Grease for the Ace and Aceca Suspension and Chassis
The Ace and Aceca carry a set of grease nipples on the suspension and steering that want regular attention, but which grease? The handbooks name lubricants that went out of production decades ago, which is why the question keeps coming up. The short answer: your car's own chassis plate is the authority, and where its greases are obsolete, a modern multipurpose lithium grease is the accepted equivalent. Here is the detail, and the one type to avoid.
Confirm against your car
The definitive grease specification for your car is on its own chassis plate and in the lubrication chart in your handbook. Products are superseded over the years, so match by type and confirm the current equivalent with the maker or a specialist. This covers general suspension and chassis greasing; specific components such as a steering rack, and anything safety-related, are worth a specialist's eye and may call for a different lubricant.
Start with the chassis plate
The AC handbooks and the car's chassis plate list the recommended lubricants under their period trade names, the Wakefield and Castrol greases of the day. That plate is the definitive record of what the factory specified for your car, so it is the first place to look. Photographs of Ace and Aceca chassis plates circulate in the owner community and can help if your own plate is hard to read.
The originals are obsolete, match by type
The greases named on those plates are largely out of production now, so you match by type rather than by name. Castrol's classic-oils arm publishes the modern products that supersede its old greases, which is a good way to trace a like-for-like replacement; for other period brands you are matching the specification instead.
The type: a multipurpose lithium grease (NLGI 2)
For the suspension and chassis grease points, the answer is a general-purpose lithium-based grease, the everyday multipurpose grease of today, technically NLGI consistency grade 2. This is the recognised successor to the period products. As confirmation of the type: the original specification for this class of grease was Duckhams LB 10, a lithium general-purpose grease, which is exactly what one owner's AC 428 chassis plate calls for; the commonly-used modern equivalent is Castrol LM, with equivalents from other makers. It is a fair assumption the Ace and Aceca want the same class of grease, but, again, your own chassis plate is the final word.
One type to avoid
Not every grease suits these joints. In particular, molybdenum-disulphide (moly, or CV-joint) grease is not appropriate for the suspension grease points, stick to a plain multipurpose lithium grease. And note that some specific components have their own needs: a steering rack, for example, may call for a softer, flowable grease rather than the stiffer chassis type, so check the chart or ask a specialist for those.
Greasing technique, briefly
Work methodically around all the nipples, front and rear suspension, and the steering, to the schedule in the lubrication chart. Wipe each nipple clean first, then pump fresh grease until it just shows at the joint. If a nipple will not take grease, do not force it: it may be blocked, or the joint seized, which is worth investigating.
Blocked nipples and seized joints
A nipple that refuses grease is the most common frustration on a car that has stood. The first rule is not to force it with the gun: high pressure can rupture the seal or blow the grease path past the part that actually needs lubrication. Start with a firm but gentle push on the grease-gun coupler; if resistance is hard, stop.
- Clean the nipple first. Remove the cap if fitted, then wipe away old grease and road dirt. A small brush and a solvent such as paraffin or WD-40 on a rag will clear the head and the ball-check inside. Compressed air can help, but wear eye protection and do not force grit into the joint.
- Check the coupler fit. A loose or damaged gun coupler will not seal, so it leaks around the nipple instead of pushing grease through. A four-jaw hydraulic coupler is the most reliable on old, worn nipples.
- Try a thin oil first. A few drops of penetrating oil left to soak for a few hours can clear the narrow passage. Tap the joint very lightly with a soft drift while the oil is soaking; vibration helps the oil move. Then wipe the nipple and try fresh grease again.
- Recognise a seized joint. If the part still will not take grease after cleaning, the pin or trunnion may be seized. A seized king-pin or trunnion is a safety issue, not a service nuisance, the assembly needs dismantling, inspection and probably renewal. Stop here and seek a specialist.
Regular greasing is the only way to avoid this situation: fresh grease keeps the passages open and the joints free. Once a nipple is blocked, the time saved by forcing it is quickly lost in the damage it can cause.
In short
The Ace and Aceca's suspension and chassis grease points take a multipurpose lithium grease (NLGI 2), the modern successor to the obsolete greases named on the chassis plate, the original spec being Duckhams LB 10 (as on one AC 428 plate), with Castrol LM a common current equivalent. Avoid moly grease on these joints, treat a steering rack separately, and read your own chassis plate and lubrication chart first.
Sources. This article draws on the experience of owners in the AC Owners' Club community, on chassis-plate references and Castrol's classic-oils supersession information, with the grease type consistent with long-standing classic-car practice.
A general guide to greasing the suspension and chassis, not a substitute for your handbook's lubrication chart, your chassis plate, or a specialist. Product names change, match by type where the original is obsolete, avoid moly grease on these joints, and confirm anything to do with steering or safety with a specialist.
About the author
A lifelong classic-car enthusiast in North Yorkshire, near Thornton-le-Dale, who owns and maintains an AC Aceca, writing the single-model reference he always wished existed. Read the full bio.