Check Your U-Joints

Well thinking after following this thread it might be in my interest to check if the U joints are properly greased and torqued on my SR5 4x4 Access Cab. I and my trusty cardboard creeper shimmed under the truck on my wonderful (NOT) gravel driveway only to find out lo and behold this model doesn't have zerk fittings on the U joints and they were well torqued down. Surprise, surprise, some where I missed that data point .... SR5 no grease fittings.

 

2wd or 4?

 

My apologies to you and others I inadvertently set on a wild goose chase.
I didn't expect these threads to get as big as they did.
I edited the OP.

 

Is there anything in the u joint that is worth checking for proper torque while in there?

(today is monthly play with your torque wrench day)

 

Proppeller shaft bolts...
Give me a bit; I'll post the illustration.

 

Damn...you got it... I had my torque wrench out today to put on my summer tires.... I have not touched it since I put on the snows last November...!!

How do you know which month is "play with your torque wrench month"..??

HMMMM... torque wrenches.... I love 'em.

The propeller shaft bolts must be real mean suckers and want to loosen all the time, cuz Toyota's 5,000/8,000 check intervals... they say they torque them every time.... Funny, I had an '06 Taco and the Propeller bolts were NEVER torqued.... They were still tight when I sold her in '16.

BUT...Toyota's 5,000 interval check ensures that your driver's side floor mat is secure.... You gotta trust a company that pays such great attention to the more important things like this, eh..??

Other companies might focus on tranny fluid/diff fluids/U-joints/etc...you know.... things that might matter to the owner...!

 

I had an '07 that mirrors your experience.

You might need a crows foot and extension calculator.

Edit; torque is 65 ft-lbs

 

Okay maybe I'm hallucinating, you know just another flash back but.... On my SR5 4x4 Access Cab I looked at the U joints and swore I saw no zerk grease fittings! I was so perplexed I even ran my boney fingers around the U joints to see if I could feel a fitting, nope no go! So all I can say is what up with that? Could it be on the Access Cab they decided to use the sealed U joints that are on the SR model. Go figure because I can't!

 

I was having issues getting the standard zerk adapter on the grease gun to stay in place while lubing the Ujoints. I found the LockNLube coupler on Amazon and it is awesome! It locks on and no grease was lost due to not being perfectly aligned on the zerk. It is worth the money. I was able to get on all five zerks with ease. The front drive shaft has to be positioned just right, but you can spin it by hand.

$33 LockNLube Grease Gun Coupler locks onto Zerk fittings. Grease goes in, not on the machine. World's best-selling original locking grease coupler. Rated 10000 PSI. Long-lasting rebuildable tool.

http://www.amazon.com/LockNLube-Gre...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00

 

I have a SR5 4x4 AC, and it has all 5 zerks. They all took 4-5 pumps to purge.

 

Welcome to the big thread club hehehe
Would you get upset if I added your post to the write up ? https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...omatic-in-the-2016-write-up-with-pics.361114/

 

@bwonger may need to check your zerks. I have a grease gun and good synthetic grease if you want to do it

 

I'll have to check how Toyota's are, but when I had to remove the driveshaft on my old Ford it required a torch and me using my foot on the end of a breaker bar to get those off. No way I could see those getting loose on their own.

Does Toyota not apply threadlocker to those bolts?

 

Of the numbers in the rectangles, is that first number the lb/ft torque? I need to check my DS since they installed a new one. Can't remember which number is Nm and lb/ft.

 

Okay friends I was indeed hallucinating yesterday when I took a look at my U joints. I must of been having flash backs because I gave up drugs to many years ago to count and no chilly craft beer touched my lips ..... bummer. So I crawl under my SR5 4x4 Access Cab today and find the following.



Funny thing is all I could see is one zerk fitting for each U joint as shown above. So the question I have is where are the other two zerks I guess I missing???
Two pumps of grease in each to fill.

 

Other 2 are on the front drive shaft. They are on the joint itself. May have to spin the shaft to see them

 

Thanks I'll go have a look see!

 

There is a key in the bottom left, looks like it's the last number (65 in all of them).

B.

 

Yep I knew the key was on there I just didn't see it. Thanks!