universal joint
- Thread starter Ca. Kid
- Start date
Colorado Greg
Senior Member
You don't grease a model A u-joint like a modern car. There is a zerk on the side of the housing that covers the u-joint, remove a bolt for the speedo housing and fill the entire cavity with grease until it comes out the bolt hole.
Steve Plucker
BANNED
Go to my website and you will see the part for which has the grease fitting if it has not been pluged up as stated above.
Pluck
Pluck
BILL WILLIAMSON
Well-known member
Maybe this is DUMB, but I'm going to try it! "VERMIN," my '29 coupe. It was restored in 1987, sat for many years. I'm sure the u-joint is bone dry. While the floorboards are out, I will drill a 1/8" hole in trans. rear housing, squirt at least 1/2 bottle of 600 weight into the u-joint area to create a "puddle" for the joint to dip into. I THINK that, along with the small amount of oil that gets through the trans. rear bearing will keep it lubed. I'll plug the 1/8" hole with a dab of silicone rubber. Not suggesting you try that, but Ol' Bill's gonna' do his!! I don't have much faith in filling the WHOLE u-joint area with grease, as centrifugal force just "blows" the grease away from the u-joint! Bill W.
Tom Wesenberg
Well-known member
I've never seen a bearing retainer without the threaded hole for the grease zerk. Have you used a mirror or carefully felt all around the rear bearing retainer for the zerk, or the bump where the zerk fits.
Bill, I wouldn't drill a hole. For one thing it will put metal filings in the housing. If you pump in grease the U-joint will probably outlive most of us. Mystik JT-6 high temp is a very sticky grease, and I'd have no fear of it not giving the U-joint plenty of lubrication. Also if you don't have a sealed rear bearing some gear oil should find it's way back to the U-joint.
Kevin in NJ
Well-known member
Keep in mind that the grease acts like a conduit for the oil that will leak out of the transmission.
I know everyone wants to put the shielded (they are not sealed) bearings. This slows down the natural leaking of oil that helps to lube the U joint. If you look close at the ****** you will find the oil that leaks out of the front will drain back into the ******. The rear bearing leak goes directly into the area packed tight with grease. Bathing the U joint with nice sticky (assuming you use real 600w) thick oil. Of course this will continue back to a bearing and the speedo gear.
Follow directions from Ford and keep it close to the way Ford engineered and you will have it last a long time.
I know everyone wants to put the shielded (they are not sealed) bearings. This slows down the natural leaking of oil that helps to lube the U joint. If you look close at the ****** you will find the oil that leaks out of the front will drain back into the ******. The rear bearing leak goes directly into the area packed tight with grease. Bathing the U joint with nice sticky (assuming you use real 600w) thick oil. Of course this will continue back to a bearing and the speedo gear.
Follow directions from Ford and keep it close to the way Ford engineered and you will have it last a long time.
1931 flamingo
Well-known member
Ck the full circumfrence of the housing. Somebody before you may have assembled it wrong.
Paul in CT
Paul in CT
Steve Plucker
BANNED
Steve Plucker
BANNED
Greg...When did Ford put a "zerk on the side of the housing that covers the u-joint"?
I know there is one on the A-7085 Transmission main shaft bearing retainer but on the "housing that covers the u-joint"? That would be A-4520 U-joint housing cap--outer assembly and there was no zerk on those parts that I know of.
Of coarce A-7085 would be considered part of the housing I guess.
(I think that is what you meant to say)????
Pluck
Colorado Greg
Senior Member
Hey Steve, that is exactly what I meant. It takes all three pieces to create the housing for the u joint.
I found this pic from Jim Parker Toronto to show the actual zerk.
Ca. Kid
Member
Problem solved, thanks Ford Barn.
The u-joint housing was installed 180 degrees off, putting the grease fitting under the transmission towers left shift rod boss. Since there wasn't room for a zerk someone installed a plug. I removed the trany tower and installed a zerk, filled the housing with grease, reinstalled the plug and transmission tower. Not a big job, but definitely a pita.
The u-joint housing was installed 180 degrees off, putting the grease fitting under the transmission towers left shift rod boss. Since there wasn't room for a zerk someone installed a plug. I removed the trany tower and installed a zerk, filled the housing with grease, reinstalled the plug and transmission tower. Not a big job, but definitely a pita.
BILL WILLIAMSON
Well-known member
Steve,Surly you are joking with usAt least I hope so.
Pluck
Dead serious!
Our club's biggest proponent of grease packing just wore out/broke his u-joint!Several with grease have suffered the same fate.
I, personally, cannot see how grease could possibly get into the open end u-joint cups on the u-joint cross bearing surfaces. 600 weight in my "puddle," whirring around and "dipping," possibly has a "chance" of gettin' into the "right" places.
Yes, I might have some "dribble" from bell area for awhile???? But I can deal with that.
Bill W.
BILL WILLIAMSON
Well-known member
Tom,
Drillings?? NO problem, magnetize & coat the bit with grease, drill SLOWLY, through cast iron, (1/8" hole) ANY drillings inside would be miniscule, not NEARLY as serious as crap that some folks suck through their carbuerators on a daily basis! (HUMOR!) Bill W.
Tom Wesenberg
Well-known member
Bill, If you want 600 gear oil in the housing just fill the tool kit grease gun with the heavy gear oil and pump it in the original fitting.
BILL WILLIAMSON
Well-known member
Are we brothers? God! I was looking at housing pic & said to myself, "Self, your a dodo, you can pump the 600 weight through the dumb grease fitting!" Oil in the bell was to be a 1 shot deal. Car done in 1987, no written history, everything was empty except the engine oil, (very clean). Oiled trans & diff, changed motor oil, fired off like a click from a Bic! Drove it maybe 2 miles in the neighborhood, bad oil leak from missing lower timing gear bolt. Ripped everything external from engine to re-seal & regasket and modern head gasket. Engine rebuilt by reputable local rebuilder in '87, (his brass tag riveted on R/H side of block)
BEAUTIFUL inside, barely run before, wiped my hand in bottom of oil reservoir, and NO black!
Chief said, some guys can step in s**t and come out smellin' like a ROSE! (I did!) Almost ready to "FIRE UP" Pat's condition has slowed me down-------------Bill W.