grease fittings

[Riley]

I'm finally getting around to greasing my driveshaft and U-joints in my 80. Don't get me wrong I've greased my old 60 lot's of times. But .... I've got a new grease gun and on most of the grease fittings, I can't get the grease through the fitting as most or all of it squish's out the side of the nipple.

Would this be because of the "ball valve" in the fitting being stuck OR a bad connector on the gun?

Should I poke the ball with my dental pick or buy sharp pointy fitting for the gun to get past the ball valve (or whatever it's called)?

It's wierd, the service records show lot's of oil and "lubes" at the dealer but I'd swear that the drive train has never been greased. I'm begining to think that a dealer "lube" doesn't really include any grease. :

-R

 

[moralien]

I would make sure your putting enough force on the gun. Is it a rubber or fixed attachement? I have had bleeder screws clog on me but never grease nipples.

 

[Riley]

It's the rubber flex hose attachment on a Lincoln gun. Perhaps I should get the hard pipe fitting for it.

 

[moralien]

Actually I have had better luck with the hose types. Just don't be afraid to put some weight into it. If your really anal you can go ahead and free up the ball in the nip with the ol pick method. Be sure not to put to mutch into the d shafts.

 

[Riley]

I did pump the drive shaft quite a bit and never saw it move at all. I think it was dry that's why my comments on dealers not lubing.

 

[landtank]

Have you made sure something is coming out of the end. My gun gives up when 3/4 empty.

 

[Riley]

Yea, it's coming out of the gun and ends up on the outside of the fitting.

I'll try it again today since I'm home fooling around (Thanksgiving up here in Canada you know).

 

[IdahoDoug]

In a world of "sealed for life" driveshafts and chassis, they may never have been greased. Use a pick gently.

IdahoDoug

 

[DRTDuck]

Mine seem to fit pretty hard as well. I used the hard pipe fitting and had to put some pretty good presure on the u-joint zirks to get the gun to stay on.

 

[Riley]

I finally got it greased today. Yes lot's of pressure was the ticket.

I greased the driveshaft with 4 good shots of grease and it never moved. I was afraid to do more for fear of putting too much grease in there.

How many shots do you guys normally put into the driveshafts?

 

[Beowulf]

Stop pumping grease when the drive shaft slip yoke moves.
-B-

 

[Riley]

Yea I was looking for it to move but it never did after about 5 pumps. I'm betting it's pretty dry in there but not sure. I'll wait a few more weeks and then try again. I was worried about pumping too much and thus putting too much pressure on it.

Thanks B.

R

 

[IdahoDoug]

Riley,

4 good shots is about what I do. The tolerances seem quite tight in there and as you drive and the shaft compresses and elongates with suspension movements, even 4 shots will be distributed well. If you suspect is has not been done in a long time, crawl under and see if grease has worked its way out of the splines after a week. If not, give it 4 more and repeat the look in another week.

IdahoDoug

 

[CDN_Cruiser]

I too am just getting around to greasing as well - a few questions:

In addition to the DS, are there other fittings (chassis?) - I had a scan through the FSM but didn't see anything.

Cheers, Hugh

 

[IdahoDoug]

Nope, just the 3 on each drive shaft. My '91 and 99 Mitsubishi Monteros had 13 grease fittings on the chassis. Felt great to hit all those, but more and more rigs have none at all in this day of "sealed" bearings.

Doug

 

[Safado]

Does it matter if you mix grease? I don't know what's in there now and have been trying to go all synthetic.

 

[Beowulf]

Mixing on the U-joints and the drive shaft is OK.
-B-

 

[CDN_Cruiser]

Any value in using the synthetic grease? My drive shaft spends a reasonable amount of time under water!

Cheers, Hugh

PS I'm sitting in an airport with wireless access - I love this technology!

 

[IdahoDoug]

Not sure about any improvements in resistance to water with synth. But why not spend the extra $2 a tube for the very best if you're an extreme user (routinely in water)?.