clutch cross shaft lubrication C-1

[Ray C.]

Hi!
On my 65 there is a grease fitting for lubricating the clutch cross shaft. What is required for a 61 cross shaft?

Thanks! Ray

[Dave Suesz]

I have always...

added a grease fitting to the shaft. If you are worried about points, just fill the shaft with grease.

[Christopher R.]

Re: clutch cross shaft lubrication C-1

C1 clutch cross shafts did not have a grease fitting. The ends only got lubrication by smearing some grease in there at the factory. The ends did get a felt seal that would hold some of the grease. The ends are not a regularly serviced maintainence item.

I've heard of people modifying these things to add grease fittings. You'd pump an awful lot of grease in there to fill that cavity. I've also heard of people inserting a dowel to fill most of that cavity. But a dowel with passages to allow the grease to travel to both ends from a single grease fitting in the middle.

Don't know what would happen to all that grease sitting so close to heat with poorly sealed ends.

The C2s seal the ends better with nylon bushing inserts. These inserts will not fit the C1 clutch cross shaft.

You can probably deduce now that I did some thinking and research on this when I was rebuilding my crummy C1 clutch linkage. At the end, I simply rebuilt it the way Chevy made it. The smeared grease at both ends seems to last and lubricate a long time.