Grease - ? -- Respond before I drive home from work!

[Brian McVickers]

Grease!

Anyone have any suggestions or recommendations on a good grease to be used for lubrication of U-joints?
I want to grease my U-joints and hit any other zirk fittings I can find on my truck!

I have one of those smaller grease guns. I got it specifically to work in tight spaces but now I can only seem to find grease in the larger 14oz tubes.
There is a wide selection of grease in 14oz tubes but I have only been able to find one in the size I need and I’m not sold on it.
It is just plain old lithium grease but the package says it is good for U-joints.

Any ideas?:confused:

[BajaTaco]

I use Sta-Lube Moly-Graph (http://www.crcindustries.com/auto/content/prod_detail.aspx?PN=SL3144&S=N). It comes in a 3-pack of 3 oz. tubes. You should be able to find it fairly easy (?)

[Brian McVickers]

Nice find Chris!:clapsmile

Where do you usually buy it?

I don't remember seeing it at Checker or AutoZone

Thanks

Brian

[goodtimes]

There is a much better selection of grease in the 14 oz tubes...and much cooler grease guns too.....I say scrap the 3oz stuff and have some fun with a air operated grease gun (for those hard to grease items like Rubicon Express Cartridge joints). They also make good defensive items when someone in the shop likes to give you crap....you can use one of the needle fittings, 125psi, and shoot grease at them from outside of arms reach. I just don't suggest doing this to a wife or girlfriend. They tend to take it personal.:exclaim:

[BajaTaco]

LMAO at GT! Yea, your version sounds more fun.

mcvick, I think I got it at Pep Boys the last time, but I honestly don't remember. I would maybe just call around and see who has it. Try pep-boys, NAPA and CarQuest if you aren't finding it at Checker or AutoZone.

[goodtimes]

IIRC, Pep Boys carrys the 3oz tubes...(it's been awhile though...)

[cruiser guy]

I like to use a grease that doesn't wash out too easily. I've also learned that a squirt or two is sufficient ;) after blowing out the driveshaft slipjoint seal!

[Scenic WonderRunner]

I'm confused between the Moly Grease...and the regular grease that my shop manual says to use.

Why can't we just use one type of grease.....?

Would the Moly work for both types of joints?

[cruiser guy]

I think the moly grease is a higher grade so it probably cost more but if it's a higher grade it certainly won't hurt anything.
At least stateside you have a choice! Sometimes I need to look all over the place to find the right grades of oil or grease because here it's only the cheapest that's regularly available.

[flyingwil]

LMAO at GT! Yea, your version sounds more fun.

mcvick, I think I got it at Pep Boys the last time, but I honestly don't remember. I would maybe just call around and see who has it. Try pep-boys, NAPA and CarQuest if you aren't finding it at Checker or AutoZone.


You guys have a pep boys in PRC now?

[BajaTaco]

Why can't we just use one type of grease.....?

That's what I decided to do for my particular truck even though two types were spec'd. But keep in mind that the driveshafts are the only thing that is greasable on my truck. The wheel bearings and everything else is sealed, and I don't have greasable shackles. The moly is a little higher grade and has worked well for my u-joints and slip yoke. I have 130K miles on the original u-joints and they are still going strong.


You guys have a pep boys in PRC now?

Nope. I think I got it in TUS on one of my trips.

[Brian McVickers]

So when working with grease in the past I have always just pumped it in untill all of the old grease seaps out from the seams and stop pumping when the new clean grease begins to seap out.

Is this correct or am I doing it wrong??????

[cruiser guy]

I used to do that too. Then one time I was greasing the slip joint in the driveshaft and I was not getting any grease into it apparently (nothing was oozing out the slip joint). On closer inspection I found that the seal inside the yoke was missing and all the grease was coming out there and not even entering the slip joint. When I had the seal replaced at the driveline shop he told me that it was common with folks who put in grease till it comes out to have the seal pop out! You end up hydrolocking the slipjoint and the weight of the truck pops the seal out when you go over a bump.

Now it's a squirt or two. If water comes out I do an extra squirt or to to ensure all the water is out.

It's probably only "dangerous" on the drive shaft slip joints and if you have an enclosed knuckle on the front axle like a Land Cruiser or solid axle Toyota mini truck, as a squirt or two on the "U" joints, tie rod ends or shackles and spring pins is enough to have grease oozing out and there is no "seal" to pop or hydrolocking to happen either.

