The Ford Barn

springerpete · 05-23-2021, 05:36 AM

Just read the post by Mitch on the universal joint. I lube mine with a modern gun thru the zerc fitting. 8-10 pumps. Is this enough ? I run about 2000 miles a season. Your thoughts, Bill

old31 · 05-23-2021, 06:27 AM

Read the previous post labeled "Universal Joint Grease" That should answer your question.

WHN · 05-23-2021, 07:55 AM

I would remove the speedometer gear on bottom of drive shaft. Than pump grease into u-joint until it comes out of the gear opening.

I use John Deere Corn Head grease. Could take at least one tube if low.

Enjoy.

The Master Cylinder · 05-23-2021, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WHN

Could take at least one tube if low.

Enjoy.

I have always wondered, where is all that grease going? I don't see it coming out anywhere??

jayvee34 · 05-23-2021, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WHN

I would remove the speedometer gear on bottom of drive shaft. Than pump grease into u-joint until it comes out of the gear opening.

Enjoy.

Another good Idea!!

shew01 · 05-23-2021, 02:58 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by The Master Cylinder

I have always wondered, where is all that grease going? I don't see it coming out anywhere??

I have the same question.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

GPierce · 05-23-2021, 04:17 PM

I have a Mitchell overdrive hence no speedometer gear behind the the U Joint to leak grease as an indication of sufficient grease.

Many Model A folks on here have the Mitchell overdrive. How do you determine adequate grease in the U joint housing?

Bud · 08-10-2021, 05:05 PM

I would like to know the answer to SpringerPete's and GPierce's questions as well. I have a Mitchell OD and do not have a "turtle" cap to remove to see what grease comes out. To me, if you pack the entire U-joint area completely full, all you will do is have the U-joint churn thru all that grease and run excessively hot. So, how many pumps of grease are correct???

deuce5wndw · 08-10-2021, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Master Cylinder

I have always wondered, where is all that grease going? I don't see it coming out anywhere??

Into your transmission!

Gene F · 08-10-2021, 08:04 PM

I just lubed my car, and changed the oil for a tour our club is going on. I put in 20 full strokes.

Pete · 08-10-2021, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Master Cylinder

I have always wondered, where is all that grease going? I don't see it coming out anywhere??

That question bothered me so much, I converted to a T5 and open U-joints so I can lube them.

1931 flamingo · 08-11-2021, 07:39 AM

The pumped in grease fills the entire u-joint area (the bell, forward to the trans and rearward to the speedo gear in the torque tube).
Paul in CT

The Master Cylinder · 08-11-2021, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

The pumped in grease fills the entire u-joint area (the bell, forward to the trans and rearward to the speedo gear in the torque tube).
Paul in CT

I think we all know where the pumped in grease goes. The question is not so much where the NEW grease goes but where the OLD grease goes that the NEW grease replaces. I don't see it coming out anywhere.

1931 flamingo · 08-11-2021, 12:45 PM

Theoretically you should have to "pack" it once, and then maaybe a squirt every so often. JMO
Paul in CT

rotorwrench · 08-11-2021, 01:34 PM

Ford used a mix of sodium soap and gear oil to lube the U-joint. Sodium soap would basically be what most sodium based greases are made with. It would be a slurry of semi-solid lube. The modern thixotropic greases like the John Deer corn header gearbox grease would actually be pretty close to what Ford intended to use there. That corn head gearbox has at least four different shafts turning in there and it would be hell to seal it all for the environment that it has to work in. This is why they developed the stuff.

With the torque tube front bell fitting up to the metal ball cap, it makes it difficult to get the lube to flow from the outer clam shells all the way in to the u-joint cavity. A person has to make sure that there is a direct flow path just to get it to flow in there at all. I don't know how folks with no speedo drive fitting can tell if the lube is going in there or not. The overdrive fabricators should have made allowance for that due to the importance of having a window in there.

Correction for above statements about flow path due to statement being based on later design U-joint set ups where service zerk fitting is located in a different manner. The model A is easier to service but still important to know where it is all going and whether it's full or not.

The Master Cylinder · 08-11-2021, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

With the torque tube front bell fitting up to the metal ball cap, it makes it difficult to get the lube to flow from the outer clam shells all the way in to the u-joint cavity. A person has to make sure that there is a direct flow path just to get it to flow in there at all. I don't know how folks with no speedo drive fitting can tell if the lube is going in there or not. The overdrive fabricators should have made allowance for that due to the importance of having a window in there.

The grease fitting is on the transmission rear bearing retainer and pointed directly at the u-joint. The torque tube bell and clam shells are back farther. There is nothing in the way of the lube getting into the u-joint cavity.

Gold Digger · 08-11-2021, 02:49 PM

I can tell you where the grease that I was pumping into the u-joint housing was disappearing to for the last couple years. Into the drive shaft tube. I noticed that my u-joint had a little not much slack in it so I pulled the rear end to check things out. Well the u-joint was needing changed because it was the original that couldn't be rebuilt. Also I noticed some wear in my drive line bearing so I took that all apart. I found all the grease that had disappeared in the bottom side of my drive line tube.

Gene F · 08-12-2021, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gold Digger

I can tell you where the grease that I was pumping into the u-joint housing was disappearing to for the last couple years. Into the drive shaft tube. I noticed that my u-joint had a little not much slack in it so I pulled the rear end to check things out. Well the u-joint was needing changed because it was the original that couldn't be rebuilt. Also I noticed some wear in my drive line bearing so I took that all apart. I found all the grease that had disappeared in the bottom side of my drive line tube.

