Universal Joint Grease

[columbiA]

After driving "A",s for well over 100,000 miles,I have never wore out a U-joint.Ive always used regular winter weight chassis lube.

[Chris H]

After reading about the John Deere corn head grease here last year, I purchased some. I looked at the label after getting home with the grease and found that it is a polyurea soap based grease. (Should have looked at the label first!) I found that the polyurea base is not compatable with the more common lithium or aluminum soap based greases. Being as that I have no idea what the previous owner used in the past I have been reluctant to add any of the corn head grease. Has anyone experienced any problems mixing the greases in the U-joint?

[RockHillWill]

I have given this some thought lately as I was asked not long ago regarding the installation of the seal in the torque tube.

I gave the INCORRECT answer by stating that the seal was intended to keep the oil in the rear end housing from going forward. I gave this answer in spite of the fact that I was told an NOS torque tube had the seal installed in a manner that prevented oil from going down into the torque tube.

After thinking about all that I have learned, I have the current thoughts regarding this universal joint lubricating 'situation'.

The universal joint housing has a grease fitting, not a filler plug, indicating that it is supposed to have grease in it. All the u-joint housings that I have seen, the grease residue in it has had the grease formed to the outside edges of the housing indicating that the spinning u-joint has displaced the grease from around the u-joint bearings themselves.

I dis-agree with those that promote putting seals in the transmission bearings if they think that they are stopping the flow of oil out of the rear of the transmission. If you look closely, the shaft that the u-joint mounts to is splined in the area that goes thru the rear bearing, still allowing the oil to go past the rear bearing, just at a slighly higher oil level.

It is my opinion that the u-joint housing is filled with grease first, knowing that it will cavitate around the spinning universal joint, allowing for a smaller amount of the transmission oil required to fully lubricate the u-joint. This oil is supposed to 'leak' thru the rear bearing into the u-joint housing and is prevented from going further downstream by the seal in the front of the torque tube.

If you look at the position of the oil filler plug relative to the u-joint housing and the torque tube seal this becomes a little more clear. I am certainly open to input on this matter if some one has an alternate view.

My apologies to my fellow Fordbarner if you used my input in assembling the torque tube seal in your 'unit', I did not think of it in this manner at that time.

[jerry rose]

At least everyone agrees that lube is essential.

[Harold Degand]

Is another grade 0 grease can do the job ?
Corn head grease is pretty hard to find where I live. Or I’ve to buy a box of 30 tubes !

[jayvee34]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by Mitch Newman

I am going through a complete restoration of a 30 model std coupe. So the reassembly of the drivetrain is currently clean and dry. Reading Les Andrews mechanical book, he states that a "liberal amount" of grease should be pumped into the universal joint area. Just how much is a liberal amount. It looks like you could hold an entire tube of grease in there. How much have you guys used after a dry rebuild?

Recently installed a rebuilt transmission and used about a full tube of Lucas
heavy duty grease.

[old31]

When the car is assembled, you remove the speedometer turtle. This is to give you a visual of how much grease you are installing.

When the grease drips out of the turtle you have pumped in enough grease in the clamshell.

If you don't remove the turtle you will never know how much grease you are pumping in the clamshell grease fitting.

[Harold Degand]

Thanks for the replies.
Where I live, I can only find NLGI #2 grease.
I went to a JD dealership, they can order it for me but in a box of 12 tubes !

[Bob Bidonde]

I soak the u-joint in motor oil to assure its bearings have lubricant before I install the joint. Then I grease the joint.

[rotorwrench]

There are actually several different brands of corn header gearbox grease and they are not all the same. Back in the day, Ford called out a mixture of sodium based grease and a basic gear lubricant to a consistency that would be semi-fluid. These older materials don't have a very good resistency to break down if water gets in but they do work. Sodium grease was a common axle grease back through the earlier days of the automobile. Modern disk type braking systems needed grease that could take more heat but sodium based grease is still available. Mixed with a heavier viscosity gear lube or motor oil, it could still function as was intended in the model A era.

[Mulletwagon]

If there was ever a need for a pneumatic grease gun -- this is it !!

[jayvee34]

Originally Posted by Bob Bidonde

I soak the u-joint in motor oil to assure its bearings have lubricant before I install the joint. Then I grease the joint.

Very good idea!!!

[The Master Cylinder]

I have always wondered, where is all that grease going? I don't see it coming out anywhere?? it states on the Lubrication Chart to lube the universal joint every 500 miles.