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Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov
Grand Master
Username: soviet

Post Number: 353
Registered: 2-2013
Posted on Saturday, 28 November, 2015 - 08:32 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

As the Camargue is laid up awaiting me to pull off a bank robbery or locate future mechanical employment to finance a large shipment of engine parts from FS I have been able for many hours to marvel at the inherent weirdness of the front suspension as I have all wheels removed to keep the weight of the car off them.

I know no other suspension of this design. The top wishbone is I find a trippy freakout with it going around the McPherson strut on only one side with the castor adjustment rod attached.

The suspension certainly looks solid, no pressed steel wishbones here as it's all forged thick steel members or maybe its cast -- what ever it is it looks truly brutal in nature.

Sadly the upper and lower ball joints have no grease nipples. Has anybody developed a grease-able aftermarket ball joint for these cars? Additionally, does anybody apart from RR/B make a spanner or socket to fit the alien life form removing notches?

I can remember as an apprentice servicing cars at a Mercedes Benz Dealership in a major city and how the old roundie Mercs had a grease nipple on any part they could fit it on. The Gerrys had really gone grease nipple crazy - perhaps there was some national contest to design a car with the most grease nipples.

I hate grease and the feel of it together with road grime after 40 odd years of suffering it but what I hate more is manufacturers who make stuff without grease nipples which wear out so you can keep the CEO's in Maybach and French Riviera gambling coin by purchasing new ball joints and tie rod ends etc that have dried out from lack of grease. Another nice caper is the inability to purchase the rubber dust boots separately from the ball joint so you get whacked with the cost of having to purchase a complete unit when the rubber splits.

Capers like this make me feel that there should be a system whereby when one is frustated by the greed of manufacturers, for a small fee donated to your favour charity you get get to press the red button in the parts show room that sends a 60 second jolt of 80,000 volts directly into the rectum of the presiding CEO. I would enjoy that immensely and would donate most generously to such a scheme.

An now of course we have cars with no suspension steering adjustments other than toe in. If only the general public knew how brutally they were getting shafted.
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Robert Noel Reddington
Grand Master
Username: bob_uk

Post Number: 769
Registered: 5-2015
Posted on Saturday, 28 November, 2015 - 11:07 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

The top and bottom ball joint have boots held by a spring ring clip. This imbeds inself in road dirt etc. Clean area with wire brush and maybe kerosene. Using a dental pick carefully lift the spring with out stretching it. The lift the boot edge up and squirt oil in the joint. Its about the best you can do without dismantling the whole lot and manually plopping the grease in.

Boots are available for these joints from motor factors who sell universal ones in various sizes.

The strut isn't actually a true MacPherson strut. The proper MacyPherson strut swivels at the top and bottom to replace top and bottom joints. It's quite clever and works quite well also far simpler than un equal lenght wish bones which was designed by Maurice Olly and GM. The independent RR front suspension on all RR cars is unequal length suspension. The shadow takes it a step further by angling the pivots in relationship with the the longitudinal axis of the car. The front lower pivots are only 2"apart under the front bumper.

To make a car waft and float requires soft and longer suspension travel. As the suspension moves the relationship between the wheels changes. But if the amount of travel causes the relationship to go of far out of whack then bump steer and a car that is hard to steer in a straight line.
So the suspension designers use the misalignments to counter things like effective camber changes because the car is rolling in a corner. The un equal lenght wish bone design kicks the bottom of the outside wheel out in a corner and brings the inside wheel in a bit thus not allowing the effective camber to go too far out of whack. This is easier if the suspension travel is limited. As the travel get longer the wish bones need to angled to the longitudinal axes. This also effects king pin inclination which is at 90 degrees to camber. The more king pin inclination or castor angle the more self centering and weight. By allowing the the kpi to increase in corners the driver senses steering effort more. Even if RR are very light its still there.

The Shadow suspension is very clever.

Note if the ride height is not correct then camber and castor or kpi won't be correct. This leads to quicker tyre wear.
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Chris Browne
Prolific User
Username: chrisb

Post Number: 236
Registered: 2-2010
Posted on Saturday, 28 November, 2015 - 07:32 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Certainly on a Shadow 2 (and maybe Shadow 1) so probably Camargue also, the factory fitted a blanking plug on the outer end of the top wishbone, above the top joint. This can simply be unscrewed and replaced with a grease nipple and you can grease the top joint to your hearts content. Grease nipples are provided on the bottom joints(on Shadow 2 at least).



