[DeTomaso] Techno Question: Shift Linkage U joints

[doug351c]

Chuck,

I had VERY GOOD RESULTS with the following treatment:

Punch Mark the u-joints and shafts so you can reassemble them the way they
were.
Remove the u-joints from their shafts.
Clean the u-joints with Braklean.
Apply pentrating oil once a day for 3 days.
Re-clean with Braklean.

This lossened them up but they got even better after this last step that
will make your wife cringe.  BTW, have a fire extinguisher handy.

After subjecting them to the regimen above, put the joints in a small pan of
Mobil 1 0W/30; just enough to completely cover the joints.  Place the pan on
one of your range's burners and turn on the overhead vent hood.  Heat the
oil until it either begins to smoke or boil (mine lightly smoked and then
began to boil).  Then turn off the heat and get out of the kitchen before
you wife catches you!   Let it cool overnight and when you take them out of
the oil, the slow cool will have caused oil to remain in the jont.

If you happen to have a hotplate, doing this outdoors makes even more sense.

I did this to my u-joints about 15 years ago and they're still working very
free.

PS: This is a trick that one of our more knowledgeable forum members, Jeff
Kimball, taught me.

Doug Braun
blue 73L #5505

-----Original Message-----
From: DeTomaso [mailto:detomaso-bounces at poca.com]On Behalf Of Julian
Kift
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2014 3:42 PM
To: Charles Engles; 'Boyd Casey'
Cc: De Tomaso List
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Techno Question: Shift Linkage U joints


Chuck,
Have you tried soaking them in a solvent or penetrating fluid?
Julian

From: cengles at cox.net
To: boyd411 at gmail.com
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 17:28:52 -0600
CC: detomaso at poca.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Techno Question: Shift Linkage U joints

Dear Boyd,





                          Yes, I am familiar with them as well as the PPC
price of $300 for a set for the shift linkage.   I want to see if there is a
less expensive way to improve the OEM part before I take the plunge for the
Flaming River U joint jewelry.



                                                Warmest regards, Chuck
Engles







From: Boyd Casey [mailto:boyd411 at gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2014 4:57 PM
To: Charles Engles
Cc: detomaso at poca.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Techno Question: Shift Linkage U joints



Charles,

There is a company that makes a replacement linkage that can be used for the
shifter and the steering column.

There name is flaming river. Dennis Quella sells there stuff. It is
beautiful.well made and has roller bearings in the U joints and I believe
the are available is SS steel.

Here is a link.http://www.flamingriver.com/index.php/products



BOYD



On Thu, Dec 18, 2014 at 5:21 PM, Charles Engles <cengles at cox.net> wrote:

   Dear Forum,



                              After inspecting my shift linkage U joints,
   I found them surprisingly stiff.    Treatment with various lubricants
   failed to change things.  I recently examined another set of U joints
   and found the same condition.



                              Is it possible to dis-assemble the U joints
   for more effective lubrication -or for machine shop modification---in
   order to eliminate the built in stiffness and resistance of the factory
   U joints?    I would think that it would improve the function of the
   shift linkage.



                                        Warmest regards, Chuck  Engles