Thank you

[Andy Rose]

Although it is a grease nipple, it is used to top the rack up with oil..and the oil washes around the whole length of the rack. Use EP90 oil in a gun and give it about ten pumps. It will probably leak a bit from the boots, mine does, but if a Morrie is not leaking, it needs lubing.

[chesney]

If it's leaking from the boots then the boots need replacing!

[BBJ]

Should it be oil or grease?

I know the manual says oil but a lot of people say grease


John

[moggiethouable]

Should it be oil or grease?

I know the manual says oil but a lot of people say grease


John

The consensus seems to be oil, grease is said to harden/clog when cold and the oil, like Heineken, gets where other lubricants cannot reach.
Heinekens too thin though.

[MarkyB]

A bit of both won't hurt anything, the lack of both certainly will!

[bmcecosse]

GREASE! I use Moly grease. It doesn't run away into the boots! Run the rack back and forth as you add the grease - or 'oil' if you must.....

[les]

I can't see how grease would travel along to the 'other' side, there's only about 8inches of lateral movement, not enough to push the grease to the other end. Oil has the ability to 'run' along before some possibly might end up in the boots. Well that's why i use the recommended stuff

[bmcecosse]

We've been over this time and again - all later racks of exactly the same general design are specified for grease.........

[les]

I know we have Roy but my reasoning, right or wrong, still makes me stick to oil.

[bmcecosse]

Indeed - each to their own.

[rayofleamington]

later racks of exactly the same general design are..

Later track rod ends came without grease nipples* - that doesn't mean it's better!

(*ok, later as in 10 years later than the end of the Minor)

[MarkyB]

I suspect that ease and speed of servicing played a bigger part in the change to grease.
It's not in the interest of the dealer network or the spares suppliers for parts to last forever is it?