14 replies to this topic

[Perry]

Hello,

1997 Mini Cooper

It states in the Haynes manual later models use Sterak semi fluid grease however this is no longer available. What have people been using as an alternative?

I assume and didn't want to use SAE 90EP specified for the earlier mini's because its too viscous?

Cheers!

[A-Cell]

Castrol Spheerol L EP2 is available. Has similar properties. RS sell it
http://uk.rs-online....reases/1983186/

[Dan]

It's lubricated with grease, not oil so none should escape when changing the gaiters. It shouldn't need to be topped up at all really, there won't be a lot of grease inside the gaiters themselves.

[icklemini]

as above ^^^
Inside the gaiters is/should be dry....

[jime17]

So can I clarify? We don't use ep 90 in the later models?

I believed that this was used as it could run into the rack and lubricate the pinion gear.

[dklawson]

At the risk of being flamed I suggest you use oil IF you need to change/add lube and that you use the 90W oil.

Early racks used oil but this was abandoned because when the gaiters cracked all the oil would leak out. The factory did change to grease and that may sound like a better choice. It isn't necessarily so. The grease is pushed out of the contact areas where it is needed and is too thick to work its way back in when the rack is moved from side to side. In the end, grease proves to not be as good a lubricant as oil (when the gaiters are intact). A friend of mine in OZ says he has collected anecdotal evidence through years of ownership that the greased racks on OZ cars experience much more wear than those that are oiled.

As far as which lubricant to use, do not worry that the 90W oil is too viscous, After all... you are discussing using oil to replace grease. Which lube to use (oil or grease) is your choice. The important thing is to make sure that some lube is there at the time the gaiters are replaced.

[Dan]

Later racks are lubricated with grease, oil dissolves grease. If you add gear oil to a grease filled rack you will wash it out. If you have completely stripped it and cleaned it you could replace with oil but I don't think mixing them would work well. The change to grease was also the change to non-serviceable racks so they are intended to be greased for life.

Edited by Dan, 02 March 2013 - 01:04 PM.

[dklawson]

No disagreement from me. Mixing lubes is generally not a good idea unless the grease is thickened from the same base oil stock... which is very unlikely in this case.

Just to clarify what my friend from OZ said in the past, the maintenance free greased rack design proved to have shorter life (at least in OZ) than properly maintained oiled racks.

[Abbot]

So clean out and use oil seems to be recommended option.  

[nicklouse]

add EP90 it will mix with what ever is in there now.

[Spider]

So clean out and use oil seems to be recommended option.  

 

 

add EP90 it will mix with what ever is in there now.

 

As Nick has suggested.

[imack]

Following a recent thread on here regarding steering rack lubrication I squirted 200ml of ep90 into my recently replaced minispares quick rack that was grease filled and creaked when hot after being driven, hey presto, no more creaking!

[Abbot]

Well I am just trying to remove the rack so I can do a clean up job it.  I did not expect the most difficult bit of the job to be pulling the column off the spline.  A real sod of a job.  

[cal844]

The last rack I fitted I had to use our balljoint splitter to get the rack splines to free off(pinch bolt removed)

[Mervyn]

Carefully inspect the splines when you do get it off . Sounds like it may have been fretting. They're not usually too bad to separate in my experience.