Kind regards,

Chris
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Randy Roberson
Grand Master
Username: wascator

Post Number: 568
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Sunday, 29 November, 2015 - 08:13 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

What Chris said...
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Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov
Grand Master
Username: soviet

Post Number: 359
Registered: 2-2013
Posted on Monday, 30 November, 2015 - 02:53 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Great stuff, answers ninety percent of my query and makes me think that perhaps I should have had a closer look before posting, but I know my eyesight is getting worse as my mongrel optometrist sadistically informed me that our eye sight starts to diminish from birth.

Now about the bottom ball joint. I have had a look at it as the above posts caused me to race out and have a close look. There appears to be a hole in the bottom of the lower wishbone where I can put my finger on the bottom of the ball joint. Could this hole in the lower wishbone be from a previous time where the ball joints did come with grease nipples and if so what would be the objection to drilling and taping a hole and fitting a grease nipple.

To get the ball joints to Australia from FS with freight and the filthy finger of the government slice you would not see much change from $500 AUD each so I am feeling this is a must do job. Has anybody else attempted such a modification?
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Randy Roberson
Grand Master
Username: wascator

Post Number: 570
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Monday, 30 November, 2015 - 04:21 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Ball joints on the Rolls-Royce used to be repairable: one could purchase the internal gubbins and renew them. There are certainly more knowledgable Members who will offer encouraging information to you. Stay tuned!
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David Gore
Moderator
Username: david_gore

Post Number: 1824
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Monday, 30 November, 2015 - 07:25 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Vladimir,

The Shadow grease nipples were the truck/heavy equipment slide-on configuration and not the conventional car push-on nipples. These should still be available from Blackwoods and other industrial suppliers of lubrication spares - also your contacts in the mine workshops should be able to help you out in the traditional way.

When I was associated with the Illawarra coal mines south of Sydney, there was a saying that if a miner had 3 balls, he would lose one, break the second and take the third home in his crib [lunch] box!!
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Brian Vogel
Grand Master
Username: guyslp

Post Number: 1766
Registered: 6-2009
Posted on Tuesday, 01 December, 2015 - 02:10 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

I've got a list of online suppliers for the Grease Gun Coupler/Adapter for Cloud/S & Shadow/T Series and Derivatives (or any vehicle with a 5/8” button head grease fittings) in the RR & Bentley Parts, Repair, Restoration & Other Resources Compilation.

There are others. It's just a matter of knowing what the darned thing is called.

Brian
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Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov
Grand Master
Username: soviet

Post Number: 362
Registered: 2-2013
Posted on Tuesday, 01 December, 2015 - 03:59 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Thanks Brian and Dave. I am now totally puzzled. "Truck/heavy equipment slide on configuration and not conventional car push on nipples" Does anybody have a photo of one on these "slide on configurations"? Pretty please.

Now that's a new one for me because I have greased the biggest trucks including our triple road trains and gigantic excavators on Rio's site and they all use conventional grease nipples.

Perhaps these strange slide on configuration greasing thingos are on the large dump trucks and the drag lines which I have little experience on.

The Mad Scot who does have experience on them is presently on the high seas somewhere between Australia and New Zealand with a very ugly women of questionable intentions and possibly in an extremely inebriated state hopefully feeding the sharks with the inside lining for his stomach over the safety rail so I can't ask him.

Trust Crewe to fit something quirky to their cars. If those plugs in the photos above screw out and I can't obtain grease nipples to screw in then I will do a cut and shut with silver solder and a bench drill and tap. Well actually at first glance there would be nothing stopping one just drilling and tapping the plugs and installing conventional grease nipples after calculating that the movement of the suspension and steering is not going to knock a grease nipple off.

The real tricky one will be the bottom ball joint.

Just an aside for you chaps with transmission problems. It appears the trade has gone the full Manhattan rip off. The M51 BorgWarner box in my beloved Falcon Panel van has been slipping for 8 years so I have decided to overhaul it but not before I inquired from auto trans specialists the price of an exchange unit - $1359 thanks very much. Price of major overhaul kit with all clutch discs and bands included and delivered to my door $266. Having pulled the transmission down after removing it from the car, I estimate that after I did a few and got up to speed it would take me 3 to 4 hours max to remove the transmission, overhaul it and replace. A young gun mechanic could do the lot in 2.5 hours.

