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MG TD TF 1500 - Grease nipples

As in the image below, the grease nipples on my steering arms and the front suspension swivel pins are a two-part piece (image). Seemingly to allow you to get the right angle for greasing each point. The problem is that if you replace (only) the nipple itself with a new one, you seem to be able to actually introduce a problem.

The BASE section of these two-part grease joints ALSO has a one-way spring and ball valve. So, with your new grease nipple, with its own one-way ball valve, you now have 2 ball valves in the chain! Harder to push grease through. I found that at least 3 of the ball and spring valves in the BASE sections were blocked, bent or inoperable. Thus no, or very little grease, was getting through even with my high pressure 'gun.

I can't see any point in having 2, one-way values in the chain of grease delivery, so how did this happen? Did someone in the past fit a new 'nipple' with its own ball and spring valve to the original base fitting (with its own internal spring and ball)?

The new nipples I have ordered (1/4 x 28tpi) all have ball valves.

I suspect that others may encountered this (seeming) problem which could limit grease flow to important areas?

Merv


M Hyde

No thoughts on this question?

Merv
M Hyde

https://mossmotors.com/328-550-grease-nipple-90-degree
Just order the correct one.
George Butz III

I have now thanks George. My query was in relation to the original ones which in my case had 2 sets of ball and spring valves in each. It was blocking effective flow. I suspect I am not alone in this as the practice over time could have been just to replace the nipple.
M Hyde

Got me thinking Merv. so, I have 2 genuine new / old stock '49 MGY tierod ends that I removed the grease nipples from and inspected for you---- Both the main bases have check valves but neither of the upper nipple ends have valves--They just have very small holes through them which measure just a tiddle over 1.5mm as in a 1.5mm drill bit slides through but a 1/16" drill is a tight fit.
William Revit

Exactly Willi. Thanks for doing this. The 'outer' nipple ends must originally have had no check valve and only had the inner check valve. Someone had replaced the outer ones on mine in the past with ones that did have check valves-hence - the double values and lack of greasing capacity. The internal valves have a longish spring (which tends to kink easily) and a larger ball.

The new complete units have a check valve in the outer nipple but not in the base.

Mystery solved.

Merv
M Hyde

This thread was discussed between 17/01/2026 and 20/01/2026

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