Fitting grease nipples to rear axle
Moderator: RichardW
Fitting grease nipples to rear axle
Hi Guys,
Posted an early topic regarding rear axle bearings on my Xsara 1.9 D 1999. Unfortunately the o/s shot to bits so I've managed to track down a lower mileage unit.
As pointed out the fault with these lies in the lack of grease or greaseing points so I'd like to fit some grease nipples to the newer axle to try and stop the problem happening again.
CitroeJim has said he used to tap the tube and install them there however if the tube's hollow all its going to do is fill the tube up with grease or have I missed something?
Has any one done this mod on a xsara? and is there a better place to fit a grease nipple say on the point where the trailing arm meets the axle tube. I'm worried about drilling in the wrong place and damaging something, perhaps someones got a diagram they can post so it would give me some idea.
Cheers Leigh
Posted an early topic regarding rear axle bearings on my Xsara 1.9 D 1999. Unfortunately the o/s shot to bits so I've managed to track down a lower mileage unit.
As pointed out the fault with these lies in the lack of grease or greaseing points so I'd like to fit some grease nipples to the newer axle to try and stop the problem happening again.
CitroeJim has said he used to tap the tube and install them there however if the tube's hollow all its going to do is fill the tube up with grease or have I missed something?
Has any one done this mod on a xsara? and is there a better place to fit a grease nipple say on the point where the trailing arm meets the axle tube. I'm worried about drilling in the wrong place and damaging something, perhaps someones got a diagram they can post so it would give me some idea.
Cheers Leigh
First can l ask if the axle your working on is similar or the same layout as the saxo rear axle, if so, when we changed the saxo one that had completly colapsed so bad the wheels were catching the body work, l driled and taped the swinging arm just inside the outer bearing, this allowed greasing at regular intervals.
hope this helps
hope this helps
l love Citroens
2001 C5 2.2hdi sx Estate
2008 C5 2lt hdi Tourer (estate)
2001 C5 2.2hdi sx Estate
2008 C5 2lt hdi Tourer (estate)
- CitroJim
- A very naughty boy
- Posts: 49668
- Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
- Location: Paggers
- My Cars: Bluebell the AX, Polly the C3 Picasso, Pix the Nissan Pixo, Propel the duathlon bike, TCR Pro the road bike and Fuji the TT bike...
- x 6213
- Contact:
Yep, that's it, about a couple of inches in so the grease goes in between the two sets of needle rollers. If the whole tube becomes full of grease over time, it won't hurt, it'll just keep the Anti Roll Bar well lubricated...
Jim
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
- Paul-R
- Donor 2023
- Posts: 6949
- Joined: 07 May 2009, 16:24
- Location: Wirral, NW England; Vaucluse 84, France
- Lexia Available: Yes
- My Cars: 2015 1.6 Blue HDi 120 Peugeot 308 Active SW
2013 2.0 HDi 163 C5 Exclusive Tourer
2003 2.0 HDi 110 C5 Exclusive Estate (Gone)
2001 2.0 HDi 90 Xsara Estate (Gone) - x 1383
You might lose some of your top speed and fuel economy though...CitroJim wrote:If the whole tube becomes full of grease over time, it won't hurt,
As I get older I think a lot about the hereafter - I go into a room and then wonder what I'm here after.
Inside every old person is a young person wondering what the hell happened.
"Trying is the first step towards failure" ~ Homer J Simpson
Inside every old person is a young person wondering what the hell happened.
"Trying is the first step towards failure" ~ Homer J Simpson
- CitroJim
- A very naughty boy
- Posts: 49668
- Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
- Location: Paggers
- My Cars: Bluebell the AX, Polly the C3 Picasso, Pix the Nissan Pixo, Propel the duathlon bike, TCR Pro the road bike and Fuji the TT bike...
- x 6213
- Contact:
Did they not already have one on the end? I recall my old Mini having nipples on the trailing arm pivot, pointing outwards under a rubber cap on the end of the sill. I had a 1300 but can't recall if that did, nor the collection of Metros I had later on...f00lzz wrote:Remember doing this mod on my old Morris 1100... very effective mod.
Jim
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
- CitroJim
- A very naughty boy
- Posts: 49668
- Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
- Location: Paggers
- My Cars: Bluebell the AX, Polly the C3 Picasso, Pix the Nissan Pixo, Propel the duathlon bike, TCR Pro the road bike and Fuji the TT bike...
- x 6213
- Contact:
Hi Leigh,
The nipple need to be tapped into the axle tube about 2 - 2.5" from the end. the aim is to get the nipple to inject grease between the two sets of needle rollers...
Roughly as indicated by the red arrows in this picture:
Make sure you put them where you can easily get at them.
Go easy on the drilling. Don't drill too deeply. The tube is quite thin and coat the tapping size drill and the tap in grease to catch as much swarf as possible.
The nipple need to be tapped into the axle tube about 2 - 2.5" from the end. the aim is to get the nipple to inject grease between the two sets of needle rollers...
Roughly as indicated by the red arrows in this picture:
Make sure you put them where you can easily get at them.
Go easy on the drilling. Don't drill too deeply. The tube is quite thin and coat the tapping size drill and the tap in grease to catch as much swarf as possible.
Jim
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
- CitroJim
- A very naughty boy
- Posts: 49668
- Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
- Location: Paggers
- My Cars: Bluebell the AX, Polly the C3 Picasso, Pix the Nissan Pixo, Propel the duathlon bike, TCR Pro the road bike and Fuji the TT bike...
- x 6213
- Contact:
Yes it is and yes, the beam is a real weakness. A great axle when it's good but when they go bad, they're terrible. No longer used now as they were quite expensive to make.evilally wrote:Is this mod applicable to the 405? I'm lead to believe the rear beam is the only real weakness on these cars.....
Jim
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
- Stickyfinger
- (Donor 2016)
- Posts: 10452
- Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 21:05
- Location: Somset my lovleee
- My Cars: Xantia V6 ACTIVA 3ltr 24v Manual p1
Xm 2.1TD Ph2 Exclusive
AX, little Daffodil
SAXO White Mk1. Sally - x 1303
- Contact:
Re:
20p grease nipples need a "technician to squeeze them...so is a cost in the service, welcome to modern car design requirements.myglaren wrote:Seems catastrophically stupid to spend that much on engineering a good part then screw it up for the sake of a couple of 20p grease nipples.
The do not give a crap if it blows up after 4 years
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
-
- Moderating Team
- Posts: 11578
- Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
- Location: Charmouth,Dorset
- My Cars: Currently:
C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red
In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars. - x 1207
Re: Fitting grease nipples to rear axle
I have often thought about fitting them but drilling and tapping cast iron is not easy. What I have done is filled the whole of the tube with grease and have never had them fail again, a little gear oil mixed with it will help it to flow or I would think chain saw oil would be even better although I haven't tried it.
Peter
Peter