Lubrication for steering rack

[Whitephrog]

I have my 90 wt gear oil. What do I use to get it into the steering rack?

 

[spritenut]

That's why I use grease and a standard grease gun.
But if you go to a marina and ask for outboard motor lower unit gear oil,
I think the tube can be used on a grease nipple. I was 30 years ago when I had an outboard. I don't know about today.
And 40 years of using grease in my racks has never resulted in any problems with the racks.

 

[Whitephrog]

Frank

If grease works for you, it works for me. Thanks. The gear oil will go back to Autozone.

 

[2091351]

That's why I use grease and a standard grease gun.
But if you go to a marina and ask for outboard motor lower unit gear oil,
I think the tube can be used on a grease nipple. I was 30 years ago when I had an outboard. I don't know about today.
And 40 years of using grease in my racks has never resulted in any problems with the racks.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Frank, I agree 100%!!</span>

Steve

 

[nomad]

Frank and others: If you remove the plunger from your grease gun and keep the tube end up it will pump 90wt or 140wt just fine. Thats what I do. Have a gun with a broken plunger that I keep on the ready for just that.

Kurt.

 

[twas_brillig]

I'll be trying the oil-in-grease-gun maintenance - but how do you tell when you've put in enough? the manual advises giving it a few squirts on a regular basis: we've had our two bug-eyes since 1971, and I've never lubed the rack.....
Thanks,
Doug

 

[nomad]

I usually give my spridgets 3 or 4 pumps with the rack turned all the way one way then the same with it turned the other and don't repeat till I think the steering feels a little stiff. About once a year. If I were you I think I would maybe double it. When the gaitors start to inflate you have gone to far!!!
Kidding--- the oil nipple does not have a check ball in it and it can squirt back out. Grease the rest of the suspention at the same time and I'll bet you will be pleasantly surprised.

Kurt.

 

[twas_brillig]

Thanks Kurt - good to know about the non check ball. All four wheels are currently in the air as we've got the engine/5 speed in but still need to put the rest of the transmission mount (for idiots like myself: spent several hours struggling to get the engine/trans Rivergate kit installed until the instructions clicked: we were trying to install with both pieces of the trans mount on the trans when you actually fit the second piece after. My excuse is that another chap started the install a year back.... and I'm even dumber than a sack of hammers some days). So we'll get the rest of the trans mount in, drive shaft hooked up, and everything greased and lubed and brakes and clutch bled.
Doug