I can't figure why the overpricing and I have been in this mongrel of a heart breaking soul destroying trade for decades but I think it has something to do with the main stream work. M51 are not that common these days as most of these Falcons have been reincarnated as late model Toyotas their bodied rusted crushed and then shipped to Nippon long ago. My point being is that if you have an old transmission and you know your way around basic hand tools, it IS worth while doing the overhaul yourself regardless of the trade propaganda for "specialists"

Incidently it was you David who encouraged me to tamper with an Automatic Transmission box in you past posts you mention that you did your RR box with no problems. In the trade the general workshop will not touch them and consider them a specialist forte. I think now that is all bull.... and I have worked up the courage to overhaul the Camargue's transmission before I put her back together prior to Toad of Toad Hall and I going out in public to disturb the frightened and unwashed.
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Randy Roberson
Grand Master
Username: wascator

Post Number: 581
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Tuesday, 01 December, 2015 - 04:29 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Look on the two pics posted previously; the shiny round thingy on the top center of the upper ball joint.
First of these I ever saw were on an old Caterpillar dozer. It has a lip all around and the gun fitting slides on from the side. It has a hole in the center with a ball check to take grease but not et it back out. Called s button fitting; there are two sizes I think and the Rolls-Royce uses the smaller size.
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Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov
Grand Master
Username: soviet

Post Number: 363
Registered: 2-2013
Posted on Tuesday, 01 December, 2015 - 06:26 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Weirdness has decended upon me this morning as I check my stock of SP-117 KGB truth serum in anticipation of when I con some unsuspecting Crewe engineer to holiday down at my lair in an effort to "find out what they know"

This morning I expanded my knowledge of RR/B intrigue to locate the "slide on" grease fitting on one of the Camargue's outside tie rod ends.

I have never met eye to eye with one of these devices before - ever.

Now here is the interesting point. The top ball joint has not one of these slide grease fittings but a plug.

Bizarrely, and you guessed it I do have a passion for the bizarre eg the Royal family etc and what what, the size spanner for the sliding grease fitting is 3/8 BS while the plug is 5/16 BS. Just why you would have a strange archaic BS size on a vehicle which is AF is beyond me. But wait - RR/B was once British and Monty Python did not happen by accident so I guess it kind of makes sense in historical context.

But why put a slide grease fitting on the outside tie rod end but a plug on the upper ball joint and no grease fitting or plug on the lower ball joint - did some Chinese Boxer era opium fall into the engineers' tea at Crewe when they were deciding just how the suspension and steering should be maintained.

Fortunately the sliding grease adapter has the same size thread as the plug so one can utilise the adapter to get grease into the top ball joint. I put a thin screw driver down the hole in the top ball joint to locate dry useless grease in there.

Did the hallowed Crewe engineers consider for a microsecond the possibility that RR/B cars would have to be serviced at remote places or did they expect the owners to simply drive over a 1000 kilometres to the RR/B dealership for a thoroughly prime fleecing loot wise?

I cannot imagine how many of these cars assuming Shadows and Camargue are identical in suspension and steering components met an early joint failure due to mechanics not having a clue on how to get grease where it was needed.

Strange almost Citroen strange but not quite.
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Randy Roberson
Grand Master
Username: wascator

Post Number: 582
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Tuesday, 01 December, 2015 - 06:36 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Seems like I read somewhere (manual?) that the plug was left at the ball joint and it was to be replaced by the fitting when lube was required. Else i read that you may find a plug on some cars rather than a fitting.
Either way, that's where it goes.
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David Gore
Moderator
Username: david_gore

Post Number: 1826
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Tuesday, 01 December, 2015 - 07:58 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Vladimir,

Do you have a copy of the B & M T400 Transmission overhaul kit instructions? Indispensable for overhauling the transmission as it has lots of useful hints - if not, let me know and I will email you a copy.

