Hot Rods School me on Banjo-torque tube lubrication

OK. Got a 47 ford with a 283 chevy mated to stock drivetrain. Been reading the owners manual. the short times between fluid changes are to me really short. Like the U Joint needing a squirt of "cylinder oil soda soap grease" every 1000 miles.
The trans should be flushed and filled every 5000 miles with E.P. gear oil. WTF is "E.P. gear oil"
Drive shaft center bearing every 1000 miles.
Rear axle drain and fill every 5000 miles with that E.P. gear oil, but this time it is SAE 140 summer and 90 winter.
Soooooo, my question is......have the lubricants improved that much-or have the materials and machining got so much better ?

 

I don't think you need to change the rearend or transmission lube, but it can't hurt to give the clamshell and center bearing a squirt every thousand miles or two. Do the rear axle bearings too, and the pedal shafts, and tie rod ends, and kingpins. And the transmission throwout shaft.

EP is extreme pressure. I just use 140 GL4. The way I remember it is GL4 is good "4" your trans, and "5" will eat the br*** syncros.

 

I don't know what "cyl oil soda soap grease" is. I use John Deere corn head grease. It kind of amazes me that any type of grease will work into the u joint when pumped in from outside the joint. It obviously does as those joints rarely wear out. Old Henry knew what he was doing. Greg

 

cool......

 

Thanks guys.

 

They do if you don't grease them regularly.
And that aint no roadside fix, like a regular U-joint.
Don't ask me how I know.

Rich

 

I am curious about your comment to do the rear axle bearings. I have not noticed a Zert fitting there. Would you explain what you mean to do to the rear axle bearings?

 

Some years of banjo style Ford axles have a zerk on the underside of the end flange, right inside the backing plate. This is to grease the big roller bearings. Maybe 47's don't have them.

 

Yes, the later rear ends do not have those zerks for the wheel bearings, Thankfully... pumping grease in there is just as likely to lube the brakes as it is the bearings. Use a long fiber wheel bearing grease on those as the roller bearings seem to last longer with that. And as someone said above, use corn head grease in the u-joint, it also works well in the steering gearbox.

 

Thanks

 

I found JD corn head grease on Amazon. Four tubes for $26, delivered. Last the rest of my life !