Front axles

[TomJ]

Here's one that seems common sense to me but I'm still not sure about it.  When I pulled the front axles apart on the '51 3A I'm redoing the Bendix universals, upper and lower king-pins were all packed in grease. Now I've read on other posts that those king-pins get lubricant from the spray coming off the universals, my question is, should those universals be packed in grease or lubricated with some sort of gear oil? The thing that made me suspicious at first was the filler plug on the housing, but everything was coated/packed so it all looked like it was protected.

Thanks guys
Tom

[Carls_jeep]

My front spindle universals are running in tranny oil, 85-90wt EP oil. So far they haven't leaked much if any. My newly rebuilt tranny leaks more than the front axle and the tranny just leaves a few spots on the garage floor.

[macrisel]

Tom,
You might check out this thread from the old forum on the steering knuckles.  It has some very good discussion about what type of fluid to use:

http://cj3apage.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Tech&action=display&thread=1418

Basically, there are three main options:

-Make your own "knuckle pudding" out of grease and oil
-Use modern CV joint lube
-Use some of the specialty oils/lube available from Penrite or Novaks
http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/steering_knuckle_repair.htm
(Has anyone used this from Novak's?  I have thinking of buying some but would like to talk with someone that has used it)

From experience, I can tell you to NOT use 80/90 wt gear oil.  Been there, done that and cleaned up the mess left on my garage floor and on my newly painted parts!

[aboyandhisdog]

I found 2 products that might not be too hard to find.

1)  I ordered semi-liquid grease from Restoration Supply and received "Lubriplate #1500"  I would think that any Lubriplate dealer could order this in for you.

2)  I was visiting my local Toro dealer and needed a product for the gearbox on my snowblower.  They had "Alco Super Lube 00 Grease"  which is also a semi-liquid grease.  I believe it was about $7 for the quart.


For what it's worth, I made up a batch of "knuckle puddin'" for my steering gear some time back.  It was a real mess getting it into that small hole.  I looked in there last month and all I could see was the oil on the top.  If I had to guess (and that's pretty much all I do) I'd say that it has separated.

Mark provides a good link to the old forum above, check it out.

[RussellL]

You can be almost guarateed that the gear oil will get into your front brakes eventually.  It will come out along the axle to the hub and then work its way back through the bearings and seals to get into the brakes.  My brother found that out the hard way and it didn't take very long.  New brake shoes ruined.  

[TomJ]

As usual you guys are great.  Checked out the links and the comments on what seems to work and what doesn't.  The tips on the semi-liquid grease seems to make alot of sense.  I've already repacked and reassembled them but haven't put the hubs on so I can change things if I need to.  I have to say that it didn't look like the axles had been touched in a long time (judging by the shape of the gear oil in the pumpkin) and the knuckles looked to be practically new with all the old grease still there. So I guess my thinking is that even if you go with just packing the housing with grease you still provide a good deal of protection.  I think I'll fill the rest of the housing with semi-liquid to complement the grease already in there and maybe pull them apart in a few years and see how they hold up.

Tom

[athawk11]

My front axle apears to be loaded with grease also. I don't know what it is. �The consistency is a bit soupy compared to regular grease, but not as loose as a 50/50 mixture of grease and gear oil. �It's about the consistency of brake grease I guess. �No leaks, and if memory serves, the balls got some lube before I took this thing apart.

If anyone has the Novak product, I would like to know how thick it is.

Tim �

[Carls_jeep]

If the oil leaks out of the steering knuckle at the large ring seal and at the axle seal perhaps you need to replace the seals.

[Chasm]

If the oil leaks out of the steering knuckle at the large ring seal and at the axle seal perhaps you need to replace the seals.

That reminds me of a joke I once heard:
Did you hear about the walrus that crashed a tupperware party?
He heard that there were a lot of tight seals!

(Mr. Moderator: Feel free to delete if you think this is inappropriate!) �;)

[Carls_jeep]

  That's good. I haven't heard that one.

[macrisel]

Has anyone used the steering knuckle lube from Novak's?

[johnrb3b]

And then there's Corn Head grease.

http://www.greenpartstore.com/John-Deere-Special-Purpose-Corn-Head-Gun-Grease-AN102562.html
http://www.finalube.com/Product_Data_Files/Fina_Branded_PDF_Files/corn_head_grease_no_0.pdf
http://www.frontieraginc.com/Petroleum/Lubricants/Grease/CornHeadGrease.pdf
even on you tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEwk_sYP6A8

Appears to be the ideal for the application.
If you're interested, there's a long thread on the 3B  forum about it.
http://z4.invisionfree.com/CJ3B_Bulletin_Board/index.php?showtopic=2749

[Frank]

My front axle apears to be loaded with grease also. I don't know what it is. �The consistency is a bit soupy compared to regular grease, but not as loose as a 50/50 mixture of grease and gear oil. �It's about the consistency of brake grease I guess. �No leaks, and if memory serves, the balls got some lube before I took this thing apart.

If anyone has the Novak product, I would like to know how thick it is.

Tim �

Hi Tim, I have the Novak product, its pretty thick, especially when cold, On the grease scale it comes in @ #0 grade, semi fluid,

but still flows,

Now its quite a story how I came to find this unusual grease, and did not even start with tying to find it for a Jeep, found it in a Toyota, 1988 Land cruiser, Now I skimmed thru this thread and the folks concerned about getting oil on the brakes when filling the knuckle with oil, Yep the oil will work its way to the wheel hub and mix with the wheel bearing grease,

Now if everything is in tip top shape this wheel hub could contain a oil, but the potential of it getting on the brakes is there,

Now the odd thing about this grease it is used in the wheel hub as well as in the knuckle, the later model replicated axles have up to 2 lube grooves in the bushing to ensure this happens,

Now while it was the Toyota axle that I began to study I quickly realized where it came from and old Jeep information clued me into what was going on here,

This picture shows the two grades used by manufactures, #0 and #1 grade



Thanks Frank

[Frank]

Has anyone used the steering knuckle lube from Novak's?

Yes,

I have been testing this old school Jeep grease in all sorts of wheel hubs, no problems, here it is in a Ford Explorer Wheel hub,

[macrisel]

Do you like the Novak product better than the corn header grease?  I'm just trying to find the most economical product