Axle with ball yoke lubricant

R

Rob Gojkovich

Member
I've have a couple of questions. My '68 Scout has the original front axle w/ ball yoke. It is currently filled with sae-90 oil, but the exposed portion of the ball feels dry. Should anything be applied to it? Also what is recommended to keep the shackle bushings and leaf springs lubricated? Thanks, rob.
 
The knuckle (ball) should be somewhat dry, but not rusty. The seal has a felt component behind the rubber that will wick lube to it and help keep it at least rust free. Too much oil and you get a lapping compound with all the dirt stuck to it.

The books sez to disassemble the springs and after cleaning to lube them with a very light oil (kerosene?) and graphite. Who lubes springs these days? Unless there's zerks on the shackle bushings, don't bother.
 
Greg, thanks for the response. I guess the knuckle ball is fine then, but my shackle bushings were squeaking so loud it drove me insane so I sprayed some lubricant on them and now it's quiet as a mouse. I just wanted to know if there is a proper lubricant for them?
 
Rob,

if your spring bushings have grease zerks, they must be lubricated with grease, not a spray-on lubricant.

Of course, I recommend the swepco 101 moly grease which is a great all around lubricant for any grease required item on your Scout.

It is available from ihon on the lubricants page.

Best regards,

dick
 
The closed knuckle axle's require a very low viscosity grease. Nlgi 0 per ihc spec. It is like yellow mustard in consistancy. Guys have been known to mix grease and gear oil to approximate nlgi 0 but it will seperate and leak out.

Nlgi 0 grease is availible from indistrial supply houses.

I see swepco 113 moly fluid grease is availible in nlgi 00 and 000. That will work very well in this application. One 14 oz grease gun cartridge will fill one ball on a Dana 27 fa.
Dick would have to tell us what serving size the 113 comes in.
 
Robert,

thanks for the plug on the 113 semi-fluid grease. Unfortunately it does not come in cartridges, 6 gallon pails are the smallest size it is available in. Cartridges would not work because if you didn't completely use it all when in a grease gun, and the gun was stored with the hose (nipple) end down, it would leak out! It is only available in 00 grade, 000 is no longer made unless there is a special order for it, which would be about 5 - 55 gallon (410lb) drums worth. One of the main applications of the 113 is for automatic lube systems on heavy equipment or industrial plant applications. It is also used in the gearboxes on jacobson fairway mowers and does a great job in them.

Dick
 
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"00" would be ok I'm sure of it. I used 0 and felt it was a slight bit thicker then it should have been. All I do is drive till things warm up then stick her in 4 wheel with the hubs unlocked. A few trips around the block and it stays well lubed. The ball is ever so lightly coated in a film of grease. The trick is driving in 4 wd so the u joint can sling the slop around once in a while.


Maybe we can.......... The 5 gal pail?
 
Robert,

it really is a 6 gallon (45lb) pail - that would be enough to do a fleet of scouts!

If you are really interested in it, let me know.

Dick
 
Robert, I definitely don't want to buy 6 gal. So what is it exactly you recommend for the yoke ball? The shackles and bushings are only two years old, but don't have zerk fittings. It seems the only way to lubricate them is by a spray. I just don,t want to put something on them that would be detrimental. Thanks for your help.
 
Rob,

your two-year old springs and shackles might have teflon bushings in them, and that is the reason why they do not have zerk fittings. You can either live with that situation and put up with the squeeks, or use a spray, as you have. If you can locate an aerosol with either molydenum disulfide, or graphite, or a combination of both, that will last longer. I'm not sure, maybe some other input can be given, but there is also a possibility that you can replace your non-greasable shacklebolts with a greaseable type which has zerk fittings, that, in my estimation would be best, but someone else might offer their suggestions.

I have no other suggestions for the yoke ball problem except that you consider Robert kenney's post.

Dick
 
rob gojkovich said:
Robert, I definitely don't want to buy 6 gal. So what is it exactly you recommend for the yoke ball? Thanks for your help.
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I wouldn't either. Except for repackaging it for retail in smaller containers.

Beyond that you can buy nlgi 0 from companies like mcmaster car and grainger as I did. One from mc master carr 1208k1
 
the shackles and bushings are only two years old,
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Would you know if the bushings are the urethane type, or rubber. It May be if the elastomer(the soft part) is rubbing in the spring eye causing the squeak, then they would be on their way out. Another thing would be if the metal inner liner is worn out, then it's rubbing on the shackle bolt, and again approaching replacement time.
 
I appreciate all the input. I have the teflon bushings so I'll go with the lubricant dick recommended and use the nlgi 0 recommended by Robert. Since I only put on about 3k miles a year and 95% is on pavement I'm good to go. Thanks again!
 
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