1976 morris marina project

[hillmanimpman]

i just saved this car from a death by morris minor wanting parts,
it comes with a MOT till may but no tax as he returned it to the DVLA so i havent got much time to get it ready for the road again
i had to sort out damage past owners have done i had to remove newspaper and filler from the drivers wing which you can see in the pictures. regreased the trunnions which by the look of things havent been done in a long time. just got to change oil and filter and it should pass again giving me time to enjoy 1970s motoring this summer

[JPB]

Greased the trunnions

They should be filled with heavy oil, grease won't flow around the threads well enough and can harden in time, leading to suspension collapse. Best take them off, clean the threads off with solvent and then use gear oil if you want them to last and be safe. Don't use EP, I used straight 140 weight oil on the trunnions of all the Rebels and that's the ideal thing for the job.

[hillmanimpman]

Greased the trunnions

They should be filled with heavy oil, grease won't flow around the threads well enough and can harden in time, leading to suspension collapse. Best take them off, clean the threads off with solvent and then use gear oil if you want them to last and be safe. Don't use EP, I used straight 140 weight oil on the trunnions of all the Rebels and that's the ideal thing for the job.

thanks JPB not sure about gear oil tho as it says in all the service books on the morris marina that they should greased every 3000miles but i look into it as could help just think the gear oil will come out as there isn't a proper seal

[JPB]

I don't see why oil would escape, given that the thread enters from above. Yes, using the steering will cause some oil to escape as it will be driven up the thread by the action of steering, but it'll work a whole lot better in there than grease ever would and more importantly, oil won't leave solids behind to prevent further applications of the gun from reaching all the way up the thread.
Oil's the correct lubricant for these, your Marina will thank you for it.

Jack the car up and apply the gun with the steering on full lock in both directions, that will last through the 3000 mile period no problem at all.

[hillmanimpman]

20w/50 be ok for this do you think JPB? i add some more pictures soon hopely i can take it to the peterborugh BL rally on 23 JULY should be a good event as i been before but that was back in 1997 when i was a little kid only interested in ice cream not cars

[JPB]

20w50? No.

Use 140-weight gear oil. 90 is the grade originally recommended but it's quite hard to find without EP additive nowadays and 140 will give better protection to the threads without making any difference to the feel of the steering. Looking at the chart on the methods slide for the Marina, 140 was mentioned as an alternative back when the car was current.

[hillmanimpman]

had a look at the back of my garage not got any weight gear oil only thing come close is back axle but it has EP in it ,so thats look like a trip to halfords then might even buy it a air fresher or some fluffy dices very 1970s

[Luxobarge]

All good advice, but it'll still do sod all for the wheel leaning over....

[hillmanimpman]

think this is what i need for the leaning over problem not sure tho, i show you what it did to the tyre tomorrow almost like the tracking is out with it worn on one side

[JPB]

All good advice, but it'll still do sod all for the wheel leaning over....

But Rick, surely you're not questioning the Marina's cornering prowess? I drove a very early one some years ago and managed to negotiate several slight kinks in the road at a whopping 31mph without ever feeling that the driver's door was about to burst open as I slid off that vinyl seat and slammed my elbow against the armrest when the suspension went into random mode.