u joint compatibility

B

BarryBrosRacing

Junior Member
I’m putting a 39 trans in my 31 Coupe. I’ve already got the adapter parts and the rear bearing retainer and clamshell.

My question concerns the u joint. My 31 u joint is in great shape. Is this compatible with the 39 transmission and does it use the same bolt and special washer? I see some replacement u joints separated into years 28-31, and 32-48, but others listed as 28-48.

Is there a difference?
 
I can't answer your question directly, except to add "it varies."

My first examination for this kind of question would be the "Ford Green Book."

If you don't have one you probably want to get one - can be found on Ebay at all levels of pricing.

I paid $19 for mine last year. I saw a recent copy on Ebay for $149. As I say "caviat emptor."

s-l140.jpg


Best price I'm seeing right now on Ebay is a CD/ROM for $29 plus shipping. For a couple more dollars you can have the real book for $39. (free shipping)

Search terms "Ford Green book." "1928-48 Chassis Parts Book." "Ford Green Bible" or variants on those.

Good luck. I kind of went through similar mating a Warford Overdrive to the 4 speed AA truck transmission (Intermediate shaft location.)

Joe K
 
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My recollection is that there were some replacements that were a bit too large to fit into the clamshell housing, and required some creative lathe work to make them work. Does anyone remember who made those incompatible ones?
 
The slide below is not accurate. See Post #14. Please discard the slide below if you downloaded it.
 

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Above Bob.

The spicer (with needle bearings) was not used during the Model A era. Instead there were "sleeves." Some parts between a Modern Spicer and the original Model A yoke/cross won't interchange.

There may even be "dimensional" differences of the horns of the yoke. Mentioned above is "judicious grinding" to allow the modern yoke a full "swing" inside the bearing retainer/swivel sphere.

On Ebay I recently bought three original Model A universals/spicer style. Of the three I was able to assemble one which I consider "acceptable" for use.

I see in the rebuild kits offered they give you a new "cross." One imagines the external diameter of the sleeves/bearings are the same. Differences to accommodate the modern needle bearings are made in the cross.

Joe K
 
The needle bearing design was first used in the Lincoln cars. They have more beef to them than the smaller Ford & Mercury solid bushing type. Some of the new reproduction Lincoln types have to be ground down on the edges that rub in the Ford type torque tube ball caps. They can be made to work but believe it or not, the solid bushings generally out last the needle bearings.

Bath them in JD corn head grease and they will be happy.
 
They can be made to work but believe it or not, the solid bushings generally out last the needle bearings.
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I can't comment on life, but I have commented that the modern spicer universal come "sealed" from the box - well, except for dis-assembly as part of installation. MANY modern "open drivetrains" make no special protection of the spinning universal.

And when used in the Model A "spherical" connection adding grease at the zerk on the bearing retainer is universal unnecessary. You might want a little to prevent a bind-up of the sphere/cup.

Joe K
 
To my knowledge the only time a needle bearing U Joint was used was the 1948 Lincoln. In 1949 the closed driveline was gone and that style of U Joint was no longer used. I don’t have any data to support this idea but it seems to me that the needle bearing U Joint would last forever if kept properly lubricated.
 
I stand corrected! Thanks all for pointing out my errors in Post #8. I have scrapped the slide attached to Post #8 and replaced it with the slide below. My mistake was mentioning the Spicer U-joint with needle bearings. The latest version of the A-7090 U-Joint has bushings, not needle bearings.
 

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I'm not so sure that a moving torque tube joint doesn't need any lube if it has a sealed bearing U-joint. The big ball cap and bell joint still moves. The speedometer drive and front driveshaft bearing likely also get some lube from the U-joint housing. Ford used a mix of gear lube and soda soap as a sort of semi-fluidic grease for the u-joint cavity. Centrifugal force mixes things up in there but solid soap grease gets thrown outward to pack around the periphery. I see folks put solid grease in there all the time but that may not be the best choice of lubricant for that purpose.
 
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