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Jul 21st, 2025 | | | | Joined: May 2008 Posts: 210 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: May 2008 Posts: 210 | I'm just putting the universal back into my 1/2 ton. I coated the whole thing with wheel bearing grease. Is this a bad idea or will it work? | | | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 341 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 341 | It's probably not a good idea to be mixing a wheel bearing grease with a gear lube, they are two different types of lubricants. If it's not together yet I would suggest cleaning off as much of the grease as possible prior to assembly and then fill with a good 75W or 80W-90 gear lube.
Allan
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1951 GMC 1/2-ton
Two 1953 Chevy 3100 5-window
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 784 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 784 | Probably won't hurt anything. The universal joint is lubed by the oil from the trans. Typicaly 90wt. I wouldn't leave a big gob of grease on it, but a little will be OK.
George | | | | | Joined: May 2008 Posts: 210 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: May 2008 Posts: 210 | "If it's not together yet" Too funny! I have already had the darn thing together and apart 5 times already. I'm sure one more time will not hurt. Haha...
Here is what has happened so far after installing the universal joint...
1. Realized I forgot to put the collar which bolts onto the transmission onto the axel. Removed universal, put the collar on, reinstalled universal.
3. Realized that I did not replace the gasket and seal in the collar as well as the universal cover rear cap. Removed universal, replaced gasket and seal, reinstalled universal.
4. Realized that I did not put collar gasket for between universal cover and transmission in. Removed universal, put in gasket, reinstalled universal.
5. In attempting to actually bolt universal cover collar to transmission realived that there is no way to get the collar past the transmission rear mount crossmember. Face turned red, temperature spiked, said a lot of words that I will not retype here very loudly, Threw my wrench at the wall, washed up and went inside.
6. After a couple of days of cooling down, created this post to try to avoid removing the universal anymore than 1 more time.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,201 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,201 | That's too funny, been there done that myself. Practice truly does make perfect. | | | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 341 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 341 | Sorry there 46, didn't realize the excercise you had gone through. I had 'differential' and not 'universal' on the brain. The grease should not be a reason to remove it "1 more time". 
Allan
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1951 GMC 1/2-ton
Two 1953 Chevy 3100 5-window
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,971 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,971 | I usually pack my rear axle bearings with grease before assembly. I never worried about mixing the gear lube with a little grease. I'd fill it up and forget about it. | | | | | Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,859 Grumpy old guy playing with trucks, cars, and boats | | Grumpy old guy playing with trucks, cars, and boats Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,859 | grease is nothing more than a wax carrier for oil. Like Builder said, fill it up and forget about it.
The problems we face today can not be addressed at the same level of intelligence we were at when we created them - Albert Einstein Or with the same level of $ - Me
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