Colin Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 Chaps; I read somewhere recently that the lower brass Trunnion joint (where the lubrication nipple is) acts as a 'reservoir', if you like for the EP90 oil trunnions are supposed to be lubricated with. This was news to me, as was the fact that peeps oil their cars' trunnions. As you all prolly know, I've had the car for 35 years and until recently have only ever greased them with a high pressure spec. grease. I have all the manuals going, but my recently acquired 'Bible' (pic) mentions oil as the lubricant, even though I can't see a section devoted to them. Additionally, I can't see how oiling them, with or without a 'reservoir' can work - after all, there's no capillary action can be brought to bear to bring oil up the stub. and oil would flow down through gravitation anyway. I grease until old grease flows from the lower joint, wipe it clean round and have done at that. I admit that recently and after reading elsewhere there are some semi-fluid greases available I made a mix of EP90 and my regular grease and shoved that in my grease gun and lubed them up. I have no idea if they're any happier for it!! Do you do the same? As an aside, I bought a Harrisons lubrication oil 'gun' (pic). Which I'm regretting. There is no way on God's earth I can get it to work, fill it up any which way I might. Customer service there think I'm mad - and I'm beginning to think I might be too, being unable at the tender age of 66 to not be able to work out how to load and get oil out of their product!! Any suggestions welcome. Bought on the supposition and info from my 'Bible' that perhaps, I should be oiling trunnions after all . . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 Colin, I've recently stripped my front corners then cleaned and oiled the trunnions with EP90. The old arguement is grease won't adequately lubricate the threads as it will be wiped off however on the other hand if the EP90 seeps out then the same applies. I like the concept of the semi fluid grease and worth investigating. When I cleaned my trunnions there was only a small amount of oil in the bottom even though I pumped oil in last year. It was also contaminated with grit as the top rubber seal seems not up to the job. Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekS Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 Colin, yes I do the same. I've had my Spitfire 1500 for 17 or more years, still on it's original trunnions. From day 1 I've used a slushy mix of EP90 and Castrol lithium grease, a little and often, swear by it, trunnions are as good as new. ( An old fitter's trick! ) Hope this helps! Derek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 (edited) 1 hour ago, Colin said: Chaps; I read somewhere recently that the lower brass Trunnion joint (where the lubrication nipple is) acts as a 'reservoir', if you like for the EP90 oil trunnions are supposed to be lubricated with. This was news to me, as was the fact that peeps oil their cars' trunnions. As you all prolly know, I've had the car for 35 years and until recently have only ever greased them with a high pressure spec. grease. I have all the manuals going, but my recently acquired 'Bible' (pic) mentions oil as the lubricant, even though I can't see a section devoted to them. Additionally, I can't see how oiling them, with or without a 'reservoir' can work - after all, there's no capillary action can be brought to bear to bring oil up the stub. and oil would flow down through gravitation anyway. I think the idea is the trunnion is a dead end threaded tube and you brim it with oil so the vertical link screws up and down in a bath of oil. There shouldnt be any leaks from it but obviously there will loss over time which has to be replenished. Using grease I cant see any mechanism for it being kept between the thread faces - its not like a roller bearing where the rotating action and heat generated will tend to keep the grease mobile and lubricating.... Note: if you look in the trunnion the thread has vertical slots to allow oil to get all the way up👍 Edited August 26 by johny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 Is it a 50/50 mix? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 1 minute ago, johny said: o the vertical link screws up and down in a bath of oil. Yes but there is actual only a small rotation and certainly not enough to draw oil up the whole thread when even half full of oil. The oil 'sludge' seems a better longer term mixture to fully lubricate the threads . Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 No Iain it should be full to the brim as I say, you pump oil in until it comes out of the top seal.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 Here it is, you pump in through the bolt hole in the vertical link where it connects to a hole down through the centre of the threaded stub to the bottom. It then fills up the trunnion until it comes out of the rubber seal cap. As long as the bottom of the trunnion is sealed properly (soldered?) and you replace the bolt it just sits in oil... