The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Moordale Motors of Potter's Bar. Just off the M25
They are Triumph specialists, advertising in Dolly Mixture.
Dale is mechanics & Moore is bodywork.
I put my car with them for a variety of jobs I had been saving up & did not fancy myself
eg awkward oil leaks
THEY WERE GREAT, highly recommended. Looked over the car thoroughly and spotted a few additional things
eg prop shaft still had the original blanking plugs -now have nipples(!)
Quick and clean, friendly, punctual and seemed to my eyes have done a good job.
Only problem is finding them - behind a row of shops.
If you need more please contact me.
toryroger

The proprietor Dale Barker is well know to Club Triumph members because he's the editor of Club Torque, their club mag.

Generally a good reputation but sorry they should have not left your prop shaft with a grease nipple...

The blanking plug should be replaced after fitting the nipple temporarily to do the greasing on the sliding joint.

Some u-j's also have provision for a grease nipple but some dont.

Jonners

Jonners
Will it matter?
thanks
toryroger

I think Jonners is being a bit pedantic here, The official Triumph service instructions for nearly all grease points (and the oiling points for Herald etc trunnions) was to remove plugs, fit nipples, grease (or oil) and replace plugs. Some, like the grease point on Herald driveshaft u/js would snap the nipple off if left in, but for most it's perfectly fine to leave the grease nipples in place. In theory the nipple, being lighter than the plug, could upset the balance of the prop, but i've never known it to happen in 45 years of working on Triumphs. And it's so much easier to do if the grease nipples are already in place at service time!
I did my apprenticeship on Triumph and Austin at a franchised Triumph dealer (Uxbridge Service Station) starting in 1970. The plugs always went in the bin there and the grease nipples stayed in. I can't imagine any other dealership being LESS lazy! But I did see the written instructions so Jonners is technically correct.

Steve

I always thought the wisdom pf plugs was that nipples left in tend to become plugs anyway as the grease hardens and then dont act as nipples
so grease goes all over the place when you try and grease them.

Hence I stick with plugs...

Jonners

I keep a variety of grease nipples in stock, but most garages these days don't - many don't even have grease guns any more! My take is, if I find a plug, it's a sign that whatever it is has never been greased in all its life!
When "our" cars were new, the service interval was 3 months or 3000 miles, whichever came first and no grease would become solid enough to block a nipple in that time, or even several times that long. I find that wiping the external muck off with a rag goes a long way to getting grease in, even if the evidence suggests that no greasing has been done for an extended period. That and I have a really powerful (and very old) grease gun!

But honestly, in a workshop, time is money! Can you envisage a mechanic (or, more likely, his apprentice) faffing about with plugs? Either he won't bother greasing at all, or (best case scenario) he'll fit the nipples grease the points and bin the plugs. Never underestimate human nature!

Steve