>Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 19:52:51 -0400
>To: SJC Worldwide <ssage@socal.rr.com>
>From: James Barrett <jamesbrt@mindspring.com>
>Subject: Re: All Greased Up
>
>At 07:48 PM 4/15/2001 -0700, you wrote:
>>Hello Sunbeamers:
>>The steering in my Tiger has gotten progressively "stiffer". In a way
>>it's interesting in that it's almost like I have a quicker ration
>>steerion rack. I know better, though, as things seem to be progressing
>>to tighter (requiring more turning effort) steering. As was suggested
>>yesterday, I greased the lower ball joints. I haven't driven the car yet
>>to see if it's better (won't until tommorow night) as I'm also doing
>>some other cooling system work tonight. My question is, is there
>>supposed to be a grease fitting for the upper ball joints too? I
>>could'nd find one.
>>
>>Also, is there a way to check the steering rack oil level with the rack
>>attached to the car? I have the radiator "header...overflow" tank
>>removed and I have clear access to a few nots and bolts on the top of
>>the rack. There's an approx. 1" x 2" cover, slanted forward, with a
>>couple of bolts, that I believe are accessable and I wonder if this
>>could be where cou can check and fill whatever is in there. Which brings
>>me to another question, if it is accessable...what do you fill it with
>>and how full? I'm suspicious some action may be needed here since, when
>>my new engine went in a few months back new steering rack boots were
>>installed (the old ones were cracked) and I wonder if the fluid had
>>leaked out.
>>
>>Thanks.
>>
>>Steve Sage
>>1967 MK1A
>>
>Steve,
> It is fairly easy ( but slow) to add fluid to the steering rack of
a Tiger.
>Jack up one side of the front of the Tiger. Remove the wheel for ease of
>access to the boot. Loosen the small clamp of the boot. Slip a
>1/4" (or so) dia tube or stiff hose under the small end of the boot
>on the top side of the rod.
>Have this tube or hose connected to a small funnel located above the
>fender. Pour your oil into the funnel and eventually the oil will drain
>into the steering rack. Thick oil such as gear oil may take a while.
>I sometimes connect directly to the pointy end of a plastic bottle
> containing gear oil and squeeze the oil in. ( In place of the funnel).
>After you get some quanity of oil in, (pint or whatever) you will
>notice the oil is now comming out around the tube under the bellows.
>At this point remove the tube and tighten the clamp on the bellows.
>
> The amount of oil you put in before It starts leaking out around
>the filler tube depends on how steep ( side to side)you had the Tiger
>jacked up and how much oil was in the rack to start with.
>
> Other items that causes stiff steering are the U-joints in steering
>column. As they normally have no greese zerts. Remove the two U-Joint
>assemblies, and see it they are easy to bend back and forth. If not, then
>follow the procedures below if you do not want to completely dissamble
>the U-Joints.
> Clean the exterior of the joints. Heat up high quality wheel bearing
grease in
>a coffee can until the grease is melted. Submerge the U-joints
>in the hot grease and bend them back and forth several times until they
>finally free up. Drain the hot grease off parts, let cool and
>remove excess grease from the exterior.
>Put the steering column back to gether and after you clean up the mess
>you are done and steering should be much easier. Workes for me every
>15 years or so.
> If you get cheap wheel bearing grease and heat it up, you may
>get brown lumps instead of liquified grease. Throw that cheap stuff
>away.
> Hot grease stinks and smokes, so use plenty of ventilitation
>and have a fire extingusher handy in case you get things too hot.
>Do not stick your hand or nose into the hot grease.
> There is no grease zert on any stock upper ball joint I have seen
>for a Tiger or Alpine. I attempted to drill/tap and insert a grease
>zert into a pair before. Did not work as apparently the internal plastic
>liner of the ball joint prevents the grease from getting to the ball.
>
James Barrett Tiger II 351C and others
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