Forum:
More inscrutable oriental jokes here .... just why don't they put grease nipples on the steering idler? Well, after 90k miles, pushing and pulling the front left-hand roadwheel (rh drive) makes the steering relay rod move up and down by about 5mm at its left hand end.
This movement allows detectable play at the lh roadwheel (rh front wheel is fine, so there is no play in the steering box and Pitman arm).
Now, the questions are ....
Is this expected in a vehicle of this mileage?
I don't like it .... so I guess I will have to fix it for the MOT soon. There used to be a greater allowance in the MOT test for steering play on vehicles with steering boxes, as opposed to rack-and-pinion. Is this still the case in the UK 
Hi rfman, I have EXACTLY the
Hi rfman,
I have EXACTLY the same problem. The MOT tester reckoned it was the tracking rod ball joint, but like you i'm not so sure since the offside joint is fine, no play anywhere in steering except when I move the nearside wheel the relay rod moves up and down.
so was the idler arm the cause of it in your case?
does anyone have any idea how to tell the difference between a worn idler arm and worn tracking rod ball joint?
cheers,
lube
SO I jacked the vehicle up
SO I jacked the vehicle up and rocked the wheel back and forth with my feet whilst watching the idler arm, and sure enough it was rocking up and down, so the bushes are gone.
Also with regards to the grease nipples, mine are not threaded, they just have a bulge. Will any standard grease gun fit over these, or is there a name for this type of fitting?
Cheers,
Lube
I've moved on in the 5 years since this topic.
If you do a search for 'steering idler' and for 'pitman arm' you will find lots more info that has been generated since 2004, when I started this post.
Balls
All ball joints can be drilled and tapped to fit grease nipples but many aftermarket components are not to keep the price down.
Proceed as follows:
Clean the ball joint, somewhere on the side will be a flat, some may have two, some three; pick the best side for the nipple location. In the middle of the flat, centrepop and drill slowly with a 3.2mm drill covered with grease to catch any metal swarf. Tap a 4mm thread into the hole, fit a 4mm thread grease nipple.
Do not drill any larger than 3.2 mm or tap any thread larger than 4mm as this will affect the structural integrity of the joint.
Unfortunate
Thats a bit unlucky, got one on mine and several others that i have recently see, might be it had to be changed at some point - who knows??? but drill and tap one in like assassin said on the next one, but its too late for this one possibly.
Full of ideas but no time to do them!!
www.bloodredoffroad.com
www.milneroffroad.com
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Nipples
Often i find them easier to do before fitting, so if you can use a pillar drill with a depth stop, this ensures a good clean hole and not a slightly slotted one.