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Post by ronnie on Jul 5, 2011 18:59:36 GMT 2
i Charles Yes but he is a young retiree ;D ;D ;D
Ronnie
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Post by Charles on Jul 6, 2011 18:49:51 GMT 2
Ronnie how does your steering feel now with the oil in the box?
Charles
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Post by ronnie on Jul 6, 2011 19:02:31 GMT 2
Hi Charles
No oil in yet as the cage for one bearing is broken and the bearing is not a standard size. Vincent is going to organize new ball bearings for it tomorrow and assemble it with no cage and extra balls.
Ronnie
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vincentc
Veteran Niva Petrol Head
Posts: 1,130
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Post by vincentc on Jul 8, 2011 20:05:13 GMT 2
Ronnie has put the box back in and will take his Niva for a Run in the morning to compare.
It did not seem to leak any oil, so it all looks good.
Regards Vincent
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Post by ronnie on Jul 11, 2011 17:38:23 GMT 2
Hi All
In case anyone wants to drain the oil out of the stearing box simply remove the bottom bolt (nearest the block) which holds the small square plate on the bottom of the worm shaft.
Ronnie
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Post by ronnie on Jul 11, 2011 17:44:09 GMT 2
Hi Charles
I was not happy with the play on the steering box so I have removed one shim from the bottom of the worm. This seems to have made a big difference, so it will be interesting to see what it is like on the highway with a cross wind, as it used to affect it badly. There does not appear to be any oil leaks.
Ronnie
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Post by marius on Jul 11, 2011 17:57:49 GMT 2
Hi Ronnie
The problem with my box was that the oil leaked through the breather at the top AND only after you have driven for some time.
Marius
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Post by Charles on Jul 11, 2011 18:28:24 GMT 2
I hope its sorted Ronnie.
Charles
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Post by ronnie on Jul 11, 2011 19:04:06 GMT 2
Hi Marius
I am not with you on the breather, where is that ?
Ronnie
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Post by ronnie on Jul 11, 2011 19:09:11 GMT 2
Hi Marius
I just thought if you mean the adjusting nut, if you fill the steering box to the bottom of the filler threads the oil will leak out until the level is below the adjusting nut as the nut is not sealed in any way.
Ronnie
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Post by marius on Jul 11, 2011 20:44:21 GMT 2
Yes Ronnie - the adjusting nut which also acts as a breather (I think). I could never get the required amount of oil into the box - in fact very little remain until it "leveled out". Hence the reason why I filled the box with grease.
Marius
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Post by ronnie on Jul 12, 2011 9:43:55 GMT 2
Hi Marius
Your box was not leaking then, as the keyway up the side of the adjusting bolt will leak out of every niva until the oil is down to the level of the adjusting screw. You can safely remove the grease and refill with oil. I did ask Vincent if using grease was as good as oil and the answer without going into technicalities is NO. On my box there are no leaks at all now. I changed to grease as the oil was leaking from between the adjusting shims and I thought the grease would be better.
Ronnie
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vincentc
Veteran Niva Petrol Head
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Post by vincentc on Jul 12, 2011 10:47:48 GMT 2
The golden rule of lubrication is "an oil before a grease"
Should your box leak, then get a runny grease (NLGI 00 or NLGI 000) with EP additives but without Moly or PTFE.
Regards Vincent
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dgc
Full Niva Petrol Head
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Post by dgc on Jul 12, 2011 11:01:24 GMT 2
Yes Ronnie - the adjusting nut which also acts as a breather (I think). Marius That slotted bolt doesn't seem to serve any purpose other than allowing oil to leak out of the steering box. There is a locking nut on the adjustment bolt so I don't believe that slot is necessary. The steering box I had didn't seem to leak but I planned on finding a normal bolt and machining the head the same as the steering box bolt and then using a copper/alu washer as a gasket and remove the key-way washer the is on the standard steering box.
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Post by ronnie on Jul 12, 2011 11:27:13 GMT 2
Hi Douw
I agree with you and would do the same. I do not believe a "breather" is required either. Any other vehicle I have had did not have the slot for the top washer which I believe is unnecessary.
Ronnie
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Post by marius on Jul 12, 2011 17:19:19 GMT 2
Hi Ronnie
I did mention somewhere that The Car Shop in Cape Town did remove/cut something from my steering mechanism in the box shortly after I got it in order to get rid of a annoying squeak. Ever since then oil level could not be filled to more than 2cm from the bottom - not nearly enough oil. Anything more would just blow out the through the top.
Marius
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Post by Ari Bezuidenhout on Jul 12, 2011 17:31:24 GMT 2
Hi Marius
Why dont you remove the box and have a look what they removed?? I'm getting curious now. . . .
Ari
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Post by ronnie on Jul 12, 2011 17:33:58 GMT 2
Hi marius
I would be interested to know what could blow oil out of the stearing box. There is no pressure inside, and I am at a loss to know what they could cut out. It would be worth while removing the box to see what is going on.
Ronnie
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Post by ronnie on Jul 12, 2011 18:04:29 GMT 2
Hi Marius
Thinking about what is in the box and looking at the drawings, I wonder if the pitman arm shaft was tight in the bush, and they had to ream to the correct size. I can`t think what else would cause a squeak in something immersed in oil.
