Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi
I’m preparing my steering rack before installing and have a few queries please:
1 In a video I saw online someone had put grease on the rack but I don’t think it is necessary. Am I right?
2 What is the best oil to use?
3 The manual says don’t overfill, no more than 10 strokes of an oil gun. I haven’t got an oil gun so how much would that be?
4 I’m changing the gaiters and the track rod ends, is there anything else I should be doing?
Thanks

There are 2 damper pads items 3 and 7 on the diagram. These are in contact with the shaft and they wear. Only the Secondary pad seems to be available (ESM). Easy to change by unscrewing caps 5 and 9.

When I overhauled mine I fitted one end of the bellows poured in the oil and then fitted the free end of the bellows. Filled with diff oil 280ml.

Mines packed with 00EP grade semi fluid lithium grease. I found that it doesn't leak out.

Thank you for your responses.

Can I use the same oil in the diff and the steering gear?

Sorry Pete, you've already said I can.

The Nuffield published lubrication chart for the Minor 1000 and Series 2 specifies Castrol Hypoy oil (EP90)at 12000 miles intervals. Application, maximum 10 "pumps" using a grease gun.
I use an EP90, GL4 oil and a small dedicated grease gun which does the job perfectly.

Olonas
You are correct as regards the grade of lubrication for the steering rack but the oil does not get to all parts of the rack and when it does it does not stay in place but gravitates to the lowest point inside the rack and especially to the bellows.
Mixing EP90 GL4 and general purpose grease does give additional help but is still not the ideal solution.
The solution - additional grease nipples.
It should be noted that the one factory fitted nipple is a ENOTS type oil nipple and not a grease nipple. The oil nipple can be changed to a grease nipple to facilitate the transfer of oil or grease from the gun to the rack.
To overcome the lack of lubricant reaching all parts of the rack I have fitted additional grease nipples to the Minor rack which can be serviced without difficulty or dismantling via the underside of the O/S wing..
See below:-

Thank you gents. Great advice as usual Phil.

Hi
could you tell me how much oil to put in the steering rack as it says not to overfill.
Thanks

If you overfill it the excess oil will leak out of the gaiters anyway.

Just use common sense. The reason not to overfill is because as you steer the car, the bellows contract and expand again and if it is too full, the bellows may split on the contraction. I think you'd have to fill it pretty full of oil for that to happen. As regards grease, the EP90 oil does thicken somewhat over time anyway in the rack.

Thank you for your responses. I was hoping someone could tell me how many milli litres to put in.

Well, the manual says to "pump approximately 1/2 pint (0.28l) of hypoid oil....into the rack housing through the nipple.." on re-assembly of the steering gear.

Thank you. Much appreciated.