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I've disassembled the drive shaft universal joints with the goal of cleaning them up and to replace the lubricant. According to the service manual they should have had oil, but what I found is more like grease.

Should they be lubricated with oil (if so what weight) or grease (if so would a moly bearing grease be OK)? What are the recommendations, if any, for sealing the two housings or should I use shellac as mentioned in the manual?

Any other suggestion about servicing are more than welcomed.

If you read thru the lubrication recommendations over a period of years in the 30s you'll note the did change from a recommendation of heavy oil to grease, both for the universals, king pins, drag link, etc. The logic behind oil was simple, oil is mobile and can flow, grease can not. The universals and king pins have a reservoir (at the center of the universals, at the top on king pins) for oil and under centrifugal force of rotation the oil was "metered" out to the needle bearings; for king pins it was the force of gravity. The admonition against grease was it's lack of flow and danger of rupturing the seals.

I still use heavy oil for the king pins and universals but have gone to chassis grease for the drag link and tie rod ends. At 90,000 miles these are all still tight, no replacements needed as yet. If you find it difficult to oil the universals get a pressure olier like the one shown with a syringe-type tip which pushes the ball check valve in the Alemite fitting to the side, allowing oil to enter.

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Dave,

Thanks for the info & insight. Love the oiler.

Marston

I have the U Joints apart, cleaned and exterior painted and I'm ready to put them together. The cork seals while still whole are very hard (as one would expect.

Should I cut new ones out of cork or has anyone out there tried using o-rings (3/4" ID X 1" OD) as a replacement?

Thanks
Marston

If you're going to stay with heavy oil for the lubricant, I'd go with cork seals as were the originals.

I've finished with the U-joint that connects to the spline/transmission end of the drive shaft. I now I'm working on the one at the rear end of the shaft. It is loose and shows signs of wear.

What are my options for repairing or replacing the U-joint?

Could be wrong but I seem to recall I saw them listed as available in Kanter's catalog.

PS - I just spoke with Fred Kanter, they had the '33 and later ones remanufactured and the 901/902 joint appears to be a unique application. Perhaps one of the other vendors will have something; otherwise perhaps a conversion is in order.

Dave,

Thanks for contacting Fred. When I called them, they were already closed. I'm checking with some of my car buddies here in town for a good place to get a driveshaft made that would use the newer style of u-joints.

Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Healthy & Happy New Year.

These guys have helped me out in the past, and have a modern conversion for the later ball and trunnion type. They may be able to help you on your conversion.

driveshaftspecialist.com/Left-Column/Antique-Classics.html

PM me if interested in original u-joint parts for 901/902, I have some spares.

If you go the modern route I have a flange design that uses the modern 1350 u-joint, it is shown in a previous post of a Gear Vendors OD unit I installed.

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BTW - Classic and Exotic has the seals for the original u-joints.

classicandexotic.com/store/p-2481-1924-32-packard-u-joint-cork-seal-set.aspx

I've also cut them out of Viton sheet stock, they're not as fragile as the cork / rubber style.