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Rabid_Dolphin
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I don't think this front end has been lubricated in 25 years. Where do I start? What do I use? Who gets what? What the heck is a trunnion? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
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OP
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[ QUOTE ]
What the heck is a trunnion?
[/ QUOTE ]
I wondered this when I first bought my TR6 also. I thought it was something you used in the garden, what the heck was one doing on my car???
What the heck is a trunnion?
[/ QUOTE ]
I wondered this when I first bought my TR6 also. I thought it was something you used in the garden, what the heck was one doing on my car???
Alan_Myers
Luke Skywalker
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Hi,
A trunnion is a small, silvery, sex-crazed fish...
No, wait, that's a grunion.
A trunnion is the horizontal pivot running front-to-back through the vertical link. On the TR6 it is a completely removeable special bolt, so it's pretty easy to replace if worn. (It was a shaft pressed into the vertical link on TR2-4.)
If it's way past due, just try a grease gun first,loaded with standard lithium grease.
But oil may be needed to free things up. Try such as a 90w gear oil or a 50w racing (non-detergent) motor oil would be good. After an initial oiling to loosen up old, crusty and dried grease, new grease might go in okay.
There are pressure oil guns available, if needed. Apparently one that's popular among TR folks is made for Mercury outboard motors. I recently noticed Eastwood is selling one, too, already fitted with the correct "grease gun" end.
You *might* get by with one of those cheap pressure oil guns that have a length of clear tubing, really intended for putting oil in a gearbox and such, if you can find or adapt one to fit snugly over the zerks. But, these often just make a mess.
Try moving the suspension up and down and side to side a little while holding the grease gun on the zerk and pressure on the gun's lever. A helper will probably be needed!
All other zerks should get normal lithium grease. The steering rack gets "five pumps" of the grease gun (if the cap is still there, temporarily replace it with a zerk).
Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif.
'62 TR4 CT17602L
A trunnion is a small, silvery, sex-crazed fish...
No, wait, that's a grunion.
A trunnion is the horizontal pivot running front-to-back through the vertical link. On the TR6 it is a completely removeable special bolt, so it's pretty easy to replace if worn. (It was a shaft pressed into the vertical link on TR2-4.)
If it's way past due, just try a grease gun first,loaded with standard lithium grease.
But oil may be needed to free things up. Try such as a 90w gear oil or a 50w racing (non-detergent) motor oil would be good. After an initial oiling to loosen up old, crusty and dried grease, new grease might go in okay.
There are pressure oil guns available, if needed. Apparently one that's popular among TR folks is made for Mercury outboard motors. I recently noticed Eastwood is selling one, too, already fitted with the correct "grease gun" end.
You *might* get by with one of those cheap pressure oil guns that have a length of clear tubing, really intended for putting oil in a gearbox and such, if you can find or adapt one to fit snugly over the zerks. But, these often just make a mess.
Try moving the suspension up and down and side to side a little while holding the grease gun on the zerk and pressure on the gun's lever. A helper will probably be needed!
All other zerks should get normal lithium grease. The steering rack gets "five pumps" of the grease gun (if the cap is still there, temporarily replace it with a zerk).
Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif.
'62 TR4 CT17602L
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
...
A trunnion is the horizontal pivot running front-to-back through the vertical link....
[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, I believe the trunnion is the bronze (?) cast piece at the base of the vertical link in which the link pivots. Think of the place on a rowboat where the oars fit in...that's the usual dictionary definition.
Not so sure about TR6s, but the small Triumphs ideally called for 90wt oil to lubricate the trunnions. Nowadays, most modern chassis greases seem to be just as good.
Either way, get something in there soon if these are dry and/or in any way binding or squeaking! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
...
A trunnion is the horizontal pivot running front-to-back through the vertical link....
[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, I believe the trunnion is the bronze (?) cast piece at the base of the vertical link in which the link pivots. Think of the place on a rowboat where the oars fit in...that's the usual dictionary definition.
Not so sure about TR6s, but the small Triumphs ideally called for 90wt oil to lubricate the trunnions. Nowadays, most modern chassis greases seem to be just as good.
Either way, get something in there soon if these are dry and/or in any way binding or squeaking! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Banjo
Yoda
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trunnion is to Triumph as Lower ball joint is to Ford. Different design, same goal.