Ronnie
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Post by ronnie on Jul 12, 2011 18:06:50 GMT 2
Hi Ari
Not half as curious as I am. ;D
Ronnie
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vincentc
Veteran Niva Petrol Head
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Post by vincentc on Jul 12, 2011 19:21:30 GMT 2
Perhaps they filled the box with oil. That would make a sqeak go away The oil blowing out might be that the oil is foaming... regards Vincent
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Post by marius on Jul 12, 2011 20:21:57 GMT 2
Sorry guys as long as I don't have any steering issues - pandora's box will not be removed or opened ;D I will most certainly not suffer through any hard labour just to satisfy anybody's curiosity ;D ;D ;D "Blowing" was perhaps used a bit strongly - the oil only escaped through the "breather" once I have driven some distance and the oil normally ended up on someone's driveway that I do not like very much anyway ;D ;D ;D I think there was enough oil in the box before they did some "minor" surgery - and only then it was starting to leak from the top. But with those guys - who knows Vincent I think I was the one that was foaming at the time - not the oil Marius
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Post by ronnie on Jul 13, 2011 9:55:57 GMT 2
Hi Marius
If you can change back to oil it would give your box better lubrication. It is normal for oil to leak from the top of the box if you fill to the underside of the filler thread. I will give you the reason why this happens, in my opinion. If you look at the manual, the picture is of a left hand drive steering box, and the filler is below the level of the adjusting nut. I think when the right hand drive vehicles were produced, the Russians simply used the LHD cover which is now upside down with the filler above the adjusting bolt. I feel happier with the oil in and the surplus oil is nearly all out already.
Ronnie
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Post by marius on Jul 13, 2011 10:29:31 GMT 2
One interesting thing I have noticed is that on the LHD box the square oil filler plug is on the lower half of the housing whilst on the RHD it is near the top above the breather. This would actually allow you to overfill the box but you will probably loose most of it through the breather hole anyway. Well it is actually an adjuster screw but I guess it also serves as a breather? Another thing I have noticed is that very few local Nivas still has the black protective cap covering the breather hole. I still have mine but it has a crack in it from all the heat but still doing it's job. Marius Hi Ronnie Perhaps you should check the oil level in your box with a "dipstick". You will probably find much more than the 2cm max I was able to maintain in the box. I was not happy with the level being so low and I don't think you would be either. No point in me trying to fill it up with oil and causing yet another oil spill. The mix of grease and a bit of oil I now have in the box seems to do the job just fine. I also think it will make little difference what kind of lube you will use in the box - whether it is oil or grease - just as long as you have the required amount of lube in the box. Marius
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Post by keithbatkins on Jul 13, 2011 11:35:10 GMT 2
Good Morning Guys.... just to let you know that 'my' steeringbox with the the cv grease in it is working just fine. Got a small black oil leak for the first few days after filling up with the grease but this has stopped now and the grease level in the box is nearly up to the filler so I am going to 'leave sleeping dogs lie' and just check it each month as I do the other various levels on the Niva. Still no name for him/her yet.....any suggestions ? Regards, Keith.
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Post by marius on Jul 13, 2011 13:50:23 GMT 2
Hi Keith I am glad you got your box sorted As far as the name goes - I will best leave that up to you ;D ;D ;D Marius
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Post by ronnie on Jul 13, 2011 18:19:02 GMT 2
Hi Charles I have now finally had a short run in the Niva and will confirm that the steering is now like new. I don`t know if it is the bearings, taking the one shim out, or the special oil of Vincents which has made the difference or what but the play has gone and the steering is lighter. I am also happy having oil instead of grease in as all steering boxes were designed for oil and not grease. The bother of doing the job correctly was worth it. Ronnie
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Nikki Lada
Senior Niva Petrol Head
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Post by Nikki Lada on Jul 17, 2011 22:38:55 GMT 2
Hi Keith If you find the syringe does not pass the grease, try a Vet for a large dosing syringe.Those come with an outlet of about 5-7mm and a decent rubber plunger seal. I've seen ones with a T-shaped plunger handle.That should be able able to pass the grease. Spikes Spikes – could you please let me know where you saw the large dosing syringe you refer to. I planned to fill my steering box this weekend the ‘Keith’ way but after buying the MS grease earlier in the week I couldn’t find either a 50ml ‘Catheter Tip’ syringe at the local chemist or a large dosing syringe from the vet or the local OBARO. I eventually ordered from the chemist but when it arrived yesterday it was the wrong one and totally unsuitable. Thanks a stack NIKKI
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spikes
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Post by spikes on Jul 18, 2011 6:53:09 GMT 2
Hi Nikki
I bought mine from a vet some years ago when we still kept a cow or two. Nelspruit Animal Hospital in Ferreira street does a lot of work on horses.They should have stock
Spikes
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Post by keithbatkins on Jul 18, 2011 8:09:31 GMT 2
Hi Nikki, if you still 'don't come right' with the syringe please give me a telephone call on 072 993 4955 and I will post one to you. I got mine from our local chemist and they must have had about +/- 25 of them in the box mine came out of.. Regards, Keith.
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