Dibbons
Well-Known Member
- Local time
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- Joined
- Nov 29, 2014
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- Location
- La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico
I drove the '72 SSP home from the local shop that installed all the new suspension parts still bone dry (not greased yet). No one at the business thought to put grease in the ten or so fittings. The shop I used screwed up a lot of stuff during that episode (as some of you have already found in other threads I posted).
Today I borrowed a hand grease gun from a neighbor/friend and purchased a Lucas brand grease cartridge at AutoZone. First thing I found, the cartridge fit in the grease gun, but the seal was made to fit the inside diameter of the gun itself and not the cartridge. I emptied as much grease from the cartridge into the gun, only to find after 6-8 pumps it quit working. I guess there is supposed to be a big spring inside the grease gun? Well, there was no spring so I was constantly trying to purge out the air.
The fittings took quite a bit of grease, being the fact they were so virgin. I did not want to blow up the seals, but sure enough on a couple of them I found pinholes already oozing grease. I kind of thought maybe because the seals were new, they would allow me a little slack, but nothing doing. I actually believed the grease would ooze from the ends of the seals before a pinhole would develop--silly me.
When I finished I noticed the seal on the pitman arm looked like the other seals, kinda bulbous and poofy. The seal on the idler arm, if there is one, is either different or got smashed during installation. On the idler arm there is no rubber surrounding the outside of the joint, just like a rubber gasket between the space which sees movement. I don't know if the installation/product piece is correct or not (see photos). Thank you.
The pitman arm is in the first photo (with the starter in the background). The idler arm (the one I was wondering a about) is in the second photo.
Today I borrowed a hand grease gun from a neighbor/friend and purchased a Lucas brand grease cartridge at AutoZone. First thing I found, the cartridge fit in the grease gun, but the seal was made to fit the inside diameter of the gun itself and not the cartridge. I emptied as much grease from the cartridge into the gun, only to find after 6-8 pumps it quit working. I guess there is supposed to be a big spring inside the grease gun? Well, there was no spring so I was constantly trying to purge out the air.
The fittings took quite a bit of grease, being the fact they were so virgin. I did not want to blow up the seals, but sure enough on a couple of them I found pinholes already oozing grease. I kind of thought maybe because the seals were new, they would allow me a little slack, but nothing doing. I actually believed the grease would ooze from the ends of the seals before a pinhole would develop--silly me.
When I finished I noticed the seal on the pitman arm looked like the other seals, kinda bulbous and poofy. The seal on the idler arm, if there is one, is either different or got smashed during installation. On the idler arm there is no rubber surrounding the outside of the joint, just like a rubber gasket between the space which sees movement. I don't know if the installation/product piece is correct or not (see photos). Thank you.
The pitman arm is in the first photo (with the starter in the background). The idler arm (the one I was wondering a about) is in the second photo.
