I have a 1965 3.8 "S" type, which I'm slowly (very slowly!) getting into shape after a bare metal re-spray.
As I have the front of the car up in the air on axle stands (just finished getting all the front lights installed and connected) I thought I'd grease all the front suspension points, using my trusty old "Wanner" grease gun.
On most of the grease nipples, the grease leaked out at the grease gun/nipple connection, rather than going into the joint. I suspected the connection on my grease gun must be worn, and so purchased a new part from E-bay.
I fitted the new "end" onto my old grease gun, "plugged" it onto the car, and there it stuck! No way could I get it off! I wriggled it about until the grease nipple came away from the ball joint (probably stripped the thread. So, I have a number of (probably gormless) questions for all you experts:
1) Does the "business end" of a grease nipple vary in size? (Are there imperial and metric versions?)
2) What size grease nipples are likely to be fitted to a 1965 English car? What thread size?
(I'll buy some new nipples, straight and angled)
3) If I buy a new Grease Gun, does the "head" need to be a particular size? (Related to question (1))
4) How is a grease Gun supposed to be disconnected from a Grease Nipple? (In the past, I've gently wriggled it about, and off it comes, implying it isn't a very tight fit in the first place)

Sorry if this all seems a bit basic, but I don't know the answers! Please help with my mechanical education!

Thanks in anticipation, Richard

 

First thing the threads should be 1/4" UNF taper grease nipples

There are a few different grease coupler's, but the most common is a "ball" type, they are not "high pressure" only up to 1700 psi ! Pretty high in terms of cars I have to say.

If you have a high pressure gun, it may have a different coupler, but most are ball type. People do get problems with them locking on, the are designed to be "bent" off. Basically you should roll them off the nipple, if they pulled straight off easily then they would just pop off when you applied any pressure, they are designed to self lock in a straight line, that's how they seal.

I hope this helps Richard.

 

Hi Jon,

Thank you for your reply. I didn't know the thread size until you told me, but have now ordered some new nipples, straight, angled and rt.angled. I'll re-fit the original "head" onto my grease gun, replace some nipples, and see how I get on.
I still have a nipple firmly lodged in the new "head" I purchased, and suspect it must be for a different sized nipple.
Do you know if a grease nipple with a metric thread would have a different size "ball" on the top of the nipple?

Thanks again for your prompt reply.

Regards, Richard

 

Hi Richard

They have different styles rather than sizes within the styles, they appear to be under SAE standards, so one ball should fit all, the high pressure nipples are different, so a high pressure nozzle may lock onto a ball type.

The high pressure nipples have a slight ridge on the circumference of the ball, so I can see that they would seal better on the grease gun, but can't see why a standard ball would lock in as such.

Have you tried pushing the nipple into the nozzle and then "breaking it off" so to speak, the ball should in theory rotate out of the nozzle.

Hope you understand my rambling explanation.

 

Here is another question about grease nipples. The new style upper front suspension ball joint does not have a nipple- or a hole to install one. I assume it is maintenance free or am I supposed to drill a hole in the top and thread in a new nipple?


Old style vs new style

 

They are maintenance free, you don't need to start drilling them.

You can still get the ones with grease nipples, but I am pretty sure they became maintenance free with the XJ6 and they are all common parts, so a 1 fit all scenario to Mk2 S-type XJ6 XJS and others if I am correct.

 

Excellent- thanks!

 

If you have the original style lower ball joint did you know that the later XJ40 style is a direct fit? You may have to find alternate bolts but they are a real improvement in terms of life expectancy.