U-joints Not lubed - reply from Toyota Care

Please elaborate on why 2wd u-joints wouldn't need to be serviceable like 4wd would........and the answer is NOT because of offroading vs. not offroading. They were in the past and technology has changed nothing as far as drivelines needing lubrication.

 

The 2wd trucks don't have zirks (lube fittings) they are "sealed" units.

 

That addresses nothing as far as what grease is actually in them or my ability to push some in to see. I know they are sealed (unserviceable) because I had to replace them most likely because there is no way to keep them happy. I even went with moog serviceable which were dogshit vibes from get go and had place go get factory ones so I could drive the thing. The factory ones had zero vibes from get go. Point is it makes no sense for factory u-joints to not have zerks just because it is 2wd truck.

 

I believe the reason to add zirks is due to .... wait for it... we go 4 wheeling = more need to service parts when used hard/extra duty.

Also cost. I bet the u-joints with zirks are more $$ and made in the USA vs the Chinese POS without zirks. I believe you can drill the non-serviceable ones out and add in a zirk and get replacement seals/re-buid kit. Way too much work for me.

 

I've greased a lot of shit in my day and used a lot of different grease guns. I'm not sure what kind of junk grease gun you bought but using any decent grease gun 4 or 5 pumps in a u-joint should be enough. A u-joint is just not big enough to hold ten pumps from a grease gun.

 

probably a new grease gun and counted the pumps it took to actually fill the gun hose as well, just an educated guess. mine took between 7-10, 10 being the. first use, 7-8 being the remainder but I probably wen a couple over just to make sure it completely purged

 

cost and intended use

 

Cost shouldn't be an issue since they are already using them on other models and buying how many millions of them from their supplier at bulk prices. Payloads are same on 1/2 ton truck whether 2wd or 4wd, towing capacities and capabilities same same so we're back at it makes no sense. Same stress is possible on or off road in every climate and model so that just doesn't fly. Cost doesn't cut it, what are we talking about costwise difference being anyway for one to have a zerk or not especially at bulk prices they pay. I fully understand being able to drill them. Not happening. They should all be serviceable. I know that is what Toyota decided for buyers and I never expect a change, only for this type thing to get worse as we go along as they keep cheaping out more and more. There is no reason for it that makes sense from a buyer standpoint, just more stuff to rob your bank acct for no reason when you should be able to take 5 min to do yourself & get more life out of the parts.

 

A 2wd truck staying on the road is usually not run at extreme limits of articulation and drive shaft angles. Offroad trucks needing 4wd can push the design limits and more likely be operated in adverse conditions making it more beneficial to have increased maintenance access and serviceability. You drive down the road and have a worn squeaky u-joint it isn't a big deal for you to go to your dealer and get the u-joint replaced before a catastrophic failure. You go out in the wilds of Alaska or the Mojave or even the Gobi desert where help may be days away you'll be damn glad you regularly greased and serviced your equipment. There's a reason the factory service manual has a standard service schedule and an accelerated service interval.

In the world of saving the mighty dollar why would Toyota spend a couple of bucks more on a serviceable u-joint for its 4-wd driveshaft if it didn't need to. It's all about saving warrenty dollars and reliability reputations. Non serviceable u-joints have proven themselves reliable on street driven cars and trucks when not abused.

 

I'm sure its been posted before but the proper grease you can buy at your local FLAPS is?

 

nlgi#2, lithium based

 

I doubt the problem has been rectified regarding u-joint certs. I received my manual transmission 4WD from the Texas plant last week in February. All the u-joint certs took several pumps of grease. The least took about 5 before purging, the others took close to 10 before purging. The only one I haven't addressed is the one behind the heat shield.

On the other hand, the engine oil seemed filled to right level. Haven't checked the differential. The u-bolts seemed torqued fine.

 

And grease till purge, copied out of a DANA driveline manual.

Some recognizable signs of universal joint deterioration are:


1. Vibrations - Driver should report to maintenance.

2. Universal joint looseness - End play across bearings.

3. Universal joint discoloration due to excessive heat build-up.

4. Inability to purge all four trunnion seals when re-lubing universal joint.

Items 2) thru 4) should be checked at re-lube cycle and, if detected, reported to the maintenance supervisor for investigation.

 

Sealed joints have a totally different grease than manually filled. The grease is similar to CV joint grease.

 

Trunnion seals for the win.

 

This stuff is available almost everywhere and it's moly-free like it should be for u-joints:

$14 Mobil 1 Synthetic Grease, Auto, 12.5 oz.

http://www.amazon.com/Mobil-1-Greas...817793&sr=8-1&keywords=mobil+synthetic+grease

 

Mine were not dry but, they were never lubed thru the zerks. They were still covered with paint.

 

For what its worth Ive been working on them for 9 years and havent seen a u-joint full from the factory yet. This isnt something new.

 

Almost ironic that Toyota gives us serviceable u-joints, but the large majority don't service them or service them correctly ever. I like it, but seems like most buyers would benefit from all sealed bearings.

 

That should speak to how truly reliable these things are.