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Trunnion Oiling

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Tinkerman

Tinkerman

Darth Vader
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Hi: Merry Christmas to all. I have a question regarding trunnion oiling as opposed to grease. I am doing a frame off on a 60 TR-3 A. Friend of mine said "DO NOT USE GREASE"! Oil it with gear oil. None of the books I have even mention using anything but grease. Any experience out there with one over the other. I have seen trunnion oilers on eBay, so I am curious.
By the way I have just brought the body to the body shop so It is beginning to move along. The frame, front end and rear axel are completed. Working on the engine now.
Regards to all, Tinkerman
 
Hi, Tinkerman -

Mickey Richaud, in Clarksville here. Here's an earlier post on the topic that should help you:

https://www.britishcarforum.com/ubbthread...true#Post119778

Hope our paths cross at some point. I've just sold my TR3, and am having slight withdrawals!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif Mickey
 
TR3A's all have (or should have) a grease fitting at the bottom of each trunnion. I have never used oil. In over 163,000 miles, I had to replace them at 80,350 miles when I did my restoration. But long before that, I did a lot of rally miles in my TR on dusty and muddy gravel roads back in the 60's. Since 1990, I've driven 87,000 miles and these new trunnions are still like new. I have only ever used grease, and since 1990, I don't drive on gravel roads.

Don Elliott, Original Owner, 1958 TR3A, TS 27489 LO

https://www.britishcarforum.com/ubbthreads/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/1919/ppuser/4127
 
I have been told (or read)that grease is bad for the brass fittings, and so you should use a low sulphur gear box oil. Not sure if this is just an "urban myth". Anyway I have a grease gun that I load with gear oil and lube them with that. A bit messy but seems to work.

Rob.
 
I think that the grease warning was valid when grease would harden over time. But the modern greases, synthetics especially, should work fine in a brass trunnion. That's what I am using.
 
I think the choice between grease and oil is simply one of fluid movement. I'm restoring a TR6 and looking at my trunnions the grease has to move down thru the center of the trunnion then up a grease channel bored into the trunnion threads. I would assume oil would move more easily thru this circuitous route and would obviously not dry out and crud up the whole process. Since my trunnions are removed from the vehicle I'll likely just grease them up as the grease has superior staying/lubrication charachteristics in a static environment.
 
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