9 replies to this topic

[Alexwheeler]

[b]Model:Cooper
[b]Year: 1997
[b]Description of problem (please be as in depth as possible):

The car needs greasing.

I know where the 8 nipples are , rear wheel arches, front axle and front steerer, but i can't figure out how to get the gease in. I've got a gun, i stick it over the nipple, then all the grease just squirts out the sides.

Is there any pre-work i need to do to prepair the nipple for the grease?


Any advice would be awesome, thanks!

Alex

[Pooky]

Love the spelling mistake in the title!

It could be that the nipples are blocked or that the item is already packed full with grease. Does this happen on all the nipples? Try taking them off and cleaning them out.

[Cooperman]

If the gun is working properly and the gun end nozzle is not damaged, then the grease should go in OK. If it does not, then it could be a blocked nipple, although if they are all like that it could be that you are not correctly engaging the gun onto the nipples, or the gun nozzle is damaged.

[Pooky]

What sort of gun are you using? Have your got a couple of 'ends' (i.e. a flexible hose and a rigid pipe) that you could try?

[Asphalt]

If they ahven't been greased for a while they are probably clogged... Unscrew and clean them. Heating them with a torch frees up resinified old grease (do it on the work bench, not on the car!).

And make sure the gun sits as straight as possible on the nipple.

And if you can - re-fit them with dust covers! Othrwise I'd clean them before every greasing (because otherwise you actually squeeze all the road dirt into the joints. Which wears them out quick).

I also jack up the car up if I grease the joints, makes it easyer.

Cheers,
Jan

[danie garry]

sorry but the method is slightly flawed, are u opening the nipples a bit to get the graese in???

Edited by danie garry, 25 November 2009 - 01:07 PM.

[Alexwheeler]

sorry but the method is slightly flawed, are u opening the nipples a bit to get the graese in???

Ah no, i don't know much about minis and was just trying to inject straight into the nipple.

I'll get the spanner out, clean everything up and give it another shot then post back here and see how it goes!!!

[taffy1967]

I generally give the nipples a good wipe over and then I use a small screwdriver to push the little ball bearing in and out. I find as long as that moves then I have no trouble getting the grease in.

One tip is to use the solid attachment for the ball-joints (and rear radius arms), but the optional flexible end for the top suspension arms.

Try not to use the flexible end on the ball-joints as I've blown holes in 2 of mine over the years due to the pressure.

Edited by taffy1967, 25 November 2009 - 11:40 PM.

[GraemeC]

You do NOT need to 'crack' open a nipple to add grease.

As Taffy says, try and move the little ball bearings with a screw driver - if it doesn't move easily then remove the nipple and soak in parafin or thinners ands give it a good clean. Alternatively (and probably better) replace it with a new one.

[taffy1967]

Be careful if removing though as the heads are very delicate.

i.e. I can't use a spanner on my N/S rear radius arm grease nipple, so I'm leaving it in place until I have to remove it.

Then I guess welding a nut over the top will be necessary?