The stub axles changed in 2006/7 when the track rods were 'levelled'. That's no reason to alter the thread of the grease nipples though. I don't know what the original kingpins look like (yet) but my new hard chrome pins which are sitting on the bench have a single groove (like a narrow piston ring groove)fed by a tiny bore hole (no more than 1mm) which is drilled into the gallery which is down the centre of the pin from the top.I might use oil to lubricate the top bush when these are eventually fitted. Pictures will follow when the job starts. I've one big concern about the bushes. The way British Leyland did it on MG's was to provide split bushes - imagine a 'brass' tube with a slot down the length. When this is pressed into the stub axle, the tight fit compresses the circumference, which closes the slot. This makes the internal diameter smaller than the external diameter of the kingpin, which is why the bushes must be reamered out (using a reamer which is essentially a coarse hand held drill which cuts to a very fine tolerance).
The Morgan bushes are full tubes (no slot), and I was surprised to discover that they are a perfect fit over the pins. In theory then, they will press into the stub axle, and the pin will simply slot through...........
In reality if both bushes are not exactly in line, the pin will only go through the first and either not enter the second, or bind inside it. The solution therefore is to keep the lower bush unreamered, because that takes most of the thrust/wear, and reamer the top bush to take the kingpin. Reamers can be fitted with a pilot tube to ensure exact alignment, so that's the way to do it. This will introduce extra clearance in the top bush, but that may be the only way to make it fit if the stub axle shaft is not exactly in line.
I now believe that the reason I have play in my lower nearside bush after such a low mileage is that whoever reamered the bushes, did the lower one instead of the upper one. The truth will emerge in November......
