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Hi Peter.
Many thanks for your message.
Since I purchased my Austin a few years ago, Dave Whyley has given me much advice and has sold me parts to improve my Austin further so I have always trusted what he says and still do.
I think that when my Austin was restored prior to my ownership, a lot of parts were removed from the car, emptied, cleaned, refitted, but not topped up again. The car had an empty steering box, empty shock absorbers, no grease in the ball joints and now I discovered, an empty idler. Everything else was topped up as I went along and made the discoveries, apart from the idler. I topped it up yesterday as per the advice of Dave Whyley and went for a ten mile drive. I have just checked the idler and it is completely dry and the fluid it still at the treads so thankfully, it doesn’t appear to have a leak.
Replacing the king pins, topping up the steering box, lubricating the felt pad via the steering wheel boss and topping up the idler has made the steering a little bit lighter but it is still heavier than I remember them from the 70s. I cannot remember if the steering wheel should self-centre after turning a corner but mine never has. Anyway, the car is now useable again.
With my sincere thanks and warmest regards.
Robin
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