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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Steering rack lubrication

Hi All , I have a recon rack with no lubrication in it . Any idea how much i should put in as an initial fill . Cant find that info anywhere , only that it should be EP90 . Any Ideas ??
R Mcknight

10 fl.oz. or 280 cc of 140 EP is what Haynes says for everything except 1500s (which use grease).

Nick

Nick,
Yes, the 1500 midgets use grease, but so do the RWA Midgets. The Triumph steering rack, which is not as quick as the Minor unit, seems to have been used from shortly after the demise of the Sprite.
David "another example of slower Triumphs" Lieb
David Lieb

I have used grease in my 72 since the early 1990's
with no apparent probs. Came with a zerk on the
rack lube point.

chuck
chuckc

ISTR 72 was a transition year. If it has a zerk, it is probably the early rack that expects oil. I know of people who use grease in the early racks with no ill effects. If you are so inclined as to go back to oil, oil pumps to fit the zerk are available at marine centers, apparently intended for oiling transoms?
David "Probably time to oil the Bugeye rack" Lieb
David Lieb

Zerk?
Never heard of it. Is it a grease nipple?

Dave
Penwithian

Again according to Haynes (reading it properly this time), it's grease from GAN5-114643 onwards. 2 oz for the rack and 1/2 to 3/4 oz for the pinion. Don't know how you measure grease in ounces, or what that would be in cups.

So that's pretty early in 72, then. Never owned a car that young.
Nick

Dave,
"The patent for the zerk fitting was granted to Oscar Zerk in January 1929." Wikipedia

Some countries still like to give credit where credit is due ;-)
David "not sure where that country might be..." Lieb
David Lieb

Impossible to say. He invented it on the boat from Europe to America.
Nick

30-15 to Nick
;-)
David (davidDOTsmithAT stonesDOTcom)

So are we agreed its EP140 not EP90 for the initial fill as its an early rack .
R Mcknight

Ah yes, the common or garden grease nipple.

Good on you David for giving credit where credit's due.

Dave
Penwithian

That's what they say in Haynes, Roy. Half a pint of EP140. Poured in at the pinion plunger hole?

Personally, I know I've never owned any EP140, so must have put the wrong stuff in.
Nick

here's my sixpen'th for what it's worth: Loosen the outer rack gaiter clip and force the nozzle of an oil can in and pump in the oil...
David Cox

Why aren' they called Zerk fittings this side of the pond?

Probably because of our preoccupation with nipples.

Dave
Penwithian

I thought it was the Muricans who had that fixation?
David "slightly fixated" Lieb
David Lieb

This thread was discussed between 26/06/2009 and 28/06/2009

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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