Where did you get your U-joint from? Part number, or description? About what did you pay for the part? Are you satisfied with it now that you have driven it?

SeaSlugs · 08-12-2021, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shew01

I have the same question.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you start with a completely clean u joint cavity its much easier to pack the crap out of the u joint and cavity while assembling. You can easily fit vast majority of a can of grease in there so about the majority of a tube of grease if doing by hand. How good are your knuckles/ hand stregth?

Patrick L. · 08-13-2021, 09:09 AM

Depending on the rear transmitter bearing determines how the u-joint is lubed. An original bearing allows trans oil to lube the bearing and seeps thru into the u-joint housing. That mixes with the grease to make a sloppy goop that splashes around in there.

If newer type sealed bearings have been installed then lube relies on just the grease

Quite a few folks have pumped tubes of grease into the transmitter as well as the rear tube. I don't think it hurts the rear tube, but, the trans doesn't like it and its kind of a PITA to clean it out. On the bright side, it does it good to flush it and add new oil every now and again.

05-23-2021, 05:36 AM	#1
springerpete Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Central Maine Posts: 644	grease gun universal joint lube Just read the post by Mitch on the universal joint. I lube mine with a modern gun thru the zerc fitting. 8-10 pumps. Is this enough ? I run about 2000 miles a season. Your thoughts, Bill

05-23-2021, 06:27 AM	#2
old31 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 2,094	Re: grease gun universal joint lube Read the previous post labeled "Universal Joint Grease" That should answer your question.

05-23-2021, 07:55 AM	#3
WHN Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Connecticut Shoreline Posts: 1,820	Re: grease gun universal joint lube I would remove the speedometer gear on bottom of drive shaft. Than pump grease into u-joint until it comes out of the gear opening. I use John Deere Corn Head grease. Could take at least one tube if low. Enjoy.

05-23-2021, 04:17 PM	#7
GPierce Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Germantown,TN Posts: 516	Re: grease gun universal joint lube I have a Mitchell overdrive hence no speedometer gear behind the the U Joint to leak grease as an indication of sufficient grease. Many Model A folks on here have the Mitchell overdrive. How do you determine adequate grease in the U joint housing? Last edited by GPierce; 05-24-2021 at 03:46 PM.

08-10-2021, 05:05 PM	#8
Bud Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 819	Re: grease gun universal joint lube I would like to know the answer to SpringerPete's and GPierce's questions as well. I have a Mitchell OD and do not have a "turtle" cap to remove to see what grease comes out. To me, if you pack the entire U-joint area completely full, all you will do is have the U-joint churn thru all that grease and run excessively hot. So, how many pumps of grease are correct???

08-10-2021, 08:04 PM	#10
Gene F Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,958	Re: grease gun universal joint lube I just lubed my car, and changed the oil for a tour our club is going on. I put in 20 full strokes.

08-11-2021, 07:39 AM	#12
1931 flamingo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: new britain,ct 06052 Posts: 9,390	Re: grease gun universal joint lube The pumped in grease fills the entire u-joint area (the bell, forward to the trans and rearward to the speedo gear in the torque tube). Paul in CT

08-11-2021, 12:45 PM	#14
1931 flamingo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: new britain,ct 06052 Posts: 9,390	Re: grease gun universal joint lube Theoretically you should have to "pack" it once, and then maaybe a squirt every so often. JMO Paul in CT

08-11-2021, 01:34 PM	#15
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,425	Re: grease gun universal joint lube Ford used a mix of sodium soap and gear oil to lube the U-joint. Sodium soap would basically be what most sodium based greases are made with. It would be a slurry of semi-solid lube. The modern thixotropic greases like the John Deer corn header gearbox grease would actually be pretty close to what Ford intended to use there. That corn head gearbox has at least four different shafts turning in there and it would be hell to seal it all for the environment that it has to work in. This is why they developed the stuff. With the torque tube front bell fitting up to the metal ball cap, it makes it difficult to get the lube to flow from the outer clam shells all the way in to the u-joint cavity. A person has to make sure that there is a direct flow path just to get it to flow in there at all. I don't know how folks with no speedo drive fitting can tell if the lube is going in there or not. The overdrive fabricators should have made allowance for that due to the importance of having a window in there. Correction for above statements about flow path due to statement being based on later design U-joint set ups where service zerk fitting is located in a different manner. The model A is easier to service but still important to know where it is all going and whether it's full or not. Last edited by rotorwrench; 08-12-2021 at 10:53 AM. Reason: Correction

08-11-2021, 02:49 PM	#17
Gold Digger Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Arkansas & Alaska Posts: 643	Re: grease gun universal joint lube I can tell you where the grease that I was pumping into the u-joint housing was disappearing to for the last couple years. Into the drive shaft tube. I noticed that my u-joint had a little not much slack in it so I pulled the rear end to check things out. Well the u-joint was needing changed because it was the original that couldn't be rebuilt. Also I noticed some wear in my drive line bearing so I took that all apart. I found all the grease that had disappeared in the bottom side of my drive line tube.

08-13-2021, 09:09 AM	#20
Patrick L. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Largo Florida Posts: 7,225	Re: grease gun universal joint lube Depending on the rear transmitter bearing determines how the u-joint is lubed. An original bearing allows trans oil to lube the bearing and seeps thru into the u-joint housing. That mixes with the grease to make a sloppy goop that splashes around in there. If newer type sealed bearings have been installed then lube relies on just the grease Quite a few folks have pumped tubes of grease into the transmitter as well as the rear tube. I don't think it hurts the rear tube, but, the trans doesn't like it and its kind of a PITA to clean it out. On the bright side, it does it good to flush it and add new oil every now and again.