A supply of brass shim stock is essential to re-installing the pistons after fitting new lip seals - just like fitting pistons with new rings but more delicate. The other thing that is not documented is the first clutch plate in the clutch pack on the R-R version of the T400, the GM transmissions have a flat plate whereas the R-R version has a "wave" plate. The wave clutch plate IS NOT included in the transmission overhaul kits but can be obtained from specialist automatic transmission part suppliers. There is a lot of discussion re flushing the T400 torque converter in this forum and I suggest you find the time to read these before proceeding.

Re the "slide-on" [button] grease nipples - the cynic in me suggests these were purely to add to the mystique of the marque. If you have a MacNaught Minilube, Repco used to have a "Farm Lubrication Kit" which included a range of flexible hoses and connectors including "slide-on" [button] fittings. This is no longer listed on the Macnaught or Repco websites but might be available from a farm machinery supplier. The slide-on [button] adaptors are available individually from industrial tool suppliers. The slide-on [button] grease nipples commonly came in NPT and BSPT threads if my memory is still reliable.
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Christian S. Hansen
Prolific User
Username: enquiring_mind

Post Number: 104
Registered: 4-2015
Posted on Tuesday, 01 December, 2015 - 08:58 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

The slide-on fittings are commonly used on the Cloud series (at least on my Cloud I) front suspension points in numerous places. Whether they are the same threading remains to be determined. I suspect therefore that the fittings are readily available making it possible to replace the plug with a fitting.

The special lube gun ends that are needed to match the fitting are readily available but are in aluminum (go figure) which disintegrated when I applied too much pressure to a stuck fitting. Cheap crap.

If anyone has a source for steel lube gun ends, please advise. Thanks.
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Robert Noel Reddington
Grand Master
Username: bob_uk

Post Number: 774
Registered: 5-2015
Posted on Tuesday, 01 December, 2015 - 10:21 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

The photo showing the bottom ball joint is a photo of a track rod end. I got confused and said the top ball joint had no way of greasing. Also the bottom of the strut has a ball joint.

These ball joints are very well made and should last the life of the car. The big nut on the track rod ends comes un done in situ to reveal shims for adjustment.

The reason for Whitworth/BS spanner sizes is because RR didn't make them and just chose them from the grease nipple catalogue.

My button nips had chew marks on them where some idiot used grips to get them out. So I replaced the lot with ball end greasers to match the drive and prop shaft nips. 3 types of ball end. Straight, 45 angle and 90 degree angle. About 50p each. The button type does look better but most garages only use ball ends. At the time I changed mine I had access to a power greaser and spare ball ends so in they went. The originals are still in a box in my man cave.

My jeep has greasers which surprised me.

MOT regs on ball joints is no excessive play. Not no play. If a joint has play that goes when greased the play is not excessive. The average MOT tester will fail at the faintest sign of wear, which is actually incorrect. Good ball joint gaitering is a must water and grit equals worn out ball joint which may not be adjustable with out getting tight spots and then whole new joints may be required and 6 track rod ends is £600. Ouch.

New universal boots are available at motor factors. Not expensive.

Grease every 12 months or 6 to 12k miles is fine, and the joints should last forever.
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Brian Vogel
Grand Master
Username: guyslp

Post Number: 1767
Registered: 6-2009
Posted on Tuesday, 01 December, 2015 - 11:41 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Christian,

I can't remember whether any were steel, but one was definitely brass. The one I borrowed way back when was an ancient brass one and it had held up very well.

Brian
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David Gore
Moderator
Username: david_gore

Post Number: 1828
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Tuesday, 01 December, 2015 - 12:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Chrstian,

Mine are 30+ years old and are steel construction presumably to minimise wear of this expensive component - much cheaper to replace the nipples/buttons when necessary.

