Steering Rack Lubrication

[PGH]

My manual says to lubricate the steering rack by filling a grease gun with SAE 90 Hypoy oil. Is this correct, won't the oil simply drain from the grease gun?

The manual also says to repack the hubs with grease. Does this simply mean putting grease in the caps at the end of the hubs or is nore dismantling required?

Thanks for your help.

[chickenjohn]

From the Frost catalogue (among other places)
You can get an oil gun for steering racks.

Works fine provided some ****** had not previously
filled the rack with grease!

Or you can simply unbolt the rack nipple and
oil from an oil can into the rack (turn the wheel gently
between applications. 20 strokes.

Properly re-packing the hubs means removing
the bearings, cleaning them with paraffin and applying fresh
grease. Full instructions are in the manuals. beware
left hand thread on left hand side front of car.

[bmcecosse]

And as we have discussed over and over again - all later racks of exactly this same design are specified for grease - not oil. Reason being - grease stays put, oil runs away and hides in the rubber boots at each end of the rack.......

[MarkyB]

grease stays put

My concern with this idea exactly, how far from the nipple will it get?
Just be sure you put some lubrication in there, that's the main thing.

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

Interesting that this topic should crop up again. Talking to my mechanic about a job on my other other classic, I asked him to lubricate the steering rack as there is no provision for a simple DIY job; he stated that engine oil is used nowadays and is fine. Incidentally, the rack itself is buggered but I'll stick to the EP90 once the new one goes in.

On a Minor I suppose grease is fine as the nipple puts it in directly, however there is a risk of clogging in freezing weather.

Even in the late 1970s manufacturers were still specifying EP90 for the steering rack.

[bmcecosse]

Not in my TR7.......

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

Not in my TR7.......

Your cousins over at Longbridge were.