Zero Fittings

[Mike Armstrong]

Zerk Fittings

I gather there are no zerk fittings on my SV?

If so, how, other than taking suspension pieces apart, can you lube the chassis?

 

[Mike Armstrong]

Bump.

Currently my SV is up on jack stands with easy access to the suspension. Matter of fact, it's been on those stands for several years. Though from the looks of things all the suspension rubber and shocks look original and I'm sure will have to be replaced soon, which is a whole other project I'm not particularly looking forward to, at least until it make it out of my garage and around the block. But I'm anxious after to finally be able to drive the car in the near future (it may just go down the road sideways, who knows).

But before it sets back onto a set of tires I feel like I should lube up the ugly rubber pieces, at least do something short of a rebuild.

So I'll toss the question out there again, without zerk fittings, can the suspension on theses cars be lubed up?

 

[Tom H]

Mike, Most (all?) of the original joints did not have zerk fittings. You might try just pulling up the circlips or coily type retainers around the boots and see if you can cleanly pull up the boot and inspect or grease the fittings.

Even if you ruin a boot see the discussion recently on this forum about replacement boots.

Tom

 

[Mike Armstrong]

As always, thank you Tom.

 

[john.hemsath]

I'm anything but a suspension professional so am not sure how they got there, but on both sides of the front suspension on my SV, zerk fittings are present at the bottom (see attach pic).

I recently connected a small grease gun to them and pumped until grease squirted out along the boots edge. The passenger side boot appeared to have a tiny pin hole along the equator where some grease exited which I'm guessing means it'll need to be replaced someday.

 

[tony perrett]

I have been a motorist for over fifty years and have never heard of "Zerk fittings". This side of the pond we call them grease nipples.

 

[Chuck Ingram]

I'm anything but a suspension professional so am not sure how they got there, but on both sides of the front suspension on my SV, zerk fittings are present at the bottom (see attach pic).

I recently connected a small grease gun to them and pumped until grease squirted out along the boots edge. The passenger side boot appeared to have a tiny pin hole along the equator where some grease exited which I'm guessing means it'll need to be replaced someday.

The pin hole could have been from a needle type injector that fits on the grease gun. The PO might not have been able to,get grease i or remove the fitting
I do have one and used it on occasion.

 

[Mike Armstrong]

I'm anything but a suspension professional so am not sure how they got there, but on both sides of the front suspension on my SV, zerk fittings are present at the bottom (see attach pic).

I recently connected a small grease gun to them and pumped until grease squirted out along the boots edge. The passenger side boot appeared to have a tiny pin hole along the equator where some grease exited which I'm guessing means it'll need to be replaced someday.

Dirtier under they're than I realized, just found those John, thanks.

 

[john.hemsath]

As you no doubt noticed in the picture Mike, the entire underside of my SV was undercoated. When I first heard about this from the seller, I thought, guess that's a good thing. Now that I've looked (and worked) under there, I wish it'd never been done. I don't intend to drive the car to the Sierra's in the winter so don't have to worry about slush etc. getting into nooks and crannies. Actually I've never even driven the car in the rain here at sea level. I've tried to find a shop that would could blast the black gook off but no luck so far. I suppose it'll have to wait until the frame off restoration happens, like that's going to happen as the car is in far too good of shape to be needing that anytime soon. Until then I keep the broom handy to sweep up the black crumbs in the garage.

Cheers,
JH

 

[Mike Armstrong]

As you no doubt noticed in the picture Mike, the entire underside of my SV was undercoated. When I first heard about this from the seller, I thought, guess that's a good thing. Now that I've looked (and worked) under there, I wish it'd never been done. I don't intend to drive the car to the Sierra's in the winter so don't have to worry about slush etc. getting into nooks and crannies. Actually I've never even driven the car in the rain here at sea level. I've tried to find a shop that would could blast the black gook off but no luck so far. I suppose it'll have to wait until the frame off restoration happens, like that's going to happen as the car is in far too good of shape to be needing that anytime soon. Until then I keep the broom handy to sweep up the black crumbs in the garage.

Cheers,
JH

Ah, yes, the black crumbs...always sweeping up the black crumbs. I thought my Alpine was the only one with that affliction

 

[Tom H]

John Hemsath wrote:

I suppose it'll have to wait until the frame off restoration happens,

John, Just be clear that there is no such thing as a "frame off" restoration of an Alpine. It's a unibody construction. You can remove the front crossmember and then put the car up on a "rotisserie". But that big crucuform structure underneath is part of the body.

Tom

 

[Jay Laifman]

Years ago, like two decades now, SS sold replacement lower ball joints with zerk fittings. They also carried a steering crossover tube with zerk fittings. That was actually from a different Rootes car. I was fortunate to get both.

 

[john.hemsath]

Learning something new every day

Thanks Tom H...I swear I learn something new every time I visit this forum. And I doubt that'll ever stop happening as the intricacies of an Alpine never end.

John H.

 

[DanR]

Frame Off Restoration....?

John, During you restoration are you planing on utilizing a rotisserie?

If you don't already have one, send me your e-mail and I will provide you with the plans I utilized to retore my '67 SV Commodore Blue and now have my '65 SIV GT undergoing final body mods and of course the V6 mod's.

It cost me about $750 to build. Works great and and can handle a full Alpine engine and all. Several other guys have made good use of the plans also.
DanR