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Grease Guns and Triumphs

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JohnnyMead

JohnnyMead

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The recent posts about TR3 rear axles reminded me of a question: when the TR3 manual says to give a grease fitting "5 strokes" is that measuring the quantity that comes out of a small grease gun like what was packed in the tool kit, or the standard size gun we are used to? And what's the difference in output?
Just wondering..
John
 
Good question, I would guess that it comes down to when you start to see the old grease coming out of the joint.
 
Problem is, with the TR3 rear wheel bearings, you won't see the old grease come out unless your head happens to be inside the axle.

Probably they meant the gun packed with the kit. I've never tried to measure the difference, but I've read that there is a sizeable difference between guns; as much as 3:1. Still, I don't feel it's all that critical (note that the TR3 appendix to the workshop manual says 6 shots every 6000 miles, rather than the 5 shots mentioned elsewhere). Plus, modern greases are much better than what was commonly used 50 years ago, so the need to flush out old grease is less, IMO.

I've been using 4-5 strokes of whatever grease gun I'm using, approximately once a year (which for me is 10-15k miles); and it seems to work well. TS39781LO still has the same bearings & seals that it did when I got it some 25 years ago, and they were still working fine when it got wrecked. I may even move that axle into TS13571L, as it seems to have some problems.
 
IF you do it on a schedule as-directed, most likely the toolkit gun.
However, if you do it when you finally remember, probably a bigger one.

One criteria I have always used on older vehicles (Willys, DumbCooks, Jags, etc) is how easy it is to find, then clean, the zerk.
If you have to look and scrape and clean to find it, use the big gun.
If it is fresh and clean, the smaller one.

(Like on my particular LBC, I don't think is 93,000 miles it had EVER been done!)

But, hey, that's only based upon what, 43 years of doing it?
So, probably doesn't count, eh?
 
TOC said:
One criteria I have always used on older vehicles (Willys, DumbCooks, Jags, etc)
Click to expand...

I think I have it:

Studebakers?
 
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