soldave Posted October 31, 2014 Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 Have heard that these need to be looked after and need greasing quite often. My question is this: how often is quite often? I am familiar with my engine oil & gearbox oil change frequencies, but not about greasing trunions and other parts of the suspension that might need it. How often do you pump grease in, so to speak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclat22 Posted October 31, 2014 Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 As far as I'm aware the best thing to do with trunnions is to oil them with ep90 not grease. I used to squirt it in through the grease nipple until it was flowing out of the seal. Not a problem now as I have converted it to used a ball joint. Regards Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soldave Posted October 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 Thanks for that Dan. Will keep it in mind. Do you remember how often you'd have to lube it up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted October 31, 2014 Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 When it starts to chafe, or does this depend on the age of the trunion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soldave Posted October 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 Would love to continue puns about how often I should lube up, but will hold off in the hope that someone can let me know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclat22 Posted October 31, 2014 Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 My Eclat 2.2 owners handbook states to grease the trunnions at every service, this is every 5000 miles. Obviously from my previous post later thinking is to use ep90 oil, the thinking being that oil won't dry out and thicken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soldave Posted November 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 My Eclat 2.2 owners handbook states to grease the trunnions at every service, this is every 5000 miles. Obviously from my previous post later thinking is to use ep90 oil, the thinking being that oil won't dry out and thicken. Right, will get hold of a grease gun then. This one looks like it'll do the job (http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/tools/workshop-tools/lubrication/grease-guns/?SEAAK442&0&t5_555). I'll grease them next time I'm under the car, and see how much they take before it starts to leak out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis247 Posted November 2, 2014 Report Share Posted November 2, 2014 (edited) I use a pressure oil-can with 90-grade oil. Shouldn't use grease, it can't flow up the specially-shaped threads. Pump it in until it overflows, and check from time to time. It's a lot easier and cheaper to put oil in regularly than to replace uprights and/or trunnions. Edited November 2, 2014 by Denis247 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixi4uk Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 (edited) The trunnions are Triumph based. Vitesse I believe. I have owned a Triumph TR4A for the last 16 years that has trunnions of the same design although beefier and not interchangeable with the Elite I am restoring (as far as I am aware). I am also a member of a couple of forums for the Triumph marque. The concensus of opinion there, inculding Triumph data sheets, is EP90 gear oil pumped in every 1000 miles. The reason for oil is simple, it works on the Archimedes principle. Everytime the trunnion is turned the oil is transferred up or down the Acme thread. Grease is too heavy to do this. Grease obviously provides some protection but there is a risk of incomplete lubrication. My Elite when purchased has had grease pumped in the same yours presumably. This seems to be the commom mistake made by mechanics during servicing, (see a grease nipple grease it). Although the Lotus manual recommends removal of the nipple and fitting a plug after servicing. To rectify is a strip down, clean out remaining grease, new seal and reinstall with oil. A little job for a Saturday afternoon I don't think! particularly on a car approaching 40 years old. Edited November 15, 2014 by dixi4uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soldave Posted November 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 Think I'm going to get an oil gun than can pump oil through grease nipples. Seen a few of them available and looks to be reasonable straightforward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixi4uk Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 Think I'm going to get an oil gun than can pump oil through grease nipples. Seen a few of them available and looks to be reasonable straightforward Your plan has merit. To clean out the trunnions without dismantling in theory should be easy although messy I would use a compressed air greaser filled with some solvent that will breakdown the grease. How much effort and for how long you would have to pump this through is anybodys guess. Then pump through the gear oil in a sufficient quantity to clean out the solvent. Again what quantity is guesswork. On the side of caution you could just miss out the solvent and pump in the oil. Which eventually would clean out the grease. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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