VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 Universal joint lubrication

I don't want to re-open discussions on this as it was beaten to death a while ago. Some use grease, others use oil. I'm a grease man, using a graphite type grease.

However I had occassion to remove the uni from my 34 Master recently and thought I'd share what I found.

What oozed out onto my garage floor was a very thick graphite impregnated oil. Everything was well and truely coated with the stuff and there was no sign of wear in the uni joint.

Just thought I'd share this with you

Chris

Do you have a brand name and grade of this graphite grease?

Sounds like the grease has broken down. Any other grease without the graphite impregnation may possibly had left the uni without adequate lubrication. Lets face it, the uni is subject to some of the most extreme pressures there are in the car, along with the diff. It would be interesting to ask a technical adviser from the grease manufacturer what they consider has happened. Maybe someone made a grease/oil concoction for your uni?

As Chevguroo stated that there was no noticable wear I would suggest that the Graphite grease is equal in protection to the 85/140 oil option.
I would suggest that neither the oil or graphite grease is superior or the correct answer to this ongoing argument.
Perhaps price and ease of use would dictate most peoples preference for one or the other.
Tim.

Mr Mack
The brand of the grease is Castrol, and from memory the grade was LMM. I'll check on the can and let you know for sure

John
This grease is supposed to do exactly as it has done. No one made up a grease/oil concoction for my uni, as it has been MY uni for 25 years and this same uni has done over 50,000 miles all over Australia. In fact it is going to do another 4,000 miles in November on a 17 day trip all over Tasmania.
As for asking a technical advisor, I did, 29 years ago, and this is what he recommended.

The consistency of the grease is what I reckon the 900 oil would have looked like. I rechecked the uni last night and there is still a thick layer over all of the uni and the inside of the bell, s days after being "exposed".

I might also ad that I pump the uni housing FULL, and none of it ends up in the diff, as do most oils

You're dead right about the uni being subject to extreme pressures, and as they are near impossible to get (for a 4 banger) they warrant looking after. I'd imagine that my 28 uni will do 50,000 miles also, (although I don't think I'll last that long),unlike a lot of others who have to replace their uni's regularly

Chris