lubrication front axle

[Jacques Reed]

Just had a look at my 4-7/8" steering ends on my F-15A. I could not remember seeing plugs in the lower part of the ball sockets. A quick look confirmed that there are no plugs in them.
I then had a look at a couple of ball socket spares and they were drilled and tapped for plugs so at some time the plugs were added or removed during production. Which came first though?

I also noted that there is an identical plug that fits my tapped ball socket in the end of the CV joints. Could that be a lubrication point for the CV joint as it goes all the way through to the balls and cage in the CV? The pilot pin which fits in the end of that CV joint hole has three grooves in it which may be to let grease pass under pressure into the innards of the CV joint. There is nothing in the Maintenance Manual regarding this but perhaps it was just common practice.

As suggested here, filling the ball with grease causes more problems than it solves unless it is accurately directed to where it is required which is inside the CV joint.

Perhaps the plug in the ball housing is more for draining water after front axle immersion than for lubrication?

Cheers,

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by Jacques Reed

I then had a look at a couple of ball socket spares and they were drilled and tapped for plugs so at some time the plugs were added or removed during production. Which came first though?

Just looked through my records and remembered I wrote down the dates cast into the inside halves of the diffs when I had them apart.
Interestingly the diff with the plugs in the ball sockets was dated 4-42 and the one without the plugs was dated 3-44.
Assuming the steering ends were not replaced in service, it seems to indicate the plugs were an earlier fitment on those ends and later they were deleted during production. If that is so, I wonder why?

Cheers,

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Jacques

I was wondering if this was going to be a Chevy thing vs Ford. As to when it came in and went out or was an if we have time thing? My 1941 Pat 12 has them as does my June 1945 HUP.

Given how my truck get driven the service manual interval to tear down, clean, clean and repack just doesn't make sense. I've been shutting 10-20 shots of modern CV joint grease into center of the ball unit each spring now for years. Went with a copper tube over steel figuring it would be less likely to damage anything. You can really feel when you have the ball in the correct position to insert.

Years ago after having the HUP on a particularly muddy trail ride, mud up to the running board and water up to mid wheel, for several hours, I did tear everything down to check for mud and water. Brakes were well gummed with mud but there was no sign of water getting beyond the ball or hub seals.

Cheers Phil

[Jacques Reed]

I recently found this in the British War Dept Ford Special Pattern Vehicle Handbook. It confirms what I thought. On a Ford with the Rzeppa type CV joints (B design) they can be lubricated between major overhaul by pumping lube down the central hole from the outer end after removing the hubcap and plug.

Unfortunately, Bendix type (A design) as used on Chev CMP's require the described method of a tube through the access plug hole in the socket as there is no center hole through it.

With Fords that lack the access plug hole in the socket, (and some do), the only way to get lube into the central cage and balls between overhauls is through the center hole in the CV joint.

I have noted also on several Rzeppa joints I had, that the slot in the plug in the end is chewed up making its removal difficult, if not impossible. It is a very shallow slot so requires a screwdriver with a good blade that hasn't been used regularly as a prybar or scraper.