How To Lube Clamshell From the Top - An Idea

19Fordy

19Fordy

Well-known member
This idea is to install a grease fitting that runs through the transmission cover from the top half of the clamshell. When clamshell is apart drill and tap for 1/8-27 NPT. Then solder, modify and screw some fittings together so that you can either pour in lubricant or use a grease gun without having to crawl under your car or remove the transmission cover. Extra padding under the floor mat reduces the bump. Even more so if you unscrew the grease fitting and cap it off with a plug. I was also thinking that if you lube you clamshell from the bottom fitting, you could tell when it's full when the lube come out the top fitting. No need to remove speedo turtle to peek inside. I know it's not OEM but neither are all my the bolts and nuts. You can still easily remove the transmission cover by loosening the top fitting.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0742.jpg
    IMG_0742.jpg
    82.5 KB · Views: 350
  • IMG_0741.jpg
    IMG_0741.jpg
    67.4 KB · Views: 226
  • IMG_0737.jpg
    IMG_0737.jpg
    43.3 KB · Views: 201
  • IMG_0734.jpg
    IMG_0734.jpg
    38.6 KB · Views: 188
  • IMG_0732.jpg
    IMG_0732.jpg
    32.1 KB · Views: 191
  • IMG_0744.jpg
    IMG_0744.jpg
    58.8 KB · Views: 192
Isn't the fitting going to wallow out the hole in the transmission covers with movements of the transmission/drive shaft, besides being noisy with the movement?
 
I'm hoping it's all a lot easier than that.

I'm just installing my newly rebuilt transmission and intend to reverse the top and bottom clam shells so that the grease fitting that's usually on the bottom is on the top. I'll put a straight fitting in place of the 90° stock one, then cut a whole in my floor to grease the clamshell whenever I want to. Hole will be the size of a standard plastic or rubber plug I'll get from the hardware store and, of course, covered by the floor mat when not being accessed. I might even be able to detect the depth of the lubricant around the U-joint by unscrewing the grease fitting and sticking a piece of wire as a "dip stick" into the hole to see what I get.

Anyone see any problem with that approach?
 
Old Henry. I think you idea is EXCELLENT. I will do same if I find the need.

Lawson, We will see. If it doesn't work, I'll do like old Henry. I am hoping the transmission doesn't move very much, if at all.
 
There's nothing wrong with the stock location of the zerk fitting. Zerks are available in any angle you need for any location. Just install a zerk of the best angle for the application, and use a flex hose on your grease gun.
 
ford38v8:
You are correct. I just wanted to have a fitting on top also. Plus, that way I don't have to crawl under my car.
 
I don't understand the aversion to crawling under the car? Isn't the lube interval something like every thousand miles? There is no way to avoid getting under there and the brake and clutch zerks are very near the clamshell lube point.
 
I've thought that there should be two fittings. One for grease for lubing the clamp over the torque tube "bell" and another that would pass right through the "bell" to allow adding corn head grease into the U joint. You could use two bottom halves of the clamp and drill a hole through the bell and the U joint cover to line up with the top fitting?
 
Not every one can get "under" the car to grease the U-joint housing. Not everyone has a nice car lift. It's a good idea, don't let the nay'ers bug you.
 
So, here's what I did.

Replaced the 90° stock zerk with a straight one and put the bottom clam shell on the top so that it is accessible from the top.



The zerk can be used as such but is not necessary nor the best use. I use it only as a plug for the hole. When time to fill or add grease, I remove it and the coupler on the grease gun and just shove the grease gun tube into the hole. It fits perfectly. Then I can really get some volume into that black hole fast. Remember, there is no pressure pushing back from the hole so the seal of the zerk is not necessary. Also, with the zerk removed I can actually see down into the cavity to see how much grease is in there.



Then, I just cut a hole in the floor over the zerk to access it by just lifting the floor mat and plug the hole with a standard hole plug when I'm done. No harder than checking/filling the brake cylinder under the floor.



In the picture, the screw and washer are the center one for the floor panel. The other bolt head is also in the center. The yellow line on the right is the edge of the floor panel.

So, why did I do this?

I have had two of what I thought were premature U-joint failures that, when I opened them up, had very little grease in the cavity. I have never been confident about the amount of grease that went in there through the stock 90° zerk that had to be accessed through the too-narrow gap between the ****** cradle and the clamshell. I had such a hard time getting any in there I let Jiffy Lube use their automatic gun to inject it, but, it always seemed such a huge amount of "spillage" around the zerk when they were done I doubted much got in. Now, I can be sure there's enough and fill it much faster, easier and with greater confidence.
 
Last edited:
PeteVS said:
I've thought that there should be two fittings. One for grease for lubing the clamp over the torque tube "bell" and another that would pass right through the "bell" to allow adding corn head grease into the U joint. You could use two bottom halves of the clamp and drill a hole through the bell and the U joint cover to line up with the top fitting?
Click to expand...

The zerk actually lines up with holes in the inner clamshell so that any grease going through the zerk actually goes directly into the inner cavity. The space between the two clamshell surfaces and the front flare of the torque tube are lubricated by grease moving from inside the cavity though those holes into that space.
 
Last edited:
Old Henry: Excellent. Thanks for posting those photos.
Your Van Pelt rebuild transmission is loving it.
You will now have many miles of happy smiles.
 
Old Henry said:
The zerk actually lines up with holes in the inner clamshell so that any grease going through the zerk actually goes directly into the inner cavity. The space between the two clamshell surfaces and the front flare of the torque tube are lubricated by grease moving form inside the cavity though those holes into that space.
Click to expand...

The bell mouth of the torque tube doesn't block the holes?
 
I like your creativity and steadfast resolve Old Henry and have used many ideas of yours in the past. This one, well, I have to say I'm in Alan's court on. Not sure the need as the stock fitting, once I found the path to it, is easily accessible, for me anyway, with a flex hose. Plus I'm still running the original floor mat and cannot remove it to remove the trans cover. Will keep this in mind for a future project though - great idea!
 
I have done a mod like OH on all my Model T's, replaced the grease cup with zerks and rotated the cap so that I can grease from above thru a floorboard hole and get both the ujoint and drive shaft from above.
 
len47merc said:
I like your creativity and steadfast resolve Old Henry and have used many ideas of yours in the past. This one, well, I have to say I'm in Alan's court on. Not sure the need as the stock fitting, once I found the path to it, is easily accessible, for me anyway, with a flex hose. Plus I'm still running the original floor mat and cannot remove it to remove the trans cover. Will keep this in mind for a future project though - great idea!
Click to expand...


I'm happy for anyone who gets enough grease to the U-joint with the stock set-up. I just never did. That's why the change.
 
Last edited:
Just looking at this as have g/box out for clutch disc replacement. 39 Standard Coupe.
Fitting a new Universal and intend filling with Corn Head grease. Once full this can be kept full by the external grease nipple(Zerk nipple) as these holes in the lower clam shell do line up with the nipple. Under the car anyway to service other grease nipples.
However need a John Deere grease gun as the cartridges as a smaller dia than our standard ones here. Next step to then fill steering box with the Corn Head grease as per local recommendations on this site.
Always appreciate tthe good advice and information that is available.
Phil NZ
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top