I suspect the adapters/kits currently sold by the discount auto parts stores may use cheaper and less durable materials. I would try to buy new ones from an industrial supplies specialist as they would be more inclined to carry the expensive "industrial quality" items alongside the cheaper alternatives.
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Christian S. Hansen
Prolific User
Username: enquiring_mind

Post Number: 105
Registered: 4-2015
Posted on Tuesday, 01 December, 2015 - 01:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Brian...
Yes, I should have been more specific. What I really meant was anything other than a "cheap junk aluminum" casting. Brass would be fine. The grease gun tip design has a slot that the corresponding rim of the grease fitting slides into (at a 90 degree angle to the axis of the grease fitting) and when pressure is applied, the corresponding opposite force against the grease gun tip (in line with the axis of the fitting) simply snapped one side of the slot off. It was not even a lot of force required to snap the aluminum. Brass would hold up a lot better. I can still make the aliminum fitting work since one side of the slot remains and I simply hold it in place with my hand. As long as the grease fitting is not jammed with old grease, it "sort of" works.
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Brian Vogel
Grand Master
Username: guyslp

Post Number: 1770
Registered: 6-2009
Posted on Tuesday, 01 December, 2015 - 01:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Christian,

The brass one that's listed in the resources file is by an industrial supply house. See the PDF catalog you can download from that page.

Having a swivel, like this one can be very helpful in reducing the issue you described.

Brian
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Kelly Opfar
Experienced User
Username: kelly_opfar

Post Number: 42
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Tuesday, 01 December, 2015 - 02:35 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

McMaster.com sells button head grease fittings:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#grease-fittings/=101l1s4

and couplers:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#button-head-grease-gun-fittings/=101l0q
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Chris Browne
Prolific User
Username: chrisb

Post Number: 237
Registered: 2-2010
Posted on Tuesday, 01 December, 2015 - 07:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Robert,

You are right. I mis-remembered my own photo. It is the track rod end! Sorry for any confusion.

Kind regards,

Chris
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Robert Noel Reddington
Grand Master
Username: bob_uk

Post Number: 777
Registered: 5-2015
Posted on Wednesday, 02 December, 2015 - 06:08 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Chris,

I mis-name parts all the time. I think it's old age, both me and the car.

The ball type nipples will accept angles and still seal.
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Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov
Grand Master
Username: soviet

Post Number: 365
Registered: 2-2013
Posted on Wednesday, 02 December, 2015 - 06:44 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Thanks for those leads Kelly You hit the nail on the head there.
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Brian Vogel
Grand Master
Username: guyslp

Post Number: 1772
Registered: 6-2009
Posted on Thursday, 03 December, 2015 - 08:38 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Does anyone know whether the button head grease fittings at McMaster Carr that are used on RR/Bentley are British Standard (which would be logical, but . . .), Pipe (NPT/PFT), or metric threaded?

Also, what is the specific thread size?

Brian
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Robert Noel Reddington
Grand Master
Username: bob_uk

Post Number: 780
Registered: 5-2015
Posted on Thursday, 03 December, 2015 - 09:37 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

They are British Standard Pipe. Which is 55 degree Whitworth pattern thread. BSP.
BSTP. BSP are parallel. BSTP are tapered.
I think the size is BSP 1/8. The 1/8 in both BSP & BSTP refers to the bore size of the pipe not the actual outside dia of the fitting. In this case there is no actual pipe just a threaded hole.

National Pipe Threads (USA) is not compatible with BSP. The NPT pitch is slightly coarser.

However if only NPT is available then the nips can be recut with a die. Its not a safety critical part and I reckon one would get away with it.

From memory 1/8 BSP is 28 tpi and NPT is 27 tpi.

I like to present cars for MOT with obviously freshly greased nipples, it sways the tester, it shouldn't but a freashly lub car means maintenance and recent maintenance means someone cares.
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Christian S. Hansen
Prolific User
Username: enquiring_mind

Post Number: 107
Registered: 4-2015
Posted on Thursday, 03 December, 2015 - 10:04 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Brian...
I don't want to seem to be entirely helpless, but went thru your supplier compilation twice without locating any reference to grease fittings, etc. Could you direct me to the supplier you noted for the "brass" coupler ends, swivel would be splendid? McMaster seems to carry one in a sort of plastic (polyamide) and another in steel. Restoration Supply carries the cast aluminum ones.
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Brian Vogel
Grand Master
Username: guyslp

Post Number: 1773
Registered: 6-2009
Posted on Thursday, 03 December, 2015 - 11:45 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Christian,

Once you open it in Adobe Reader (download it if you haven't, don't use Google Docs to view it) simply search for the word "grease".

It's at the bottom of page 3 and spans over to the top of page 4.

