Greasing driveshaft u-joints

The DOT likes to see fresh grease slung out...it means you get under there and maintain your equipment.

 

I use this stuff and wipe of the excess when I'm done.

 

I always grease my u-joints until the grease comes out. Be careful doing the cams though. I once popped a seal and the shoes were covered in grease by the time I realized it

 

I grease ujoints once a week or after any major rain. Rain is the most overlooked thing and contaminates the crap out of everything.

Think of greasing like a oil change, you want the old contaminated stuff out and only the new stuff in so grease it till all the old grease is pushed out then wipe it all of with some rags if your worried about it being messy.

 

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere Spicer used to say don't crack the seals, but because everyone did anyway, they designed the seals so you could have grease come out of them.
I always jack one wheel up with the brakes off so I can turn the driveshafts so you can make sure there's no wear, and grease is getting to all points. I found a failed uni before Christmas like that, the rollers had disintegrated in one of the cups because grease hadn't got right through.

 

I never grease them.............they are sealed (no nipples)

 

Grease is cheaper than parts. Adding grease till you hear or see it squeezing out around the seal will not hurt anything, and you can wipe the excess off with a rag or... let it protect the frame from rust. I'm basically rebuilding this truck, U-joints were tight and seem to be good shape but, I'm putting all new parts in since I have no clue what or when the previous owner replaced any parts.

 

I actually just got the part numbers last week, I'm going to take all my greaseable ujoints and swap them with non greaseable ones.

 

Those lubed for life parts aren't lubed for the life of the truck, their lubed for the life of the part...when it wears out the parts counter will just say "it's life was over, so now you have to buy another one"

 

Absolutely but what I've found is that they last longer because most people don't grease enough, when it's muddy or wet snow I sure AF don't get down there to do it and you can bet your bottom dollar that none of my drivers could even find the grease gun in Thier truck haha.

I buy them just so I don't have to crawl down under the truck so often. I still do alot as I service my trucks every 10 days worked.