U-Joint Clam Shell

[PalAl]

Ok my friends I am unsure about this... the grease seals on each clam shell half... "felt"? do they get installed dry or do you soak them in oil like the pan rope seals?
Hope your all well and keeping your sanity! Thanks for jumping in with your expertise.

[Steve Plucker]

Dry...make sure you grease up that U-Joint real good! Then grease it up after installation of the clam shells! I know you will!

Pluck

[PalAl]

Thanks Pluck, and thanks for all your research on the shells, it was great reading and very informative. I printed it out for shop reference and to impress others with my newly aquired knowledge...

[Mulletwagon]

Might install a modern Zerk fitting on the forward shell to simplify pumping in grease. The usual procedure is to pull the speedo cable and pump grease until it starts to come out of the cable mount. Good application for a pneumatic grease gun.

[Werner]

Hallo PalAl,


I also used the half shells with sealing compound. Now no bit of grease comes out of the edges.

I use a special cardan shaft (Loebro) grease with a lot of MoS2. There is no need to add that.

[Tom Endy]

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The grease fitting on the rear bearing retainer of the transmission that the U-joint housing bolts to is there for the purpose of greasing the U-joint. However, when installing the U-joint housing it is prudent to pack the U-joint with grease before installing the housing.

Tom Endy

[Ruth]

Originally Posted by Tom Endy

The grease fitting on the rear bearing retainer of the transmission that the U-joint housing bolts to is there for the purpose of greasing the U-joint. However, when installing the U-joint housing it is prudent to pack the U-joint with grease before installing the housing.

Tom Endy

Tom, How does the grease get to the u-joint bearings? Or does it just lube the outside? I have never understood this setup. I guess it works but I'm confused.

[redmodelt]

The whole cavity gets filled, so in turn the U-joint gets grease. That's why you would want to take the speedo housing or cable off, so you can tell when it gets full or pretty darn full anyway. I do mine AFTER I install all the parts, less of a mess in my OP when you are getting the U-joint to line up and putting other parts in place. Empty it holds about a tube of grease maybe little less maybe a little more.

[Sunnybrook Farm]

Originally Posted by redmodelt

The whole cavity gets filled, so in turn the U-joint gets grease. That's why you would want to take the speedo housing or cable off, so you can tell when it gets full or pretty darn full anyway. I do mine AFTER I install all the parts, less of a mess in my OP when you are getting the U-joint to line up and putting other parts in place. Empty it holds about a tube of grease maybe little less maybe a little more.

Which type of grease do you use? I am getting close to filling the one I am putting together and I haven't filled one since the 70s. Things have changed!

[redmodelt]

We have been using the Moly-lube, others will differ.

[chrs1961815]

Lets be honest, it really does not matter as long as there is some grease in there to lubricate the U joint and everything does not leak.

[Mulletwagon]

600W gets past the rear trans bearing and mixes with the grease to form a slop that lubes the U joint bushings pretty effectively.

[Clem Clement]

Use Cornhead grease or similar. not lubing grease.

[ryanheacox]

When I changed mine I pumped in grease until it started coming out of the speedo gear hole. Took about a full tube.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Originally Posted by ryanheacox

When I changed mine I pumped in grease until it started coming out of the speedo gear hole. Took about a full tube.

After doing this, then how often and how much do you add during future routine maintenance?

[rotorwrench]

Originally they used a mix of gear lube and soda soap which forms a slurry that will flow during motion but not leak out at rest. The thixotropic corn header gearbox grease is a good replacement of the gear oil & soda soap. It flows under motion and stops flowing at rest.

Greases have a tendency to be thrown off by centrifugal forces during motion and it just stays packed against the inside of the bowl there even if pre-packed. Grease doesn't flow unless outside forces make it flow since the soap holds the oils in suspension. The thixotropic stuff uses a softer material than normal grease soaps. John Deere used to have a video of a cut away gear box with the corn head grease in there so a person could see how it flows. Here is a link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zNhli-J0Gk

[Russ/40]

Originally Posted by Werner

Hallo PalAl,


I also used the half shells with sealing compound. Now no bit of grease comes out of the edges.

I use a special cardan shaft (Loebro) grease with a lot of MoS2. There is no need to add that.

Werner, the blue sealer your using will not work long term, as the clamshell's sole purpose is to allow that union to rotate freely 360 degrees. The sole purpose of the felt is to wipe clean the surface of the bell. The sealer defeats the purpose of the clamshell.

[ryanheacox]

I'd do a few pumps, 3-4, every 500 miles with the rest of the 500 mile lube job. Last time I did it there was a worm of grease pushing out around the speedo drive gear shaft in the turtle. As long as that is happening I can be sure that there is plenty of grease in the U-joint.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Originally Posted by ryanheacox

I'd do a few pumps, 3-4, every 500 miles with the rest of the 500 mile lube job. Last time I did it there was a worm of grease pushing out around the speedo drive gear shaft in the turtle. As long as that is happening I can be sure that there is plenty of grease in the U-joint.

Thanks for the tips. I usually add a few pumps of grease, but did not know to check the turtle opening to see if it is full.