filling/flushing steering rack

[twas_brillig]

Apologies for starting a new thread on this topic...
My rack hasn't been lubed since I bought it in about 1972; I pulled the oil fitting and its mounting (metric sockets seemed to work best in my case)and found grease.
The original BE shop manual advises to add "10 fluid ounces (0.28 litres approx.)" after rebuilding (ie when it is completely dry and empty).
Questions:
1 - has anyone ever tried filling by removing the hexagonal bolt just above the oil fitting?
2 - if so, does the 0.28 litre volume fill the rack such that removing the oil fitting and its mounting plug could allow it to function as the overflow point?
3 - and if I want to drain the rack, I assume that the only way is to break the gaiter seals? which haven't been disturbed since 1960?
Thanks,
Doug

 

[Jim_Gruber]

I did it that way to fill the rack. Add a little move the rack to distribute oil, add some more, etc. Be careful how tight you make that hex bolt. Too tight and the rack will lock up on you.

 

[vagt6]

I installed a new steering rack in my MK II '74 Midget, and there doesn't appear to be any way to lubricate the rack. No grease zerks, nada.

Anyone else have this problem? If so, how do you lube the rack?

 

[twas_brillig]

Mark - I can't comment on your 'modern' car; just complain about our BE.
Pulled the hex head (11/16" socket isn't an exact fit but worked); it wasn't especially tight (per Jim's comments). Also per Jim: you can't see anything other than a steel shaft; pour in some oil; move the wheel back and forth all the way and listen to the sound of your car breaking wind (wetly). I've left some oil to soak in; will try small wiggles next. And 10 fluid ounces is a LOT of oil to get in there; I'm hoping to get maybe half and then start doing the oil/grease gun thing this season.
Doug

 

[Jim_Gruber]

I'm not sure that was the way to do it but necessity being what it is, opening the hex cap screw did indeed work and I did get oil into the rack. It's been 10 years or so since I added oil to Bugsy's rack, relubing is on my Spring Chore list for Bugsy along with changing out tranny oil and refilling the diferential. Been a long time since any of those were changed.

 

[twas_brillig]

got a couple of hundred milliletres in yesterday: had a buddy sitting in the seat and wiggling the steering wheel back and forth about a quarter turn while I dribbled the oil in. Worked quite well, actually. Put the hex head back in (I should have put a mark on it to get it back into the same position)and will spin the wheel back and forth a bit today and see how it feels and sounds - yesterday was a lot like your dog ate something that didn't agree with him and produced a LOT of gas. Maybe pull the plug again tomorrow and dribble some more in while everything is really easy to get at. Snowing again this morning; had a bit of record setting dump two days again. Spring started 3 weeks & 5 days ago...
Doug

 

[twas_brillig]

Pulled the plug tonight out again tonight and dribbling oil in seems to be going a lot smoother - could be that the previous oil and movement has washed out some of the grease and allowed the fluid to flow better. Forecast is for 8 inches of snow tonight according to the pessimists; 2 inches for the optimists. Off to watch the grandson play goal tomorrow (get in car; drive south 1.5 hours) at about as high a level as is possible in Alberta (population 3 million); the tournament is being scouted, and the scouts picked him as the MVP last night in a 5-3 loss. Proud might not be the right word, but tickled pink isn't quite adequate. And I dug the 1999 Buell out of the snow and pushed it into the garage and it fired tonight after a year and a half! been a good weekend thus far.

Doug

 

[jlaird]

Congrats on the MVP, bet you thought he was only MVG. Thats Most Valuable Grandson.