Gearshift housing lubrication

[Quadromaniac]

Does anyone know the correct type of lubrication for the 1953 Allstate gearshift housing? I can't find it in the service manual. It just says check and refill.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

I don't know what manual you used but it's clearly noted on page 214 of the 1951-1952-1953 Henry J Shop Manual in the LUBRICATION section.

This is a check at regular intervals (like chassis lube time) and refill/refresh as needed. The chart identifies the oil type as CG which the same chart shows (lower left under RECOMMENDED SEASONAL GRADES) as Chassis Lubricant, which is listed as HLGI #1 down to temperatures of 32 degrees F; if using in temps colder than this (which is also 0 degrees C) on a regular basis use HLGI #0.

Under NOTES  at the lower right of the chart, it states that fill is required if shift is sticky.

[Quadromaniac]

Thanks for the information. I only have the Henry J service standards book, and it is only about 23 pages. I am still new to this restoration, and it looks like I will need some more literature. The shifter is stickey and I don"t see any type of lube in the housing after taking the cover off. Thanks once again.

[Fid]

It should be filled with grease inside but I never looked in the shop manual to see which  type! My '53 has always been a little bit sticky when going from first to second. Perhaps loading that up with grease will correct that.  Adjustment is difficult as it requires a special tool to do it right the first time.  Otherwise, it's a matter of moving the trunions up and down till you get it to place where it doesn't bind. 
It is listed on page 59 of the small "Service Information" shop manual and page 214 of the full 1951-53 Henry J shop manual. It's item number 6 and it says to use "Chasis Lube" so I'm assuming that's the same as what I use on the A-frames, King Pins and Tierod ends.
I hadn't thought of checking the lube in it on my '53, that may be all it needs.
By the way, that Henry J Service Standards document is a great peice of reference material and great supplement to the shop manual but the shop manual, the full 1951-53 Manual is the way to go for sure.
This forum is always educational. Thanks.

[Quadromaniac]

Well chassis lube it is. I filled the gearshift housing with chassis grease, car has been sitting since 1968, and some Super Slick brand spray lube on the outer rods, and this thing shifts almost like new again. Great information on this site. Thanks ever so much. I"m sure I will have more questions as the project progresses.

[Fid]

I filled the housing on my '53 this spring too after reading these posts.  It's amazing! That fixed all of my misery for the last 20 years. Thanks to all.

[Fid]

I got my '52 J out yesterday and checked it. Quite dry in there. It always shifted fine, and nice and tight but I filled it with chassis lube and now it's much better. Yes, it helps.

[MikeZ]

Can anyone tell me how to change the grease?

[Fid]

If you want to change it, you would need to remove the top cover -

Take out the four screws (one in each corner) and remove the top cover. Then dig out grease with a screwdriver or possibly wash it with some degreaser. Actually, stirring it up may soften it enough so you don't need to get the old grease out. In any case you then squirt it full of new grease and put the cover back on it.
If you just want to fill it, you can remove the round plug by gentley prying it off. I did that on Edgar Kaiser's Henry J this spring. I just removed the plug. Look how dry it was inside!

I then took my grease gun and pumped it full, and popped that cap back on it.  It actually shifted OK before but it's much better now!
Let me know if this helps.

[MikeZ]

Thanks a lot FID!
I assumed as much. I didn't see any other way to do it.
I wanted to make sure because I took the cover off as you showed.
That part went fine but when I got it back together I had another problem.

I had removed the transmission to try to isolate a noise that sounded like a throwout bearing even though it was only a year old with maybe 1500 miles on it. That happened on the way home from the National in San Diego.

I saw this thread and decided now would be a good time to do this since I am waiting for parts.
After I cleaned the box out and put new grease in and replaced the cover, I tried moving the shift lever around to see if it moved freely. I ended up with the shift lever pointing straight up at the roof! The shift lever won't go down any farther that straight toward the passenger door. In other words it won't go down as far as the normal position for 1st and 3rd gear I'm hoping that after I put the transmission back in and hook the linkage up everything will "fall" back into place. If not I may be in a little trouble.

Any advice or remarks about how much trouble I'm in would be appreciated. I kind of feel like I may have snookered myself but won't even know until I get it back together, which will be a while!

[Fid]

I've done that myself!  What happened is the 'tounge' slipped out from between the two "forks." This can't happen when the cover is on, but if you try to shift if it with the cover off, the tounge will slip out from between them. The best way to fix it, is to remove the top cover to expose the mechanism. Using a wide blade screwdriver, put it between the two 'forks' and turn the screw driver to spread them apart (they are spring loaded so you can do this) and slip that tounge back in between the two tynes on the bottom one. Then put the cover back on it.  

I also wrote this up for a fellow who had the same issue with a '51 Kaiser. See this thread and see if it helps
http://kfclub.com/forum/index.php?topic=305.0

If need be, you can call me and I'll explain it. Send me a private message with your phone number and I'll give you a call, or send you my phone number - I don't post my phone number on the internet.

[pnw_oldmags]

Sure nice to have KF Folks on this forum that have been there done that.  Saves the rest of us polishers lots of grief and frustration.  THANKS to FID and all of you.  Jim B from Yakima.

[MikeZ]

FID!
Thank you very much for your response.
I will email you directly as you suggest.
This forum is a very valuable resource because of people like you who spend the time to respond with their knowledge!
 It kind of takes the pain out of it when you do something bone headed!

[Fid]

Thanks for the kind words pnw_oldmags (Jim).  And it's nice to have folks on here who post those wonderful pictures from the National so those of us who weren't there can see all of the great cars.  It's much appreciated.

[Logan]

Speaking of bone-headed, ever jacked up your Kaiser with the bumper jack?  If not, don't try it!  The bumpers can't support the weight without bending.