Steering stuff

Whilst playing with the front end I revisited the ball joints.
Having decided they are a bit naff, speshuly one of um, I will be replacing the lot before he goes off to have his tracking laser beamed, or whatever they do these days.
Now then, two of the kernucules av a grease nipple and two don't. Do I go with direct replacements or do away with mi nipples all together, or indeed go nipple mad and have one on all mi balls.

Nipples all the way for me!

Hmmm.
I'm not sure nipples are a good thing.
If your going to pump in, then something has to come out. I have read story's that retro fitted nipples on sealed ball joints didn't work coz the seal was too good and the gun wouldn't give enough pressure.
Then there is forgetting to grease them.
Looks like I'm leaning to sealed uns.
Cheap enough just to bin every 50000 miles.

Sealed every time. Had loads of nipples come out of the track rod ends when greasing them due to crap threads.
Rich

You've made me think now. I replaced all of mine with nippled ball joints a couple of years ago and I haven't greased them since but I've only done about a1000 miles on em. I suppose I'll have to get the cursed great gun out.

Col

I'm not sure how old each track rod end is on Henry but the poorest ones are the sealed type. One of them is completely shot.
Reading up on it the greased type only require a small squirt now and then so they don't balloon at the dust seal.
It looks like the advantage of these is the price. A damn site cheaper than sealed ball joints. That makes me lean back towards them a bit.

I've got the nipple type and they do outlast the sealed ones. They came packed as OE in a cardboard box, wrapped in wax paper with a manufacturer note dated 1973. How's that for shelf life!

Lemforder and quinton hazel manufacture have a good reputation.

Blackburn said:

Lemforder and quinton hazel manufacture have a good reputation.

Click to expand...

Looks like they can afford one at those prices

Well they arrived this morning. Six of the little booties. Shall I start a book on witch on wont come off.

It'll be that hard to get at one on the steering relay thingy, the one behind the rad. Mine was such a swine, I left the evil b@stard there to rot. I don't care if my steering is all over the place.

Col

Aint had a go yet. Its been raining since they arrived.............

Get some jipper on those nuts!

Heat then WD40 and repeat. Remember the ones with the left hand threads.

Doin um now. Thi falling off.

When I stripped my landy down I took 24hrs to mentally prepare myself for a right good battle and the bloody things undid like they were brand new bolts and the steering relay lifted out no problem, it looked like it hadn't been touched in a very long time couldn't believe it! Isn't it funny how the things you don't expect to be awkward have all the skin off your knuckles and exhaust your expletive language and the bits that are normally awkward play along nicely!

I wouldnt say it was easy but its done. I find belting things with mi ammer more beneficial than sworing.