The Toyota enclosed knuckle is only supposed to be 75% full more or less.

[goodtimes]

Typically you would only add grease until you see the dust seals start to bulge (tie rod ends, ball joints, etc). If you have aftermarket seals which are not clamped on each end (such as a Currie Ent. steering system), you can grease them until the cows come home, but you are simply wasting grease after all the water/nasty stuff comes out. Generally speaking, two shots with a typical grease gun is all that is needed on any joint which has been previously greased (new joints often need more, you should follow the manufacturers recommendation in this case). U-joints can be a different story. There is some debate as to wether or not a U-joint that has heated up will contract enough when submerged in water to suck water into the joint. Over-greasing in this case may be a good thing. But since I don't play in water, I don't have to worry about it.

[BajaTaco]

On my u-joints, I only pump until I get a little bit of ooze "crackling" out of the joints. I don't go much beyond that. And for the slip-yoke, as has been mentioned, a few good solid pumps of the grease gun and I'm done (maybe 4-5).

[Mlachica]

How frequent are you guys lubing up?

[HenryJ]

At oil changes and after a trip that included deep water crossings.

[Grim Reaper]

How frequent are you guys lubing up?
I have been following MFG recommended that works out to about every other oil change. The exception is if I get into mud and water. Then its as soon as I can. Water contamination will destroy parts FAST.

I see so many people with trail only vehicles that go trail riding in mud then pressure wash the truck and call it good and don't do any other work beyond washing. All the U-joint failures I have ever seen were contamination problems. I find them in the side of the trail with a blown or U-joint that had the grease washed out all the time. You should do a lube and check for contamination within 24 hours of any mud and water play.

I like the Mobile 1 synthetic and semi synthetic. So far I have not had any wear out issues using those products.

Most U-joints are easily changed. I keep a joint press and spare joints in my trail rig. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=38335 is the press I carry.

[BajaTaco]

How frequent are you guys lubing up?

Usually during an oil change, but sometimes I will skip one and go every other oil change. And after water submersion (but not water spray - i.e. wet roads).

[goodtimes]

How frequent are you guys lubing up?

Lately...not too often. Too much work, not enough play.

Usually after any long trip (1000+ miles), after any 4+ rated trail (part of the post-rock crawling inspection), and at each oil change. In other words....quite often. I have owned my jeep for 3 1/2 years, and probably have lubed it up 30+ times.

Keep in mind, this much lubrication may be bad for things like ball joints, TRE's, etc., where the OEM has used grease seals that don't let excess grease escape. Also beware of overgreasing the slip joints on driveshafts. You can literally fill the void inside joint with grease, then when it compresses hard and fast, the small hole at the end can't deal with the volume of grease, so you basically hydro-lock your slip joint, which then transferrs the pressure to the u-joints, then the pinion gear and t'case output shaft (neither of which are designed to carry that kind of a load)...and it can go downhill from there.

[Mlachica]

thank you all for the good info! :littlefriend:(just playin with the new smilies)

[Ursidae69]

You can literally fill the void inside joint with grease, then when it compresses hard and fast, the small hole at the end can't deal with the volume of grease, so you basically hydro-lock your slip joint, which then transferrs the pressure to the u-joints, then the pinion gear and t'case output shaft (neither of which are designed to carry that kind of a load)...and it can go downhill from there.

You know, I know someone that is really ignorant and this person should have asked for help but he is stubborn. So, this person I know, we'll call him 'Chuck', he wasn't very bright and he put a lot off grease in the slip yoke thinking to himself "Hmmm, shouldn't it ooze out at some point like the u-joints do?". What should I tell this person, he is a little worried about it after reading this thread. I might slap him next time I see him too... :littlefriend:

[goodtimes]

oops. This "chuck" guy....he should pull one end of the driveshaft off (preferrably the end with the slip joint...but the other end will work too). Then if he were to compress the slip joint by hand, it would force the excess grease out of the weep hole in the end of the slip joint. The joint will be a bit stiff at first, then ease up, then get tight again once "chuck" gets to all the grease. He should keep pressure on the joint until it is fully compressed. Then he should wipe up the grease that is all over the place, dispose of it in accordance with federal, state, and local ordinances, re-install the driveshaft, and not overgrease it again.

:ylsmoke: