U-Joint Inner Cap

[Ruth]

Something I should know but can't remember. Is there a certain position of the two holes in the U-Joint Inner Cap. The inner cap will fit in any position as the bolt holes are evenly space. I know some will only go on two ways because the bolt holes are not spaced evenly.

Thanks.

 

[Dean Lemoine]

The holes should be at 3 and 9 o’clock.

 

[Ruth]

Thanks Dean.

 

[Bob C]

You can't put the holes at 12-6. They will go 11-5, 1-7 or 3-9.

 

[Big hammer]

Wrong or right I line the holes up with the grease fitting allowing a clear path !

 

[rotorwrench]

The inner cap has to hold the U-joint lubricant in there or it will try to leak out around the bell and clam shells. This is why they finally tried to align them with the horizontal and not the vertical. The hole alignment also depends on whether it has equal bolt spacing or non equal spacing. Early ones didn't have the holes.

The later Ford cars used a mix of soda soap and gear lube for the U-joint cavity. Ford only called out "grease" for the model A U-joint service. It counted on transmission oil seepage as part of it's lubrication.

 

[The Master Cylinder]

Wrong or right I line the holes up with the grease fitting allowing a clear path !

But isn't the grease fitting on the U-Joint side of the Inner Cap @ ~5 o'clock? The grease from the grease fitting does not have to pass thru the holes to get to the U-Joint.

 

[rotorwrench]

The pressure lube fitting in on the bearing retainer. It will go right into the U-joint cavity. Getting it to go anywhere else is another thing. A person might end up with some inside the transmission if they keep on pumping. That's why a lot of folks pull the speedo drive so they can tell its full.

The later V8 Fords have a bit different set up since the retainer became part of the rear engine mount. The pressure fitting can get a fairly close alignment with the inner cap on those.