Dear Chuck,
We each have our own experience. Mine does not seem to be the same as
yours. I have driven my car as a daily driver from when it was new until it
had over 90,000 miles on it. It is only in the last couple of years that it
has not been driven on the street on a daily basis. I am now driving a 63
drophead on a daily basis. Both on my own cars and all of my customers, it
has been my recommendation for may years to never use the oiler to lube the
suspension as it only makes a mess. The additives in modern greases make
them far superior to motor oil in lubicating a Morgan's front suspension.
There are more extreme pressure, anti wash out additives and the greater
viscosity of the grease holds it in place so that it doesn't run out and
away from the places where it is needed.
Maybe the grease that you tried wasn't an extreme pressure grease. I
assure you that if you lube a good set of kingpins and bushings every 1,000
to 1500 miles or so with a good grease, in normal driving you should get
around 20,000 miles out of a standard set of kingpins. If you change to
the hardchromed and centerless ground kingpins that we supply, and grease
them every 1500 miles until some fresh grease comes out from in between the
lower coils of the main spring, then you will get over 90,000 miles out of a
set of bushings and over that from the kingpins.
Regards, Greg
Solow
----- Original Message -----
From: <CHarris990@aol.com>
To: <gregmogdoc@surfnetusa.com>; <BradFarr@aol.com>;
<morgans@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, November 26, 1999 12:21 PM
Subject: Re: A brake story
> Greg,
> I wish to disagree with you. In 65 when I first drove Matilda I held her
one
> shot down through the count of 10 and was subsequently stopped by the CHP
for
> blue fog violations. I then was informed by Chuck Small et.al. that it
just
> took a tap. After several king pin rebuilds through the years I came to
the
> conclusion that I would just install zerk fittings and do away with the
> one-shot. My replacement period for king pins increased from 12k to 8k.
I
> switched back after the 3rd rebuild. If a Morgan is only used for racing
or
> used only for show then probably the zerks are OK, but if the car is used
> daily or on a constant basis or long trips then the oil, held in place by
the
> grease fitting at the base of the assembly keeps the kingpin's bronze
> bearings well lubricated and extends their life or that is my experience
with
> a car that is approaching 200,000 miles. Matilda is of course in constant
> use and is not concourse. One of the interesting setups that I think
should
> be explored was the nylon bushings which were on Jim Woodyards car.
> Chuck Harris
>
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