Original Trunnion finish

[Josef]

Just a proper nerd question here! Were the small chassis trunnions originally painted black? I’ve a second hand real Stanpart one I ended up fitting to the passenger side of the Herald which had the remains of black paint on it. Last night I removed the drivers side and after scraping years of filth off of it, found it too was a proper Stanpart item and had traces of black paint. Unlike the rest of the suspension which is just rust colour
Just out of mild interest rather than anything else.

[johny]

All Ive seen come with no paint as not needed on bronze. However dont even after market ones come with the name Stanpart? I wouldnt know how to tell an original apart from perhaps the roughness of its surface finish and, if it has a plate in the end of the threaded socket, then definitely not original... 

[johny]

This one from Rimmers definitely looks Indian....

[DanMi]

the originals did not have the metal cap in the base. Mine are originals and never painted and I can see no reason to paint brass

[Colin Lindsay]

Painting is usually due to previous owners, in some cases you end up with brake pipes, bolts etc all painted as well.

[Josef]

Yeah it was just the coincidence of two from two known to be separate sources looking remarkably similar. Which I thought odd as, as has been said, I wouldn’t have expected the brass to be painted. 

[johny]

I guess the disc isnow  fitted in the bottom because its easier to drill and cut the thread all the way through rather than have special tools to do it with a blind end. The problem, as we've seen, is that if not well sealed the disc leaks your carefully injected oil leaving the threads to wear rapidly☹️  These silvered ones on ebay might be better as hopefully the disc is soldered....

[Jon J 1250]

Hi,

I have at least 6 NOS Stanpart original replacement trunnions and they are all painted black and include the bush kits and bolts, which are also painted pack externally.

The trunnions on my car I am fairly sure have never been replaced and are not painted (or have lost the paint).

All of the above have steel discs in the bottom. (which don't leak).

Kind Regards
Jon

[dougbgt6]

Bought my car in 78, trunnions hadn't seen any oil or grease since it left the factory in 73. Vertical link snapped in 79. Original trunnions and replacements were unpainted and solid, no plug in the bottom. Replacements replaced about 8 years ago with plugged variety, wish I'd kept the old ones for the black museum.

Doug

[Jon J 1250]

A photo of one of the original trunnions from my car during recent front suspension rebuild, they were fine so resealed, rebushed and reused.

Second photo is two of my spares, came in Stanpart boxes, and are painted black.

Like I say all have steel discs in the bottom, I don't think I have ever seen one that is solid brass, I don't think you could machine the threads unless they were cast with a hole in the bottom, which is later sealed up with a steel disc during the production process.

I am happy to be shown otherwise though, I enjoy learning about this stuff.

 

[Peter Truman]

I soldered the steel disc into the original brass trunnions to seal them, but they were heavily rust pitted quite surprised me considering I had always oiled them from the car being 2 years old

[DanMi]

I have checked mine and they do have disks in so my memory was wrong there. 

[dougbgt6]

5 hours ago, Jon J 1250 said:

Like I say all have steel discs in the bottom, I don't think I have ever seen one that is solid brass, I don't think you could machine the threads unless they were cast with a hole in the bottom, which is later sealed up with a steel disc during the production process.

 

9 hours ago, dougbgt6 said:

Bought my car in 78, trunnions hadn't seen any oil or grease since it left the factory in 73. Vertical link snapped in 79. Original trunnions and replacements were unpainted and solid, no plug in the bottom.

db