I have brand new Nissan inner/outer tie rod assemblies that are going on my 280Z; probably tomorrow if I get the rack back together tonight. The inner ends appear to come packed in a yellow grease. It is obviously a bit old, since it tends to be a bit chunky if you disturb it (see the 2nd pic attached). I am using a synthetic grease throughout the front end in this rebuild, and my thought is to clean all of this out and replace it with the synthetic I am using. Anyone know of any reason that would be a bad idea?

I don't know if it applies here, but I've always been told that you should not mix Petrolium greases/oils with Synthetic Greases/Oils.

As long as you clean all the old grease out, then go for it. Synthetic is far better no question.

Sounds like your front end is coming along nicely

I don't know if it applies here, but I've always been told that you should not mix Petrolium greases/oils with Synthetic Greases/Oils.

As long as you clean all the old grease out, then go for it. Synthetic is far better no question.

Sounds like your front end is coming along nicely

I have also heard that you shouldn't mix the two, and in fact, you are taking a chance just mixing different brands of oils or greases. That's one reason I wanted to get rid of the factory stuff. Plus, I have no idea how old it is, or what the storage conditions have been. One of the assemblies I bought off ebay, and one from Chloe. I'm just trying to make sure that there isn't some "That's special grease! Don't remove it!" sort of thing I don't know. After finding out that I don't even know that 240Z and 280Z brake disks are incompatible, I don't trust what I know and what I don't about things I haven't done before! I've done outer tie rods several times, but never inners...

I've read all the threads on synthetics, so since the entire front end is new, I figured the extra couple bucks for the synthetic is money well spent. I finally got my problems worked out with MSA on the brake rotors, and if I can get the rack all put back together tomorrow, the front end should be finished this weekend.

Unfortunately, I also have to do the shocks, springs, and brakes on the rears, but I'm not going to paint the rear this season, so that should be another weekend, and I'll be back on the road!

excellent... those are some dandy rotors!