Like said above, a good chassis grease is fine. Get the upper ball joints, tie rod ends and the Trunnions.
If the trunnions won't take any grease then get a gun to pump some gear lube and it should work well.
Like said above, a good chassis grease is fine. Get the upper ball joints, tie rod ends and the Trunnions.
If the trunnions won't take any grease then get a gun to pump some gear lube and it should work well.
OP
Rabid_Dolphin
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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
...
A trunnion is the horizontal pivot running front-to-back through the vertical link....
[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, I believe the trunnion is the bronze (?) cast piece at the base of the vertical link in which the link pivots. Think of the place on a rowboat where the oars fit in...that's the usual dictionary definition.
Not so sure about TR6s, but the small Triumphs ideally called for 90wt oil to lubricate the trunnions. Nowadays, most modern chassis greases seem to be just as good.
Either way, get something in there soon if these are dry and/or in any way binding or squeaking! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gifAnd I would imagine my shop manual will locate these zerks for me? The undercarriage seriously has enough raod grime on it to not only protect it from corrosion, but also hide most zerks and bolt heads.
[ QUOTE ]
...
A trunnion is the horizontal pivot running front-to-back through the vertical link....
[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, I believe the trunnion is the bronze (?) cast piece at the base of the vertical link in which the link pivots. Think of the place on a rowboat where the oars fit in...that's the usual dictionary definition.
Not so sure about TR6s, but the small Triumphs ideally called for 90wt oil to lubricate the trunnions. Nowadays, most modern chassis greases seem to be just as good.
Either way, get something in there soon if these are dry and/or in any way binding or squeaking! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gifAnd I would imagine my shop manual will locate these zerks for me? The undercarriage seriously has enough raod grime on it to not only protect it from corrosion, but also hide most zerks and bolt heads.
OP
Rabid_Dolphin
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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
...
A trunnion is the horizontal pivot running front-to-back through the vertical link....
[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, I believe the trunnion is the bronze (?) cast piece at the base of the vertical link in which the link pivots. Think of the place on a rowboat where the oars fit in...that's the usual dictionary definition.
Not so sure about TR6s, but the small Triumphs ideally called for 90wt oil to lubricate the trunnions. Nowadays, most modern chassis greases seem to be just as good.
Either way, get something in there soon if these are dry and/or in any way binding or squeaking! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
It does squeak a lot in turns. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
[ QUOTE ]
...
A trunnion is the horizontal pivot running front-to-back through the vertical link....
[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, I believe the trunnion is the bronze (?) cast piece at the base of the vertical link in which the link pivots. Think of the place on a rowboat where the oars fit in...that's the usual dictionary definition.
Not so sure about TR6s, but the small Triumphs ideally called for 90wt oil to lubricate the trunnions. Nowadays, most modern chassis greases seem to be just as good.
Either way, get something in there soon if these are dry and/or in any way binding or squeaking! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
It does squeak a lot in turns. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Cain
Jedi Trainee
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A 'zerk' is a grease nipple. I just rebuilt my front suspension about six months ago and didn't know what a zerk was when discussed on this forum. There's one on top of the upper ball joint at the very top of the front suspension. I had to remove the 30 years of gunk on it before I could even see it. (Of course after I took the time to remove all of the gunk I replaced them with new upper ball joints.) I can't remember if there are other zerks located on the front suspension.
Please someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I would think the only way to lube a trunnion is to free up the vertical link, unscrew the trunnion, pour oil into it, and then screw it back on. IIRC, one trunnion is left-hand threaded and the one on the other side of the car is right-hand threaded. Can't remember which is which though.
Please someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I would think the only way to lube a trunnion is to free up the vertical link, unscrew the trunnion, pour oil into it, and then screw it back on. IIRC, one trunnion is left-hand threaded and the one on the other side of the car is right-hand threaded. Can't remember which is which though.
AltaKnight
Jedi Knight
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I had the same creaking and squeaking on my front suspension, the greasing didn't make any difference so I ended up replacing the trunnions and all the lower arm outer bushings. Not cheap parts! But now it's perfect with no noises at all. There was a lot of wear on the trunnion threads so I think they need a lot of lubing. There is a zerk on the trunnion, it's supposed to have 90 wt oil in there which means using some kind of pressure gun to get it in. I think it's fine to push grease in there instead.
OP
Rabid_Dolphin
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What about the steering rack?