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Old 11-26-2019, 08:15 PM   #1
Mulletwagon
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Default U Joint Service

After a few hours of "cotter pin hell" finally pulled the rear axle. Discovered much play in the "rivet style" U Joint. What is the proper lube schedule for the U Joint and how is it serviced ? Is it just a matter of pumping max grease into the joint housing through the grease fitting ?
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Old 11-26-2019, 08:37 PM   #2
ryanheacox
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Default Re: U Joint Service

First off, that much play in that style U joint means a replacement is needed. Once that is done, put everything back together and with the speedometer gear off pump in grease until it starts pushing out of that hole. Reinstall the Speedo drive and have fun.
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Old 11-26-2019, 08:48 PM   #3
J Franklin
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Default Re: U Joint Service

Try and find a semi-fluid grease as solid grease can be thrown off and leave the joint dry if it is not added often.
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Old 11-26-2019, 08:59 PM   #4
chrs1961815
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Default Re: U Joint Service

How much play is normal?
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Old 11-26-2019, 09:02 PM   #5
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Default Re: U Joint Service

I did much research and used john deere cornhead grease available at deere dealers.
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Old 11-26-2019, 09:18 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chrs1961815 View Post
How much play is normal?
You should have no noticeable radial play.
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Old 11-27-2019, 12:48 AM   #7
Bill G
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Default Re: U Joint Service

Get a pneumatic grease gun or you are in for a lot of hand pumping. I pumped and pumped and pumped, and then borrowed one and finally got the grease out the speedo hole. I think Harbor Freight sells a pneumatic.
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Old 11-27-2019, 07:38 AM   #8
Patrick L.
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Default Re: U Joint Service

U-joint play, There will be a lot of axial[ side to side] play. There should no radial [ rotational] play.

Lube, That housing doesn't hold much grease. There is info above on how to fill the shell. It shouldn't take much more than one tube. If too much grease is pumped in it will find its way past the rear bearing slinger and into the transmission. Transmission oil will leak into the shell/ housing and mix with the grease.
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Old 11-27-2019, 09:26 AM   #9
Kurt in NJ
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Default Re: U Joint Service

Look close at the rivits to see if they are loose, if loose look for later style, they were used up till 48
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Old 11-27-2019, 02:57 PM   #10
J Franklin
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Default Re: U Joint Service

Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick L. View Post
Transmission oil will leak into the shell/ housing and mix with the grease.
That is how Ford manufactured the A, but some trans. rebuilders use sealed rear bearings so if you are not sure, u-joint lube service now and then might be a good thing.
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Old 11-27-2019, 03:53 PM   #11
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Default Re: U Joint Service

Quote:
Originally Posted by TMarsh View Post
I did much research and used john deere cornhead grease available at deere dealers.
Did you get the kind for high speed gearboxes, or the one for low speed gearboxes? John Deere sells both. So if we want to do it right, we can use the low speed cornhead grease in the steering box, and the high speed grease in the u-joint.
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Old 11-27-2019, 04:01 PM   #12
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Default Re: U Joint Service

If cornhead grease is hard to find, or no John Deere dealers nearby, use CV joint grease. Every parts store sells tubes of the stuff, and it is semi-fluid just like cornhead grease. Ever change a CV boot on a front wheel drive vehicle? The boot can be torn open with grease flung all over the suspension, and the joint itself will still have grease in it (unless it ran that way for thousands of miles).
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Old 11-28-2019, 07:27 AM   #13
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Default Re: U Joint Service

Quote:
Originally Posted by J Franklin View Post
That is how Ford manufactured the A, but some trans. rebuilders use sealed rear bearings so if you are not sure, u-joint lube service now and then might be a good thing.
Yup.
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Old 11-29-2019, 12:39 AM   #14
Tom Wesenberg
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Default Re: U Joint Service

Maybe I'm thinking in the wrong terms, but I always think of radial play as the side to side movement, which is how a Model A U joint works.


I think of rotational play as the slop you can feel while holding one end of the u-joint and trying to turn the other end back and forth. This is where you want no play.
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Old 11-29-2019, 01:24 AM   #15
J Franklin
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Default Re: U Joint Service

Maybe just semantics, but we both know play in the U-joint is not wanted.
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