TR4/4A TR4 Oil and Grease

[TRDejaVu]

Recomendations please on which oil brands and types have worked well for you in both the gearbox and the differential of a non-overdrive early TR4.

The same for suspension grease.

Thanks

 

[gjh2007]

GL4 hypoid or synthetic recomended for gearbox, any good moly grease should work well.

 

[jsneddon]

just make sure it doesn't say GL4/GL5. Only GL4. Don't put GL5 in your TR4 - it has some additives that will eat at the brass bits in there. Many recommend synthetic with good results. Others say that it's too slick and it will pop out of gear. I don't want to start yet another debate if possible. Do a search here on the forum with keywords +gl5 +synthetic +transmission and decide for yourself. If you have an overdrive then regular non-detergent motor oil is supposed to be used... gear oil is too thick.

Most major auto parts stores will not have plane-jane GL4 anymore but you can get it at the mom and pop places (I got mine at NAPA). 8 or 9 bucks for enough to fill the tranny and the same to fill the diff. Synthetic will be considerably more.

 

[Geo Hahn]

A related question. Does one use grease or oil in the TR4 steering rack? It has that bolt (holding a ground cable) that you can take out and thread in a zerk.

Don't have my manual with me so I can't see what it says. I thought I knew (grease) but someone with a lot of experience with these cars said otherwise (oil). Thought I'd ask before the thought disappears from my mind.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Rack-and-pinion units in the TR4 on call for chassis grease. The confusion might stem from the fact that the earlier TR2/3 steering box DID require 90 weight gear oil.

 

[R_Lyle]

It's a special grease (Lucas Red "N" Tacky #2 - there are others) that you can buy at the local autoparts store in the tube for a grease gun. Don't use wheel bearing grease (like I did) or your going to be stuck with a very stiff steering rack.

 

[TRDejaVu]

I finally managed to get a gallon of GL4. I drew a blank with NAPA, Autozone & PepBoys, but a small local Carquest got it overnight.

Per another thread, I also got some 20W fork oil for the rear lever dampers.

Thanks to all for your advice.

 

[jsneddon]

Good work! I like my lubricants full of dinosaur remnants.... none of this new-fangled better-living-through-chemistry fancy-schmancy synthetic goop for me either!

<duck>