Greasing the U-Joints
- Thread starter cary
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Cary,
Standard Zirks from all I can tell,
You talking just the ujoint fittings or the entire drive line? One per ujoint... one additional per drive line, making 3 in a stock drive line.
Standard Zirks from all I can tell,
You talking just the ujoint fittings or the entire drive line? One per ujoint... one additional per drive line, making 3 in a stock drive line.
I just did this, this weekend.
There is a normal grease fitting inside of the u-joint on both ends, also towards the transfer case before the u-joint is a third nipple for the expandable (for lack of a better word) drive shaft.
There are rotation and grime issues so be prepared.
Funny thing for me was the rear drive shaft leaked automatic transmission fluid (10 drops)
It looked like ATF and it smelled like ATF, used vehicles can often entertain you when you being eaten by 1000 red ants, so I don’t know what to make of that one?
There is a normal grease fitting inside of the u-joint on both ends, also towards the transfer case before the u-joint is a third nipple for the expandable (for lack of a better word) drive shaft.
There are rotation and grime issues so be prepared.
Funny thing for me was the rear drive shaft leaked automatic transmission fluid (10 drops)
It looked like ATF and it smelled like ATF, used vehicles can often entertain you when you being eaten by 1000 red ants, so I don’t know what to make of that one?
1. They are standard fittings but the Ujoints are hard to get strait on to, may require moving the vehicle around to get good access,
2. 6 total, one at each of the 4 u-joints, and one at each of the 2 slip splines, pump the spline until the shaft just starts to grow then stop
2. 6 total, one at each of the 4 u-joints, and one at each of the 2 slip splines, pump the spline until the shaft just starts to grow then stop
I use the needle fitting on the grease gun. You don't need it but is makes things a little easier.
The knuckle doesn't have a zirk. You remove the plug and squirt Moly into it.
The knuckle doesn't have a zirk. You remove the plug and squirt Moly into it.
It may only mean I had too many drinks before doing this ( all four times that I've changed the oil and greased the chassis so far - so, either I drink too much, or I'm not any better when sober!) but every time I go to do this, there is one zerk on the rear driveshaft, either the front or the rear end of the rear driveshaft, where I cannot, absolutely cannot get my grease guns greaser onto the zerk. The first time this happened it was the rear zerk, then the front, and then I cannot remember. It was like the area around the joints was just too tight. I thought about having a helper put the vehicle in forward or reverse with the brake on to open up the joint but then considering that any helper of mine would be just as drunk, if not more, I scratched that thought! Am I missing something here OTHER THAN the benefits of sobriety??? Thanks.
If you can't get grease in the zirk, remove it and see if its plugged.
Turbo,
put the rig on stands at the axles, put it in nuetral once all four are off the ground and on GOOD jack stands, then you can spin the drive lines to your hearts content.
If you are not getting the greaase out of the u joint caps I would recomend replacing the u joints. this is ususally a sign of wear if grease oozes out of soem but not other caps.
Dave
put the rig on stands at the axles, put it in nuetral once all four are off the ground and on GOOD jack stands, then you can spin the drive lines to your hearts content.
If you are not getting the greaase out of the u joint caps I would recomend replacing the u joints. this is ususally a sign of wear if grease oozes out of soem but not other caps.
Dave
Have fun replacing the u-joint. They are a real bear to change.
PHAEDRUS said:
Phaedrus, thanks I will try that , I actually attempted another method of just moving the vehicle back and forth on level ground. I still could not get the grease gun greaser to the zerk, not that the zerk was dirty or done, just that I could not get the extreme end of the gun to the zerk through the joint - it was too tight. If I drove the vehicle then one or the other zerk on that rear driveshaft would then be accessible but then not the other??? I'm trying to figure out if something is torqueing in and out of place, it is weird.
TBC, it is very tight to get at the U-joints on my stock cruiser, with a lift perhaps the higher drive shaft angle makes it more difficult? Maybe you should try from above where the joint will be more open?
IIRC all three zerks (sp?) on my shafts are in a line so that if one is accessible so are the other 2, I did the drive around the driveway thing also trying to get the zerks pointed down, putting it up on stands sounds easier for good alignment
IIRC all three zerks (sp?) on my shafts are in a line so that if one is accessible so are the other 2, I did the drive around the driveway thing also trying to get the zerks pointed down, putting it up on stands sounds easier for good alignment
R
robbie
Guest
One thing to remember on the drive shafts is not too much grease in the slip joints. If you put too much in the slips you can brake the t-case, take out a front pinion bearing, create drive line vibrations. I only do 4-5 pumps of grease. If you think you have done too much take a wrench and remove the zert and the pressure will relieve its self. As for grease not getting out a seal on the u-joint you may have to remove the drive line bind. It may also be best to mark the one that will not pop for future reference to see if it happens all the time, if so it will be the one that will create you problems. later robbie
Another thing that should be an implied thing here...
use a flex adapter for your gun. The straight tube on the tip is a bear to get in there.
Go buy an 8 buck flex line for the tip and you will have much more success.
use a flex adapter for your gun. The straight tube on the tip is a bear to get in there.
Go buy an 8 buck flex line for the tip and you will have much more success.
Marking the offending cap is a better idea than mine,
without a press the u joints are a bear, with a press they are easy.
Dave
without a press the u joints are a bear, with a press they are easy.
Dave
indeed, couldn't do mine very well without the flex hose either...
And not to overgrease the slip joint is especially important given that in my experience it is only too easy to drop the truck too fast while it's on the jack, which would of course compress the driveshaft way too fast if they are full of grease...
E
And not to overgrease the slip joint is especially important given that in my experience it is only too easy to drop the truck too fast while it's on the jack, which would of course compress the driveshaft way too fast if they are full of grease...
E
A press is great, but a big vise will work, with different sized sockets. Also Brendan Lally has a piece of 4"x4" wood with a hold drilled down a way in it, so the whole assembly kinda sits in it. Still takes some work but with that and a hammer it's not to bad. Putting new ones in make sure no needle bearings fall down. One did on mine and we could not get it all together, about 1/16" off (thinking in my mind of the thickness of a needle bearing) sure enough, we pulled it apart and one needle bearing had fallen down.PHAEDRUS said:
Not really sure how, they were greased well, and I even was being careful...harder to get the driveshaft in/out of the vehicle than the actual u-joint swap I think though.
Good Luck...
Mark Brodis
To encourage the grease to flow through all the caps it's best to pump very hard a few times at first. I find this burst of pressure while all 4 caps are a bit grundged and proving resistance helps to blow the recalcitrant one loose. If you don't do this, then the others will clear first. Subsequent pumps simply put more grease through the 3 that have blown loose and won't clear the last one. So, my anally retentive tip is to pump firmly the first few to blow them all loose. If you have the vehicle in park and there's pressure on the shaft as a result, you may have one cap that's not going to clear. I put mine in neutral on a level garage floor and use a tire chocks to keep it from rolling - no pressure on the shaft joints.
DougM
DougM
