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Check Your U-Joints

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by splitbolt, Jan 5, 2016.

  1. Oct 9, 2017 at 2:36 PM
    #1241
    tonered

    tonered bartheloni

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    Thanks! Will do.

    I appreciate the help.
     
  2. Oct 9, 2017 at 8:03 PM
    #1242
    shackley

    shackley Well-Known Member

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    Last edited: Nov 26, 2017
  3. Oct 23, 2017 at 6:53 PM
    #1243
    Berto

    Berto Braaaptist

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    Any updates? Anyone that has greased their rear with the zerks experiencing the rear howl at light throttle?
     
  4. Oct 23, 2017 at 7:19 PM
    #1244
    EMT760-

    EMT760- Well-Known Member

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    I was thinking the same thing. I don't think they're related. I just took mine on a trip to utah. Started with 1800 miles, almost 4k now. But I never knew about the greasing the zerks. I do feel binding in mine at times and or vibration. I'm sure mine are screwed up. But man... another poor QC on Toyotas part.
     
  5. Oct 23, 2017 at 8:14 PM
    #1245
    splitbolt

    splitbolt [OP] Voodoo Witch Doctor

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    Your '17 should only have zerks on the front driveshaft.
    Toyota discontinued zerks on the rear driveshaft June/July of 2016.
     
    shakerhood, over60 and bshammer0 like this.
  6. Oct 25, 2017 at 3:35 PM
    #1246
    shackley

    shackley Well-Known Member

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    Then does anybody know if the pre-June/July 2016 u-joints with zirc fittings will fit the 2017s? Someone here who has the earlier model could supply his VIN and we could find out easily. Inquiring minds want to know.

    Solved here: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/greaseable-ujoints-for-late-2016-and-2017-tacomas.521461/
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2017
  7. Nov 8, 2017 at 3:39 PM
    #1247
    Voltron4x4

    Voltron4x4 Well-Known Member

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    This and that...

    Taking care of this today. I wasn't able to get the grease gun to seed properly around the zerk at the front drive shaft. Did you have any trouble with this? It seems the grease gun nozzle is too wide.
     
  8. Nov 8, 2017 at 3:42 PM
    #1248
    DriverSound

    DriverSound Señor Member

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    Too few to list.
    This was news to me. I thought it was only because of being 4cyl.
     
  9. Nov 8, 2017 at 4:53 PM
    #1249
    over60

    over60 Over70 & still a "Grumpy Old Guy"

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    Try putting the zerk at the 7:00 o'clock position as you look from the rear.... There is a small area ground out there if you can get it into that position... if not....you have to shave your tip..!!
     
    shakerhood likes this.
  10. Nov 8, 2017 at 10:09 PM
    #1250
    Voltron4x4

    Voltron4x4 Well-Known Member

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    This and that...
    I’ll give it another shot. But i believe it’s just a tight fit. Ordered a needle for the gun. Found out this fix on some other forum. Should take care of it with out any shaving. Thanks for the help.
     
  11. Nov 8, 2017 at 10:18 PM
    #1251
    Farcedude

    Farcedude Well-Known Member

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    Nope, I have all 5 zerks on my early-2016 4 cyl.
     
    DriverSound[QUOTED] likes this.
  12. Nov 9, 2017 at 11:28 AM
    #1252
    over60

    over60 Over70 & still a "Grumpy Old Guy"

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    I doubt a needle will work as you can't get a good seal in the zerk...it will just shit out on you..!!

    It's easy to shave a little off opposite sides of the Grease Gun tip....Took me 15 seconds with grinder....!!

    Good luck..
     
    shakerhood likes this.
  13. Nov 26, 2017 at 12:16 PM
    #1253
    misterx

    misterx Member

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    Does anyone know the thread size for the zerks on the '17? Was considering a straight zerk to replace that angled one that is supposed to line up with the hollowed out spot, and then a 90 degree adapter.
     
  14. Nov 26, 2017 at 12:20 PM
    #1254
    gthupman

    gthupman Well-Known Member

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    '17 offroad...both front zerks were completely empty. Filling them up fixed a good bit of vibration at highway speeds actually
     
  15. Nov 26, 2017 at 12:33 PM
    #1255
    Voltron4x4

    Voltron4x4 Well-Known Member

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    This and that...
    Finished mine a few weeks ago. Didn’t notice any changes, but after seeing only a little of the old grease come out, it’s nice to know they’re full now. I did end up buying a needle adapter for my grease gun for one of the zerks the the gun couldn’t reach. Worked out well. Lost count of the pumps before the old black grease came out.

    F3850AC3-7614-475F-B6F8-6DC422DC8324.jpg
    A5EE74EF-59CC-49F0-BFA1-7AD0CCAAB5D9.jpg
     
  16. Nov 26, 2017 at 3:44 PM
    #1256
    weefek

    weefek Well-Known Member

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    Normal grease gun worked for me.

    17 limited bought in Feb and 17 OR bought in Aug both had zerks only on front driveshaft and both were pretty much dry
     
  17. Nov 30, 2017 at 6:54 AM
    #1257
    misterx

    misterx Member

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    I solved my issues with that bitch rear joint. Got a small 3/8" wrench in there and got a few more degrees on the zerk so it was closer to the detent cut into the joint. Couldn't get a perfect alignment though. Was so tight it started to strip the fitting - poor design to ship to customers like that.

    The other thing that really helped was loosening the head on the grease gun. Opening up a couple threads really helped get it locked on, and it was good enough to get it pumped through the spider.
     
  18. Nov 30, 2017 at 11:44 AM
    #1258
    shakerhood

    shakerhood Well-Known Member

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    I did the same, used the bench grinder and now it gets onto those Zerks up front much easier
     
  19. Jan 8, 2018 at 7:37 AM
    #1259
    Edmonton Taco

    Edmonton Taco Member

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    I've been weaning myself off of the (st)ealership more and more. Yesterday I greased all 5 zerks on my Tacoma's drive shaft by myself (2010 TRD AUTO DBL Cab). I just made sure I used a NLGI No. 2 grease (picked up a cold-weather specific type, was -30 to -40 degrees Celsius for a good month and a half here) and a grease gun from the parts store. Put the truck up on jack stands (rear) with safety backup blocks and a spare tire under the frame too.

    I'm 6'3" with big hands and the front drive shaft is pretty god damn hard to get at without scraping your knuckles once or twice. For cleaning the old grease afterwards I found that bringing a small skinny flathead screwdriver worked best - I'd just sort of scrape and get a glob of the old stuff (that came out of the seals) stuck on the side of the screwdriver and most of it would stick and pull away leaving a minimal amount. Then I'd use one of those clean wipes (that come pre-soaped up with regular soap) and used the screwdriver to stuff it around inside and then I'd run it back and forth in a flossing manner. Then I'd clean up with a regular shop paper towel. That seemed to work.

    When I first got my Tacoma about 8 years ago I had undercoating applied to it. I noticed that the undercoating had basically covered all of the zerks too - and the dealerships I went to never cleaned that shit off of each zerk god dammit. So I cleaned each one off. The front drive shaft greased looked more wet as it came out, and a dark, oily and shiny black colour, and it took me about 6 or 7 pumps before any grease started to come out of the seals.

    Hoping with regular greasing that I can keep this thing running tip top for another 8 years and more!

    Looking at my brakes as the next learn-on-my-own project.

    Anyways, thanks to everyone that posts very helpful information on here, really helps clear up the mud. And thanks to those who post vids on youtube too that show how they've done their maintenance on their Tacos - really helps to know what tools and materials to have in advance so I don't have to get up and drive to the parts store over and over again.

    Happy trails.
     
    Riding Dirty and Farcedude like this.
  20. Jan 8, 2018 at 11:10 AM
    #1260
    splitbolt

    splitbolt [OP] Voodoo Witch Doctor

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    I do something similar with a microfiber rag and piece of no. 12 solid wire.
    It slings enough grease as is; could just imagine what it would be like if I didn't.
     
    bshammer0 likes this.

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