MTFCA Forum

Our T has grease zerks instead of grease pots. I'm pumping some grease in periodically, but how do I know if there's enough/too much? I have no real experience with a grease gun so it's a new science to me. I give it a few pumps, but never really know when to stop.

Is it possible to overdue it or can I pump some in every time I take her out? We usually only do 10-20 miles a trip so it's not like she's overworked.

Do not overgrease the universal joint or the rear axles. I hope that you have taken the rear wheels off and checked your bearings and sleeves. Then follow the following charts. And you can also purchase a full size chart from the dealers that is easier to read and a plus to have in your garage.

I don't think it is possible to over grease the universal joint. If there is too much, it will just work its way out. Every few hundred miles I take my pneumatic grease gun and pump a complete tube into the U joint cavity. I don't see any grease ooze out when pumping grease in. However it may be possible to over grease the drive shaft bushing. 3 to 5 pumps periodically should be plenty It is definitely possible to over grease the outer Hyatt bearings so be careful there. You don't want to damage the seal and have grease infiltrate the brake drum. If you have added a zerk to the lower steering bracket, you will see a bit of grease come out when you pump. When you see grease come out of the bracket, then stop.

The typical Zerk has a smaller orifice than the dope cup openings. So you have to measure output of your grease gun.

My grease gun is the typical with long handle and a full open and close passes out a small narrow worm of grease, here is what 3 pumps looks like in a small Zerk as used on Ford 1/8" pipe thread grease fittings.

Ford Owner's Manuals state to use the dope cups, by filling and running down a 'couple' of times, to me that is at least 3 full dope cups, run down to the base......here is what 3 complete dope fills looks like in volume of grease. The dope cup base opening is larger than a Zerk, so the grease worm is larger!

Agree with comments on the U-Joint, that part needs the most grease as to schedule, Ford used the largest grease cup there.

IMO, fill the large U-joint dope multiple times and turns (or pumps of the grease gun if using a Zerk there), until new fresh grease oozes out on the globe of the torque tube. Wipe off the excess, then rub that on the clutch lever cam

I noticed that 2 charts say grease the front wheel bearings every 200 and every 500 miles.
Does anyone really grease these that often ?
Seems a little overkill to me, especially with modern lubricants.

The Owner's Manual notes greasing is to keep the hub cap filled each 500 miles.

Normally for my T's, annual pulling of the front wheels and cleaning, inspecting the inner and outer taper bearing cones and cups, and the seals, then full re-grease.

Yes, you really do add grease to the front hub cap! The wire wheels have smaller caps for the wire hub that press on, but you fill those too.

Front wheel is as important as the rear wheel.... keep the rear axle nut tight, and keep the front bearings greased

I cannot reconcile the old time recommended practice of repeated grease dosing with modern practice. Today's high speeds, greatly improved lubricants and long service intervals are far removed. Properly packed at installation, model T bearings should not need repeated attention, especially given the low mileage many see. Modern vehicles also do not have the void between bearings packed full. By all means, remove, clean, repack,refit and readjust your wheel bearings, but the need may have more to do with the need to tinker.

Allan from down under.

Respectfully, have seen failures on tours due to lack of proper lubrication.

Use your own judgement.

But our old Ford bearing tolerances aren't like todays modern vehicles, and we are all dealing with old used parts most times that need help, as gaps and voids let the lube dissipate.

Maintaining these antique vehicles for lubrication is important, some may get lulled into lackadaisy, as our normal every day moderns are so trouble-free for lubrications.

And this one:

The best thing to do is lubricate your car the way Ford intended!

The Model A is full of zerks, and my '42 Jeep even more. I pump grease into the chassis and steering points until I see it start to squeeze out, usually one or two pumps. The universal gets 3-4 pumps, and rear brakes a couple pumps. I pull, grease, and repack the hubs every other year.

Been doing that for 30 years and never had a problem. My Ts all have the original screw downs and I do them according to the manual.

With due respect Dan, those bearing shells may have failed on a tour, but they were long gone before the few tour miles were put on them. They may well have been poorly lubricated, or perhaps were poor quality replacements.
I was thinking of the front wheel bearings mainly. These are precision Timken bearings , made like modern bearings, but performing much less stressful duty than the considerably smaller units in modern cars. Modern lubricants also perform much better than those available in the T era. If one does the mileage Dean Yoder puts on his T, then they may require service, but for most hobby cars, such service satisfies the need for tinkering rather than maintenance.

Others may disagree.
Allan from down under.

I'm a little reluctant to respond here because I'm so far off base compared to most of you with my attention to lubing my Model Ts. I'll stay strictly to lubing Old #4 because I drive it the most. I think I checked and repacked my front wheel bearings (stock wheel hubs and bearings) in 2008 before we left California, drove to the Centennial in Indiana and on to Atlantic City and back home, and haven't touched them since until 2 weeks ago when I was hit during a race at Laguna Seca Raceway damaging my left front wheel which caused me to remove it and on close inspection there's plenty of grease, and the bearing looks in fine condition. I do pay a lot of attention to other parts that need plenty of grease.

Ed aka #4

Ed, you are not alone. Mine get a service when something else needs work, like new king pin bushes. Packed properly with grease, adjusted correctly and checked any time the car is jacked, is about all is needed.

Allan from down under.

What is good for your semi modern car is great but it also has modern hub seals instead of felts. Most would never drive a expensive modern auto on gravel while the old T is expected to and [ford] rivers and creeks at the same time.Grease is cheap while bearings are not! Bud.

Hey Bud, please explain what your definition of "semi modern car" and "modern hub seals" is. My car runs 1915 era wheel hubs with original style felt seals Not sure what others are running. Allan, glad to hear that I'm not alone. With today's "supersonic' greases we can extend some of HF's original recommendations

Ed aka #4

You can have the best grease or soft oil known to man,but if dust,dirt,and water go past the felt seal trouble will follow it in.Bud.