Drive Shaft Grease?

What are you guys using to lube the zirc fittings on the front and rear drive shafts? The Tacoma service manual calls for lithium based NLGI2 chassis grease for some of the lube points and lithium based plus molybdenum disulfide in some of the others.

 

Moly is better, but any grease is better than none.

 

Don't use moly where it isn't specified. Molybdenum disulfide attracts water and turns into sulfuric acid, so it isn't as good for corrosion protection as straight lithium grease.

Bottom line: use NLGI Grade 2 lithium grease for the zerks (which feeds the U-joints). Use NLGI Grade 2 with moly if you want to lube the the slip joint (requires taking driveshaft off vehicle and unclipping the bellows dust boot). The slip joint doesn't have a schedule in Toyota's maintenance booklet, but you'll know it if the joint runs dry with clunking sounds.

 

I purchased two tubes of lube - Mobil1 lithium NLGI#2, which I used for all the u-joint zercs and then valvolene sythetic lithium NLGI#2 with Moly, which I used for the zerc in the middle of the cardan double joint and also the two zercs at the front shaft and rear shaft where the slip joint is. I pumped those two zercs up until the female prop shaft started moving along the male spline part of the shaft and then stopped pumping.

Not sure what bellows you are referring to - my '04 4WD Xtra Cab does not have any bellows covering the slip joints. The female and male shafts are exposed and there is a zerc fitting on the male shaft (just adjacent to the spider zerc). I have owned my Tacoma since brand new from the Numi Plant, and there was never any bellows there.

 

It was an excuse to buy a new grease gun. So, now one has Mobil1 in it and the other has the Moly additive. I like the new grease gun so much (purchased on Amazon along with the grease cartridges) that I am going to buy another one. Yeah, it is basic maintenance but it was still a lengthy job. Probably took about 5 hours to get it done.

 

Probably took about 5 hours to get it done.

5hrs?? How many beers did that involve?, or were you just hiding from the honey do list?

 

Wasn't paying attention to your username. Assumed 2nd gen, which doesn't have a zerk fitting on the slip joint.

 

It takes about an hour to get the truck up on jack stands. Then you have 3 zerks on the front drave shaft and 6 on the rear drive shaft. At each location I spent about a half hour cleaning. I have a bunch of toothbrushes of various sizes along with a lot of micro fiber clothes and I cleaned each spider from the gunk that was already in there and then the old grease that pushed out. I also cleaned the whole drive shaft. Whenever I work on any part of the vehicle my goal is to make it look like it did when it left the Numi Plant. Once clean and lubed, it had to come off of the jack stands and then I cleaned up my work area. About 5.5 hours total.

 

I just wheel under my truck with the creeper without lifting it at all, but mine is 2" higher than stock and I'm not a big guy.

The rear drive shafts are easy. The propeller shaft off the transfer case for the front diff is a little more difficult (at least on my 2nd gen).

 

I put it up on jacks for more room, but also so I can rotate the rear drive shaft. (Mainly the latter, as I have 3" of lift and 33" tires.)

 

Damn man, good on you for taking pride in your work but you have way too much time on your hands!

 

^I just wipe the tip of the zerk fitting and start pumping. There will be a lot of expelled grease emerging from the bottom of the bearing caps anyway to be cleaned up. Uses up 2-3 rags each session.

 

I use Lucas red and tacky grease.

http://lucasoil.com/products/grease/red-n-tacky-grease

I wipe off the zerks with a rag but I'm not making it sterile.

Takes maybe 20 minutes for all 5 and that includes taking off the heat shield for access to the front driveline zerk. I don't pump out all the grease but pump in about 5 shots or until the crackling air is out each time I change the oil. I do the front axle maybe every 3rd change because I'm not in 4WD that often.

 

I use the same stuff I use for my boat trailer hubs, corrosion block grease. Saves me from having to buy and store another grease gun.

 

I pull up with the 2 right tires on the curb and crawl under.