MTFCA Forum

My 23ish Touring had what I would describe as a severe fan hub wobble; it was really flopping all over the place.

Being a lazy, lazy man I tried giving it about 15 pumps of Red N Tacky on the grease gun. That seemed to firm it up pretty good so I was very happy with myself.

As you are surely aware, that fix lasted about 5 minutes and threw a bunch of grease all over everything, including me when I poked my face in there to get a look at it running

Plus, there's the still the wobble.

So I took the hub apart and cleaned the parts. What I have is shown in the picture.

Everything looks pretty good, almost new or at least newer. Certainly not worn. But . . .

. . . isn't that front bushing supposed to be flanged? And if so, could that bushing sliding backward on the shaft have been the cause of the dreaded wobble?

Also, just out of curiosity why is there a hole in the shaft?

Thanks!

newbie comments, since I just went through the same thing...

the bushings are press fit in the hub. They are the same, both have a flange. The hole is for the oil to get where it needs to go.

Now, the experts can chime in

Yes, there should be a flange on both bushings. The whole in the shaft is for lubrication BUT originally, that hub would have had a plug in it where one would have pumped in 600 wt. oil - I'm assuming there is now a zerk fitting there.

How full should the reservoir be filled?

That fan hub is for the later style fan with the plug for oiling. The shafts with the hole are for earlier fans with a greaser at the back for lubrication.
There should be a gasket between the fan blade and the fan pulley at the front, and a felt washer at the rear between the hub and the cupped washer.
When assembled, the shaft should screw up hard against the shoulder on the shaft, the castle nut being just a locknut. If this seizes the fan on the shaft, the bushes need to be faced until the fan turns freely. Some cheat by not winding the shaft up against the shoulder, and relying on the locknut to hold the shaft at the right depth in the fan arm.
I have rarely found a fan hub where the bushes are not worn. Having to remove the plug to oil the assembly means the operation is often passed over, and worn bushes are the result. Check the shaft too.

Hope this helps,
Allan from down under.

RajoRacer wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:49 pm

Yes, there should be a flange on both bushings. The whole in the shaft is for lubrication BUT originally, that hub would have had a plug in it where one would have pumped in 600 wt. oil - I'm assuming there is now a zerk fitting there.

Yes, there is a zerk fitting there. Seems to me that those bushings would be better served by the heavy oil as opposed to grease. At least that was how we lubricated the bushings in the go$%#mned trunions on the old Triumphs.

I just assumed grease because of the zerk fitting. Looks like I can pick up a plug for $0.65 from Birdhaven.

Might as well get two.

Thanks!

Martynn's drawing in the gallery may help if you have not already seen it.

app.php/gallery/image/1126

Ford Owner's Manual

Fill to brim of the opening. 600W is good for this.

I took the even lazier man's route and bought the modern version with the sealed bearing.

The new/clean aluminum look didn't really seem at home with my weathered car so I painted the exposed parts flat black.

Scott, while you are at it look the fan over closely. They crack close to the screw holes. I threw a blade on my race car and luckily it didn't get the radiator. On examination, all of the blades were cracked.

Excellent question. Excellent information!

RustyFords - I did the same, and I would do it again. I also agree with John Warren. When I changed the pulley, I found a bad crack in the fan. Lang's had a new fan that is a perfect repro of the original.