Brian
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Brian Vogel
Grand Master
Username: guyslp

Post Number: 1775
Registered: 6-2009
Posted on Thursday, 03 December, 2015 - 11:53 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Bob,

Thanks. If I'm reading you correctly it means that these:

British Standard 1/8" button-head fittings

are the correct ones.

Brian
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richard george yeaman
Grand Master
Username: richyrich

Post Number: 400
Registered: 4-2012
Posted on Friday, 04 December, 2015 - 05:58 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Hi all after reading the above thread I had a look at e bay for these button headed grease fittings and grease gun adapter I was able to buy a good quality adapter and 10 button heads with free postage and fitting for ten Pounds Sterling they arrived today and I am happy with the quality I will order another set and change all the ones that I have on SRH 19529.

Richard.
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Robert Noel Reddington
Grand Master
Username: bob_uk

Post Number: 784
Registered: 5-2015
Posted on Friday, 04 December, 2015 - 11:05 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

10 quid is quite cheap.

I get mine locally from a thread and pipe shop, they mainly make hoses etc for plant. Also bearing suppliers and engineers supplies shops sell them.

This job is a cheap easy job to do on a big service. It would be rude not to.
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Paul Yorke
Grand Master
Username: paul_yorke

Post Number: 1404
Registered: 6-2006
Posted on Sunday, 06 December, 2015 - 02:03 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

I'm coming late to this and just speed read through.

Just quickly . . . .

The slide on nipples are or were an armed forces preferred nipple.

The track rods have metal on metal bearing surfaces, the ball joints are plastic on metal.

Vladimir, You could add a grease nipple to the bottom ball joint by drilling through the bottom adaptor and tapping a tread for a nipple in it. When you have the ball joint off you will find the part way through drilled hole there (usually) and a hole in the bottom plastic cup to allow the grease in around the ball.

These bottom ball joints never feel worn when using a pry bar etc at MOT tests ( well there is a very small period when you may detect wear ) because they tend to wear when they go dry. When they are dry the ball rusts and fills the gap. This rusty metal also has a higher friction so the joint feels like it is still good.

If you peel back the boot ( be very careful ) you can see the top of the plastic and where the pin enters it. This should have nice clean and wet looking grease. If you have a dry 'grinding paste' substance or red rust and powder coming out then you need to check it out.

If there is a little lubrication left, you can usually get away with a repair kit.

If there is rust coming out then the ball will have rusted and be useless, so you will need a complete ball joint.

R-R used the slide on nipples where they wanted graphite type high load bearing grease to be used. In our workshop we have one gun with a normal push on nipple adaptor filled with a 'normal' grease in, and another gun with Graphite type grease and a slide on adaptor fitted.

Any grease is better than no grease. Ball joints alone will not last the life of the car, but greased ones will. :-)

Later cars have sealed track rod / steering joints and these are throw away.

(For those with one shot systems, we also have a gun full of EP90 and a selection of adaptors. We use this to pump high pressure oil into any One Shot fed joints that are not getting their fair share. you have to remove the pipe joint and screw an adaptor in with a grease nipple in most of them. If your bits aren't moist then they aren't getting enough. Spring shackles and king pins are the worst for blocking up.)
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Robert Noel Reddington
Grand Master
Username: bob_uk

Post Number: 790
Registered: 5-2015
Posted on Monday, 07 December, 2015 - 06:00 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Also the steering and suspension will work smoother.

One shot systems are still fitted to trucks. Some are automatic and work every now and then on their own. Enots.

I hate sealed for life ( not ones life but the life of the joint ) joints because a spot of grease greatly increases the life many fold.

Some cars such as Triumph TR cars use EP90 instead of grease. Removing a boot and dropping the joint overnight in a can of gear oil works. Even better is motorcycle chain grease that melts into oil at about 90c. The grease goes in as oil then cools back into grease. Lovely stuff.
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Randy Roberson
Grand Master
Username: wascator

Post Number: 588
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Monday, 07 December, 2015 - 09:03 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

As for "lubed for life" I have had had ok performance. I bought a new Buick Century (although I doubt it would do 100 mph) in 2000 and in about 2 years one tie rod end was shot. My 2008 Ford Taurus company car has 224000 miles and just got its first suspension parts replaced: tie rod ends. Not bad for a disposable car. I have found it a satisfactory cheap car. Still uses no oil and doesn't leak a drop.