Check Your U-Joints

That was oddly satisfying to watch...

 

Just go easy. You can burst those seals

 

well, I know one thing I'm doing today...now where are those jack stands?

 

FYI...
Toyota discontinued the greasable u-joints on the rear driveshaft in June/July of 2016. The front driveshaft still has the greasable u-joints.

 

Good call. I DO NOT want to blow a seal. _____________________!

Ok, contest time...fill in the blank. Winner gets a free lube job (staying on topic!)

 

solid entry

 

Mission accomplished.

Good news on my August 2017 (Texas) TRD Pro: They seemed to be well packed from the factory. I got fairly rapid purge of black colored grease. (I was using what I had lying around in the garage--Lucas Red)

BTW--thanks to whomever posted the video on changing out universal joints...it looks pretty easy actually. I guess I'll need that when/if my maintenance free rear drive shaft gets sloppy...

 

I'm going to watch that first video until I fall asleep tonight. That's just the best thing I've seen in a while. So soooothing.

 

The little needle bearings in your U joint cups turn into dust, then you end up throwing your driveshaft in very dramatic fashion, and it flails around and destroys everything under your truck, including the driveshaft itself. It isn't pretty. Grease your U joints. Seems to be pretty cheap preventive maintenance.

 

Hi all - my first official post here on tacomaworld and I just wanted to say thanks to the OP and all who contributed to the thread!

I stumbled upon this thread and although it took me a while to read through it all it was well worth it.

I've got 443 miles on my 1 month old 2018 Off Road 4x4 manual transmission and I can confirm what others have been saying; I've got no zerks in the rear and two zerks up front.

I did notice that the zerks up front on mine had lube on them so I take that as a sign it's been lubed either at the plant in TX or (don't laugh now) at the dealership. I'm thinking it was the dealership because they provide their own lifetime warranty outside of Toyota's warranty. Regardless of whether it was done at the plant or the dealership, I'm grateful for the extra step and effort that was put in.

To each their own, but as for me I'll definitely be purging in a few thousand miles and will maintain as per the maintenance schedule. It's only logical if the zerks are there and the manual says it's part of maintenance, but as evidenced by some of the naysayers in this thread alone, logic and reason escape us at times... human nature I guess.

Thanks again to the OP and the rest who contributed. I'll add some pics in a bit. <-- btw this guy is teh best!

 

Am I the only one, or are those zerks hard as hell to get grease into?

 

Thanks DoorDing, I will give it a try. I got the coupler on there but had to hold it super tight and it still took way more effort than I have ever experienced for getting grease into a zerk.

 

They might have a layer of paint on them, mine did.

 

Does this all apply to a 2017 Tacoma Sport 4 door short bed?

 

See post #1 for clarification in edits.

 

OK, I guess I was in denial.

Somebody here said it was part of the usual 15,000 mile service, which I am getting next week. Please confirm.

 

If you have a 4wd, you have them on your front driveshaft only.
The rear driveshaft zerks were discontinued in June/July of 2016.

 

Thanks,

 

I got the grease in there. It was not easy. I used the No. 2 stuff but in a marina grade? I figure to be forging a creek or three this summer so I was thinking it would be best?

 

Does anybody know why they're called "jerks," I mean "zerks"?

Please excuse the spellchecker.