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'20s Car Driveshaft Lube?


Guest Paterson Chris

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Guest Paterson Chris

The front and rear drive shaft u-joints on my '22 Paterson are housed in ball-shaped metal housings. According to my '25 copy of Dyke's, this was known as a "Spicer Drive" set up and common to a multitude of makes. It says to fill through the screw cap on each housing with "1/3 full of heavy oil". I found some "85/90 Wt Hypoid Gear Oil" in my garage -- can I use that? The car was formerly sitting undriven since '53 and those housings are bone dry of lube.

Chris

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Guest DeSoto Frank

Most vehicles of that period used "600-weight oil" for differentials, u-joints, and similar applications.

It is very sticky, and tends to be retained better by early felt / leather seals than modern SAE 90 or SAE 140 gear lube.

Also, be sure that any lube you use is "safe for yellow metals" - some modern lubes have additives that attack bronze / brass bushings / gears.

Do a Google search for 600-weight oil, and you should find several suppliers... there are at least two Model A Ford suppliers that stock it: Snyder's in Ohio, and Bratton's in Maryland.

Good luck !

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Guest Paterson Chris

I won't be using any lube at all.

This drive shaft is toast. Every single pin and bearing point is so badly oval-ed out it's no longer funny.

Does anyone have any suggestions on something used I can install until I fix the original (someday)? Something with a shaft about 2" in diameter and would accomodate a flange-to-flange distance of 51 1/2"? I'm proficient with my lathe so I could make two spacers too.

Chris

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