Universal Joint Lubrication

[Floridian Flathead]

Hello:
I need to know what the lubricant of choice would be for the Univeral Joint on a stock flathead 39 Ford. I know many people use the regular chassis grease but it seems to me that this grease would quickly move out from the spinning joint and not lubricate it.
Any advice on what to use would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Richard

[37 Coupe]

John Deere cornhead grease is what I use.

[47COE]

I've always used regular chassis grease.

But recently I saw in my owner's manual that 140 weight gear oil is called for in the U-joints, every 1000 miles.

I haven't tried that yet.

Tom

[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by 37 Coupe

John Deere cornhead grease is what I use.

I've always used regular chassis grease in the open/more modern type universal joints but I have heard so many good things about the John Deere Cornhead grease that I had a friend pick some up for me and I am planning to use it in the type of universals you are referring to plus I plan to use it in my '35 Ford closed universals and steering boxes. I also plan to use it to lube other areas on my old Fords.

[Vic Piano]

I checked with several John Deere Dealers in Florida and none of them carry the Corn Head Grease. I called JD Corp. and got three different Corn Head Grease part #'s; AN102562, AH80490, TY24428. Can anyone tell me which one I should use or if they all will work. Thanks. Vic

[Terry,OH]

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Vic: They are all the same grease but different size containers. For the 14 OZ tube you want AN102562. I am planning on switching over to Farm Oyl fluid gear grease in 32 OZ plastic bottle, PN#901925 it is 0-0 weight, google it.

[Ed Pitts]

Vic, the Corn Head Grease I get here in Dallas is the AN102562 part number. Ed

[Vic Piano]

Thanks Terry & Ed, I think I'll try to order the AN102562 from the local John Deere Dealer. Vic

[Bassman/NZ]

I'm using Penrite Steering Box Lube. It's like an extremely thick black oil, so thick you can hold the bottle upside down and it comes out real slow. I figure its perfect for universals.... and of course my steering box, which leaked with 140wt oil and doesn't with this stuff.

[Karl Wolf]

The ujoint will wind up sharing the lube with the gear box, last time I did this, I put 85-140 in... Probably thru the hole afforded by the speedo drive...

Hope I did good, there've been no complaints

Karl

[G.M.]

Whatever you use it wants to be of grease consistancy. It needs to be a low melt or low drop point grease. DO NOT USE high temperature grease. Grease will what they call "wagon track". This is where the U jount cuts a hole in the middle of the grease and runs dry inside of the hole. I had 1.000s of gear motors built years ago and started haveing gear problems in high production use. The grease was still in the gear box with a hole cut in the grease by the bronze gear and chips and particals of bronze mixed with the grease. We rebuilt them useing plain old cheap chassis grease and in the places that had high production never had any problems after that. The low drip temperature grease gets soft as a little heat is generated and the grease sags down from the top and sides where it was thrown by the U joint. The U joint dips into the soft grease and once warm and sagging the U will be constantly lubed. Any grease that gets soft when warm will work but ones with better lubricating properties would be better. The stearing box is the same. Some say it makes the steering stiff, not so the exhaust manifold keeps the grease thin. Some have used front U joint grease, corn head and others, as long as it melts it will work. I don't use oils in these areas because of sealing and leaking problems. G.M.

[31chevy]

I use J.D. cornhead grease & 14 oz. tube fills an empty u joint cavity & I used the turtle to show when itis full. Thanks to the Barners telling me how.
Gary.

[Old Henry]

Here's a great thread on this topic from a couple of months ago that is very informative and enlightening: http://fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53847

And here's another from June: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40175

And this one in March: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30509

From all that I have read John Deere Cornhead Grease sounds like the closest thing to the old cylinder oil soda soap grease that Ford recommended. I just bought me a grease gun cartridge of it for $3.57 here: http://www.greenpartstore.com/John-D...-AN102562.html

These discussions look a lot like "what's the best brand and weight of engine oil to use?" A matter of a lot of differing opinions.

[40cpe]

Originally Posted by 31chevy

I use J.D. cornhead grease & 14 oz. tube fills an empty u joint cavity & I used the turtle to show when itis full. Thanks to the Barners telling me how.
Gary.

Please tell me more about that process. Did you put it in at the grease fitting on the bell until it came to the turtle hole?

[Karl Wolf]

The last time I used grease, I took the front off the grease gun.. And used most of a tube of grease by putting the grease gun front end onto the back end of the ujoint and pushing grease in... The grease fitting isn't meant to lube the ujoint- My opinion-
Karl


Here, take my advice... I'm not using it

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Karl Wolf

The grease fitting isn't meant to lube the ujoint-

I beg to differ. Here is a portion of my owner/operator's manual for my '47 that shows that the universal joint is to be lubricated every 1,000 miles through the grease fitting. There really is no other way to lubricate it that often. Certainly not by removing the torque tube and forcing a whole tube of grease in that way.



