Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Kingpin lube and Stering Bearings

I've removed my first kingpin, observed no wear, preparing to install steering bearing/spring from Mulfab. Would like to eliminate the oiling system and convert to grease nipples. Has anyone done this? Do I need to increase the size of the two small diameter oil holes that exit the KP in the oil groove?
Is it necessary to file a flat on the diameter where the thrust bearing sits to assist the grease to migrate up into the thrust bearing race?
Welcome your thoughts.

Why not ask Peter's advice?

If you are thinking of using the nipples (zirks) at the top of the kingpins as another grease point, as many will know, I and a few others disagree with this approach. What's the point of injecting grease from two different locations if it arrives at the same point?

I have had cars with both. Both worked fine.
GoMog has some arguments for & against as has this site.

You have the anti grease one above the anti oil one claim that the oil just flushes out the grease.

I have had two Morgans with nipples top and bottom, I have found that if you only grease from the bottom that little grease gets up the kingpin, however if you grease from the top then I can pump around 2/3 of a hand pump grease gun into it before the grease starts to seep out at the bottom, the tube for the grease being about 1.5" diameter and about 8" long, so a reasonable amount of grease, then I pump the bottom one and it just takes about 3-4 pumps before more grease oozes out at the bearing under the top spring. Where all the grease goes before it needs a regrease at around 800 miles god only knows. I have also taken to using Lucas RedNTacky grease which lasts longer, is highly water repellent, and is great for sliding surfaces.

Hi Dave

If you have the top grease drilled kingpins then no need to do anything at all to the kingpins. The 2 holes in the upper annular groove distribute (bleed) the grease into the right place. However, when I first fitted a Mulfab steering bearing back in 2002 I asked Peter about lube for it, his initial response was that when packed they should be OK for the life of the bearing but he said straight away that he could see the logic behind the question......that discussion lead to a friendship that has lasted until today ;-). In fact I am just back from spending time at the workshop this morning....;-).

What needs doing, and good to note MMC now also do, is to provide grease 'bleed' holes in the stub axle for the steering bearings. Very simple and I modify everyone I do when changing kingpins for owners who do not have the later stub axles. For reference I use a 1mm drill bit (simply because that's the size of the hole the factory now drill).

1. Mount the stub axle in a vice or similar with the bush tube vertical (not a critical position).
2. Place the lower outer race of the Mulfab bearing on the stub axle. Then mount the ball race.
3. Observe the centre of the ball race track and mark the stub axle bush tube (I use masking tape and a pencil or use marking out fluid and a marking divider if you want to be totally correct) in the centre of the ball race. Make 3 equidistance marks.
4. Drill holes through to the inter bush grease reservoir.
5. I do this before pushing bushes out as that cleans the drilled holes up or clean any swarf from the holes.

It's worth a note to say MMC started with one drilled hole when it started fitting its own version of the steering bearing, then moved to 2 and finally 3 holes.

A very simple thing to do and effective in keeping the bearings with a fresh supply of grease. To test the above I have assembled a dry steering bearing, greased the assembly and then stripped and checked and can confirm grease is getting into the bearing race.

This morning I was modifying a pin punch using Peters lathe and belt sander and we were talking about kingpins and stubs as I have made a long 3mm pin punch to get those bu*****er split pins out on wire wheel cars when someone has hammered in an oversized split pin !@!!!

All the fun of the fair ;-)

Dave as a footnote (because I forgot) just a word of warning.....I had a gentleman from this forum book in for me to supply new kingpins, re-bush and ream his stubs for him. When he arrived (and a very nice chap he was) we had a good natter and he asked what I thought of his top bolts? They were drilled and tapped for grease nipples but we're not drilled all the way through! In other words no way could the grease have ever got into the stub axles from the top grease nipple....Alway's worth a check, never assume everything is as it should be.....made us both laugh, he was having new pins and bushes anyway.

Thanks Colin,
I have recently ordered a shorter spring from MulFab. I have had the longer spring and thrust bearing for a number of years. But received the same information from Peter M. "I packed the bearing before I sent it". Actually grease stays in the assy OK so far as I can tell. However drilling holes in the stub axle tube at the proper location insures that the grease gets where it belongs. I am removing the "SUPLEX Kit" from My +8 Bitsa and will install it on the DHC. Just feel I need a bit firmer suspension performance on the +8 Bitsa. I seem to be driving it more and more and more. Is it the POWER? NAAAAGH!

Button
Seattle

I agree. If you want to not use the stub axle zerk but use a zerk on top of the KP. Take a long 3/16" drill and extend the grease galley down to the grease reservoir in the stub axle then cross drill to let the grease out. This is a 6 pak of beer job and I used to do this as I was sure the KP's needed much more grease. Not so sure it was worth the effort. Also cross drilling induction hardened chrome rod is not for the light hearted.

Button

Hmmm....I will have a measure up on the next job but just been and checked my Pin and bush stock and the annular groove and grease exit holes are 125mm from the top of the kingpin, the PB bushes are 65mm long and whilst I realise the stubs don't go all the way to the top of the pins I wonder if the lower part of the upper bush is actually lower that 125mm when in a jacked up assembled position which I guess is when most of us grease them.....it's going to be close isn't it ;-). I had always thought that even jacked up and wheels dangling the exit holes would be below the top bush and into the grease void between the bushes, that's certainly how it feels given the amount of grease you can pump into there (as Adrian has mentioned earlier). We're I to have a bet on it I would come down on the side of the exits being below the bush....not measured it though.....yet ;-).


Glad your racking up the miles, that's good to read.

Just laid out a old KP, rebound spring, stub axle and bushing. Doesn't quite make it particularly that rebound springs are shortened a bit now a days. BUT!! Don't the Bronze Bushes have a spiral cut on the inside? That would allow grease into the grease reservoir. Also I wonder how Peter M. can cut a annular groove in the Induction Hardened Rod. Pretty hard stuff. I had to have the "Tube Supply" cut it into 15" KP lengths. I could not cut it with my hacksaw.

Yes I am on the road a lot. Wish I could have driven a Morgan to Alaska, but did not want to risk it on the "Haul Road" (Unpaved road from Fairbanks to Prudoe Bay)

Button
Seattle