Flathead Throwout Bearing

What kind of grease should I use to grease the output shaft and throwout bearing? Should I fill the bearing with grease through the zerk after installation?

David

 

You talking about the shaft that the throwout bearing slides on? For that I've just used axle grease/bearing grease. Been fine for me right or wrong. There are no zirc fittings for that shaft.

There are zirc fittings for the throwout fork bar/shaft. One on each side if you are talking about manual transmissions for those motors.

Mike

 

Do you have an early Ford trans with a fitting on the bellhousing to grease the throwout? That would be pre-1935, or so. If dealing with one of these, first thing to worry about is whether bearing had been replaced with a post-1935 sealed one. If it has, grease won't enter the bearing, and will go everywhere you don't want grease. I could look up Ford reccomendations in old grease charts, but recommended substaances are likely obsolete. I'd just use what's in the grease gun--but observe through the little hatch and be sure the grease isn't just spewing out around the inner ring.

 

The transmission in an open drive #78 case. Next to the spring hook on the throwout bearing collar is a threaded hole that I ***umed is for a zerk?

David

 

Sounds like you have an early throwout collar, at least.
Ford used this arrangement on early V8's, but kept it in use (same parts) for a very long time on industrial engines, so the bearing with the aperture to take grease is likely still available. This setup would have had a short flex hose running up to a fitting on the little steel plate in most common applications.
Since parts have obviously been mixed, and the fitting was left out, it seems likely you have a late sealed bearing, much more common and available, and no lubing is required--or desireable, since it would just spew out around the bearing. If trans is already in a car, I'd run it on this ***umption and try to put in grease only if noise started down there. If not in a car, I'd pull the bearing look within the center for a grease slot and hole.