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 Jeez! You guys are talking sacrilige! The trunnion and vertical link are different materials and the only lubricant that suits them both is oil. It's in the manual, go read it, do what it says. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 4 minutes ago, dougbgt6 said: It's in the manual, go read it applause !!!! Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 And dont start Doug on GL4 or 5 🤣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 27 minutes ago, johny said: And dont start Doug on GL4 or 5 🤣 True he doesn't start well on either, he needs at least 40° proof 😁 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 1 hour ago, johny said: No Iain it should be full to the brim as I say, you pump oil in until it comes out of the top seal... All well and good but not many seal the bottom of the trunnion so after X weeks no oil. Not all things in the wsm are the best process as Triumph just made it easy for maintenance in the 60s and now more and sometimes better products are available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 I think thats down to the quality of some trunnions now☹️ And yes move with the times but be aware that deviating from the manual is not without risks.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 (edited) 5 minutes ago, johny said: quality of some trunnions Very true as I posted on another thread my new trunnion was a much looser fit than the one currently fitted on the car. So I cleaned and refitted the old one. Edited August 26 by Iain T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted August 26 Author Report Share Posted August 26 Thanks All! Lively debate. I think I'll go with my oil-grease mush from the grease gun. No sure of the mix. Wouldn't have thught it was 50/50, though. No-one seems to have some across that darned Oil Puch Gun, then? This is the part of the trunnion I get grease emanating from once I've given them a squirt. Best, C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 most would get a Wanner off the bay or jumble for a few quid and they are easy and bullet proofed i have two one for grease one for oil one is 50 yrs old the 2nd was £8 at jumble they work effortlessly and do so for years Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted August 26 Author Report Share Posted August 26 Never heard of them but I'll take a gander - thanks Pete. Best, C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 I have permanently fitted grease nipples with the ball & spring removed so I can pump in EP90 with an oil can using a short length of flexible tubing. Fit a dust cover when finished. Use the same can and tubing to top up gearbox from underneath and diff. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 23 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said: have two one for grease one for oil one is 50 yrs old the 2nd was £8 at jumble Me too but I think I paid £12 and £15. A great bit of kit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigolf Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 4 hours ago, Colin said: As an aside, I bought a Harrisons lubrication oil 'gun' (pic). Which I'm regretting. There is no way on God's earth I can get it to work, fill it up any which way I might. Colin, I use a plastic bodied version of very similar design to the one in your pic. I make sure that the telescoping nozzle part is fully extended before filling at least half full with EP90. Then compress the nozzle until resistance is felt. It should now be primed and ready for use. Hold it squarely and firmly against the nipple and pump. When the trunnion is 'full', oil should seep out underneath the top seal. It helps if the weight is off the suspension too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted August 26 Author Report Share Posted August 26 Trigolf:- I have (honestly) filled it in this manner. But to trial it as if working on a nipple (bench test effectively), when depressed, nothing emanates from the nozzle. So . . . . . ??? 🤔😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 4 hours ago, Iain T said: All well and good but not many seal the bottom of the trunnion so after X weeks no oil I sealed mine, there's a few threads on here asking what to seal them with. As to X weeks, the manual says top up every three months. And we're all doing that, aren't we? Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyb Posted August 26 Report Share Posted August 26 43 minutes ago, dougbgt6 said: As to X weeks, the manual says top up every three months. And we're all doing that, aren't we? Doug Yes I did for the last 23 years until this June my n/s gave way at 40mph on a right hand bend. The virticle link broke in the normal place at the top of the thread. Inspection shows the thread was in good nick. I suspect pot holes have a lot to do with the failure. I've now gone down the trunnionless route. Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 27 Report Share Posted August 27 That is worrying Danny. No corrosion just a break straight through? Did it look like a crack first and then complete failure or difficult to tell? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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