Rubber Ball Grease?

stallerl

stallerl

Senior Member
I pulled down the front radius rods from the bell housing to see what a previous owner might have done. I found that he replaced the stock set up with the after market cast metal housings and the rubber ball. The ball was dry, no grease at all. Should it be dry or have a coat of grease?
I will be replacing the worn out ball eventually but not right now.
 
I personally do not like Vasolene in rubber applications, especially when exposed to elements. I would use a Silicone O-Ring Lube. And lube the inside and ouside of the Rubber Ball.
 
use synthetic brake caliper slide grease
 

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Thanks for the responses. I'll get some 'lube' and grease the ball then reassemble it. Along with tightening the wheel bearings and inflating the tires to 35 lbs I'm hoping the death wobble goes away. If not then I'll move onto the king pins and steering rod ends.
Fun times!
 
Any petroleum based lube will eventually break down rubber. This stuff, "Sil-Glyde" I found at a local NAPA is just the ticket for rubber lube and also brakes, etc... double click on my photo's and see if you can read the (English) version of the specifics. Part #765-1351. sorry for the sideways pic's., I forgot to rotate photo's.
 
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The rubber in them things is very poor, at least the ones I've seen and will only last for a very short time. It is best to bring it back to the original set up.
 
I used Sil-Glyde on the rubber ball, inside and out and in the housing also. I will be removing the rubber ball pieces and replacing them with the correct metal pieces, just not now.
Thanks for all your input.
 
I've always used the rubber ball and never used any type grease or lubricant. If the radius ball is in real good shape , its a tight fit and I have used the GO-JO lanolin type hand cleaner as a lubricant to help get the rubber over the radius ball.. The last time I replaced the one on the coupe was 15 years ago. Its been that long with my sedan and they are not showing any signs of failure.
 
I took the Model A out for a spin around the block earlier this morning to find that the wobble is still there, even after greasing the rubber ball and tightening the wheel bearings. It almost feels like it's developing from the right front corner where there is a little play in the king pin. So, my next step will be to pull both sides apart, check out the condition of the king pins, bearings and shims and replace what I need to.
Fun times!
 
My 1928 has a temporary front axle assembly that has really worn king pins/bushings, and I've never had a wobble, even going over RR tracks.
 
I've never had a loose king pin cause a shimmy. Anything loose in the front end or steering will contribute to the shimmy after it is set up.I would check the spindle arm nuts. I had a loose spindle nut on the drivers side that would set up a shimmy if I hit a certain bump. Under inflated rear tires can cause a shimmy. A sagged frame at the rear motor mounts or a sagging front spring will also do it. If the steering is loose at the frame mount this can cause a gentle shimmy. After checking these things, I would check the toe in. One sixteenth, plus or minus one thirty second is the correct setting for the toe in.
 
I was told by a Model A guy to check the king pins for excessive wear. But, at this point I will first check all the other areas for tightness, alignment and (tire) pressure. Thanks again for the guidance and direction.
 
This may sound too silly to be considered, but I found my tires were mounted off center in my rims. Read that as the tire was set further into the bead on one side than on the other. I posted a thread/pictures about it here:

http://fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=108529&highlight=allstate

So when you jack up your front axle, before you take the wheels off, give them a spin. My wheels ran true, but the tire "wobbled" on the rim. Surly would contribute to a front end wobble..
 
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