I would think that if a person were to fill the U-joint cavity with grease every 1,000 miles as recommended it wouldn't be so critical what grease is used. If a cavity had been carved out by the U-joint it would be filled with whatever is injected and work just fine. I've been having that done at Jiffy Lube every 1,000 miles (yea, I know it's not the right kind of grease) so I'm switching to John Deere Cornhead Grease just to make it a bit better but am still going to fill that space up again every 1,000 miles at the same time I'm greasing eveything else under there that needs it that often.

P.S. If anyone would like the full version of this lubrication chart let me know and I'll provide it.

[paints4me2]

Vic, picked up 4 tubes (14 oz) special purpose corn head grease # AN102562 from a John Deere dealer in Ocala . had to order it took a couple of days. he said it has been a couple of years since anybody asked for it. Ralph

[40 Deluxe]

What about the grease used in modern front wheel drive constant velocity (CV) joints? This stuff also has to stay in circulation and not "wagon track", as was described. It does a good job of keeping the joint lubed for life unless a boot tears. I've bought some to try but it's still on the bench!

[FlatheadTed]

If you are looking for a modern equivalent application then this is the closes I know of , this grease (CV ) is special designed for a similar type joint .Something else to consider is if you put a builders level on the filler plug in the trans box you will notice that it slopes to the rear. The Zerk sets the oil level ..When the mechanic serviced the car over the years and filled the trans you got a little spill over coupled with him inadvertently putting a few shots of high melt grease in there you got a slurry of Lube . All this mix will end up in the trans or rear end at some point ,The modern replacement bearings has a baffle (photo attached ) were the stock one was a open bearing this one would likely allow the uni lube into the tranz case . In the next shot You can see the hole in the Univ Bell that lines up with the Zerk this hole more or less sets the fluid level. If you mix is to fluid ital look like the next shot . You have no need to lube you brake cross shaft ever again . .. .

Originally Posted by 40 Deluxe

What about the grease used in modern front wheel drive constant velocity (CV) joints? This stuff also has to stay in circulation and not "wagon track", as was described. It does a good job of keeping the joint lubed for life unless a boot tears. I've bought some to try but it's still on the bench!

[31chevy]

Originally Posted by 40cpe

Please tell me more about that process. Did you put it in at the grease fitting on the bell until it came to the turtle hole?

Yes , it takes a little time & it will just about use the whole tube. assuming cavity is empty.
Gary.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by 40 Deluxe

What about the grease used in modern front wheel drive constant velocity (CV) joints? This stuff also has to stay in circulation and not "wagon track", as was described. It does a good job of keeping the joint lubed for life unless a boot tears. I've bought some to try but it's still on the bench!

John Deere Corn Head Grease is just such a grease used in CV joints. Here's a great video about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEwk_sYP6A8 Glad I just bought it and put it in.

[40 Deluxe]

Very interesting video!!! Looks like if one doesn't have a John Deere dealer nearby, a trip to the local auto parts store for some CV grease will do it.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by 40 Deluxe

Very interesting video!!! Looks like if one doesn't have a John Deere dealer nearby, a trip to the local auto parts store for some CV grease will do it.

I think the key is to get grease that is NLGI-0 grade which is the consistency of brown mustard whereas most chassis grease is NLGI-2 grade, the consistency of peanut butter. Learn more about grease grades here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NLGI_Grade

[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by Old Henry

John Deere Corn Head Grease is just such a grease used in CV joints. Here's a great video about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEwk_sYP6A8 Glad I just bought it and put it in.

I liked that video. I can buy JD Corn Head grease in regular/standard size grease gun tubes at several dealers near me....course I live in the middle of farm country where we have lots of 'Corn Heads' that need greasing . I'm planning to use CH grease in steering boxes, universal joints (both open and closed), tie rod ends, king pins, water pumps, etc., but will NOT use it in early Ford rear wheel bearings. Heck, I may even shoot some in the crank case w/o doing any research to determine if it's good or bad but please don't tell G.M. about that

[G.M.]

I think your getting a little carried away. G.M.

[flat-v8]

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I ordered 2 tubes of JD cornhead on Friday, got it today and put it in minutes ago. I took off the speedo gear just to check it, and see what it looks like, the gear would barely turn, was almost frozen up, cleaned it real good, spins freely, reinstalled, actually put in 1 full tube of cornhead grease, plus about 10 pumps of another tube till it starting coming out, needless to say the U joint was dry, thanks for the info on proper grease!

[Ian NZ]

If I just add John Deere cornhead grease to the universal joint in my V8 will it mix with the other grease, and if I remove most of the oil out of the steering box will cornhead grease mix with the remaining oil?