Well a couple of hours with a 1/2" wide x 36” long heat tape and the old grease was dripping out of the bushing, I pumped all of the old grease out with fresh and it was taking the grease like a new bushing. Wish I had thought of, or known about heat tapes back in ’58 when I was a greaser at the Chevy dealership and Sinclair grease monkey. We had to pass on many a grease fitting that wouldn’t take the lube, even with the pneumatic grease guns.
Rusty, I think ya missed what I was getting at. Every trunnion I have ever seen with a zerk, (and some don’t come with a zerk) I have always lubed with chassis lube.
If you read in the Chevy Shop Manual, under General Lubrication 0-5, in the middle of the right hand column it says, speaking about the two types of u-joints that are used;
“The second type is of needle bearing construction, equipped with lubrication fittings and should be lubricated with the same type of lubricant used in the transmission. This type of universal joint is used on the rear propeller shaft of the ¾ ton vehicle and on the front and rear of all other truck models.”
“CAUTION: Under no circumstances should any of the soap type lubricants such as chassis lubricant, fibrous universal joint lubricants, etc., be used in lubricating either the enclosed bushing type universal or the needle bearing type.“
I don’t see how the open universal joint could possibly retain a S.A.E. 90w oil, I would think it would be thrown out past the seal. And yes they are equipped with a standard zerk fitting. I do have a couple of old grease guns that look like a pistol and inject the lube when you push in the direction of the fitting. I suppose they could handle 90w. so how many of you use chassis lube in your needle bearing u-joints?
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL
