trunnion oiling, greasing and inspection.

[alan.gilbert_6384]

Hi All,

Thought I would strip and inspect the trunnions (after reading TSSC No 105, page 16).  So here is the question, the Haynes manual does not mention grease at all, only EP90 for the trunnion thread.  But the workshop manual states the bushing should be greased with Zinc based grease (see picture).  My thoughts were, that I would use a similar white grease with Calcium and PTFE as this is a better performance grease than standard Zinc oxide.  Does anyone have experience of greasing these bushings ?

 

[Colin Lindsay]

Have you considered poly trunnion bushes? No need for all the tin plates and rubber rings, just two polyurethane bushes that slide in with a tube in the middle. I've fitted them to two Heralds recently and while it's too soon to tell how they perform long term it saves a lot of faffing about when fitting.

 

[daverclasper]

22 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said:

Have you considered poly trunnion bushes? No need for all the tin plates and rubber rings, just two polyurethane bushes that slide in with a tube in the middle. I've fitted them to two Heralds recently and while it's too soon to tell how they perform long term it saves a lot of faffing about when fitting.

Yes, less faf. Also the standard replacements I used at first didn't last at all.  The Polys, about twice the price of standard a few years ago. 

[alan.gilbert_6384]

1 hour ago, Colin Lindsay said:

Have you considered poly trunnion bushes? No need for all the tin plates and rubber rings, just two polyurethane bushes that slide in with a tube in the middle. I've fitted them to two Heralds recently and while it's too soon to tell how they perform long term it saves a lot of faffing about when fitting.

 

Just checked receipt file from PO and found these FRONT SUSPENSION BUSH KIT POLY SPIT MK1V/1500 / GT6MK3(JPR300-2) from James paddock.  Does this mean I don’t need to lubricant them ?

thanks very much

[Colin Lindsay]

2 minutes ago, alan.gilbert_6384 said:

Just checked receipt file from PO and found these FRONT SUSPENSION BUSH KIT POLY SPIT MK1V/1500 / GT6MK3(JPR300-2) from James paddock.  Does this mean I don’t need to lubricant them ?

thanks very much

If they're fitted, no. Just oil the trunnions as usual. If you inspect them, if there's no side plates they're poly. These are the James Paddock version on my Herald:

 

[Peter Truman]

I find I pump enough EP90 thro the trunnions it oils the bush’s too but the again I don’t live with the English weather.

I do find the poly can squeak in a dry summer ever with initially using the black assembly grease

[KevinR]

10 minutes ago, alan.gilbert_6384 said:

Just checked receipt file from PO and found these FRONT SUSPENSION BUSH KIT POLY SPIT MK1V/1500 / GT6MK3(JPR300-2) from James paddock.  Does this mean I don’t need to lubricant them ?

It's always a good idea to lubricate the bolt through the bush to stop corrosion and make the bolt easier to remove in the future.

I have traditionally used Molykote Longterm W2 for this task as it is very resistant to "washout" so doesn't have to be replaced too often to remain effective.

I recently started using synthetic white grease (Superlube), which is even better, especially when there is a risk of contact with polyurethane bushes, which don't like contact with normal mineral greases.  

[alan.gilbert_6384]

19 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said:

If they're fitted, no. Just oil the trunnions as usual. If you inspect them, if there's no side plates they're poly. These are the James Paddock version on my Herald:

 

Brilliant Colin,  I will check them out, thanks very much for the picture.

[Pete Lewis]

most poly bushes i have bought come with a lubricant  paste in a sachet  to aid fitting etc 

Pete

[cliff.b]

Just reading this and realised my knowledge of greases hasn't  been updated for about 40 years.

What ones would it be useful to have in the garage and for what purposes. 

[Pete Lewis]

 

how about

LM/lithium    grease for general   in a Tub so you can easy fill the grease gun 

 copaslip  for anti seize  places   

  Mintex  ceratek  for back of disc pads ( good at anti squeal) 

 20/50 oil for engine

EP90  GL4 for gearbox /diff

DOT4 brake fluid 

Blue  glycol antifreeze 

[Colin Lindsay]

...and Prestone Screenwash which always seems to be on special offer in Tescos...

[Clive]

Not forgetting red rubber/brake grease, although most sealkits come with a little sachet. 

[cliff.b]

19 minutes ago, clive said:

Not forgetting red rubber/brake grease, although most sealkits come with a little sachet. 

Yes, I have seen that. What would you use it for?

[Clive]

6 minutes ago, cliff.b said:

Yes, I have seen that. What would you use it for?

Normal grease/oil damages rubber seals. So red grease is used when building brake cylinders or calipers. It is also sometimes used on bleed nipples (never normal grease or copperslip) 

[cliff.b]

4 minutes ago, clive said:

Normal grease/oil damages rubber seals. So red grease is used when building brake cylinders or calipers. It is also sometimes used on bleed nipples (never normal grease or copperslip) 

Ah right. So what is this white/synthetic grease used for 🤔

[Gully]

25 minutes ago, cliff.b said:

Ah right. So what is this white/synthetic grease used for 🤔

I've a tube of white grease - used by me mainly for my bike. It's pretty waterproof, but very temperature sensitive, so I've rarely used it on the car. Might be a bit on the handbrake cable where it runs through the body, but can't think of anywhere else I've used it. Of course, your white grease may be completely different... 😄

Gully

[cliff.b]

11 minutes ago, Gully said:

I've a tube of white grease - used by me mainly for my bike. It's pretty waterproof, but very temperature sensitive, so I've rarely used it on the car. Might be a bit on the handbrake cable where it runs through the body, but can't think of anywhere else I've used it. Of course, your white grease may be completely different... 😄

Gully

That's the point, I don't have any white grease but wondering if I need some lol

[Clive]

33 minutes ago, cliff.b said:

That's the point, I don't have any white grease but wondering if I need some lol

I have never needed it....

I do keep an aerosol of bike "chain lube" in the garage. It is sort of sticky grease, and I tend to use it for door mechanisms, plus outdoor padlocks etc, and it even works well as a rust preventitive "wax", a dab on exposed electrical connections etc. 

[alan.gilbert_6384]

Hi All, so after finding a corroded VL its now going to be replaced with Canleys finest (based on the fact that the costs were not that different).  Seems like good units but not sure about the load path going through a circlip?   But they have made loads so maybe its just me ?

[Clive]

16 minutes ago, alan.gilbert_6384 said:

Hi All, so after finding a corroded VL its now going to be replaced with Canleys finest (based on the fact that the costs were not that different).  Seems like good units but not sure about the load path going through a circlip?   But they have made loads so maybe its just me ?

Mine have been on about 30K, survived all sorts fro trackdays (probably not hard on them, though high speed cornering with the tyres screaming?) and numerous alpine passes, rough Scottish borders roads which can make all manner of stuff fall off a car and plenty of fast motorway stuff. Plus a few accidental high speed "traffic calming" bumps etc etc, and all good as gold. I ought to give them a squirt of wd40, just done 2000 miles in the last 8 days.