Drive shaft zerks

Mush Mouse · Oct 6, 2016

Ocho Hill said: ↑

U joints without zerk fittings are stronger. Zerk fittings can be the start of a crack. In many aftermarket applications, the stronger u joints do not have zerk fittings. I have 300,000 miles on u joints with no zerks on a ram diesel. Assuming the install is correct, I prefer u joints with no zerks.
Click to expand...

Mush Mouse · Oct 6, 2016

bobrown14 said: ↑

Not so.. the shaft has to be balanced after replacing non-serviceable u-joints with serviceable ones. Yeah not hard for a shop that has the equipment. I ran into this with my wife's Honda CR-v last year. It was cheaper to purchase a new non-serviceable drive shaft... even bought it on ebay.

The reason we were going into the service department to ask to have our u-joints lubed was because they came from the factory DRY as in NO GREASE.

This is how a shit storm happens: I had asked my service department to lube my truck at the 5K mile service cause folks here were reporting u-joints dry from factory. Get truck back - didn't see lube on my maintenance sheet, ask service mgr why they didn't lube my truck since I asked them nicely to please lube it?? Answer was I'm not "due" for a lube until the 15K mile mark... shitstorm happened.

Now I'm getting a slight vibration from one of my u-joints... gonna have to crawl back under there and lube them all again..
Click to expand...

this is why I do my own oil change/maintainence, unfortunately not everyone has the options of doing it themselves and have to rely on service centers to do it

Mush Mouse · Oct 6, 2016

JoeyDel said: ↑

People were going in and demanding to get their drive shafts greased before it was necessary.

I've always greased my own vehicles and it is simple to do. Should they have been greased from the factory? Yes. Tell me though, have you ever greased a u joint and driven 1000 miles? I bet it takes a couple pumps of grease, yet people here were complaining they put 5 -7 pumps in their zerks and complaining about how bad it was that they had to do it. It was an over blown issue here but I know my opinion is an unpopular one here.

And no, they should not have got rid of the zerks on a 4x4 that is subject to the conditions a 4x4 is subject to. So on that point we agree! I think it was a bad move on Toyota's part.
Click to expand...

it used to be pretty common to get an grease job with an oil change for some unknown reason all these service providers stopped this? why?

Aussiek2000 · Oct 6, 2016

bobrown14 said: ↑

I had non greasable u-joints on my wifes Honda... had to buy a new drive shaft @ 100K miles.
Click to expand...

well thats a Honda. I was referring to real trucks

MarcoTaco · May 29, 2018

I dont wanna bust in uninvited but after 7k miles on my 17 TRD Sport, i crawled under to assess the situation. Im not impressed.

The front shaft has a sngle Zerk on the joints at each end. The front fitting was not too hard to service - however - it was obvious that nether Zerk had ever been greased - from assembly until now. They were Sahara dry.

The rearward Zerk on the front shaft was almost impossible to access or see. I use a Amsoil blue grease, injected via a hand gun setup with a long flex hose.

The trucks cross-member, shields, and “work by feeling only” hurtles made a mess - and took me a while to service & clean up....but I managed to get it done. Strange that they put fittings only on the front shaft joints.

The rear drive shaft has no Zerks on it- AT ALL. Personally - Even considering the pitch offered by those saying that the non- servicable joints last for extended miles - I want zerks.

Illusion or not, I like to be confident that I am rolling in top shape (as much as is possible). Rolling resistence is never good - and worn out joints are never convenient to have to stop and deal with.

So Im adding this minor hit to my list of things that Toyota cut corners on with respect to my truck anyway ,IMHO.

splitbolt · Apr 1, 2018

MarcoTaco said: ↑

I dont wanna bust in uninvited but after 7k miles on my 17 TRD Sport, i crawled under to assess the situation. Im not impressed.

The front shaft has a sngle Zerk on the joints at each end. The front fitting was not too hard to service - however - it was obvious that nether Zerk had ever been greased - from assembly until now. They were Sahara dry.

The rearward Zerk on the front shaft was almost impossible to access or see. I use a Amsoil blue grease, injected via a hand gin setup with a long flex hose.

The trucks cross-member, shields, and “work by feeling only” hurtles made a mess - and took me a while to service & clean up....but I managed to get it done. Strange that they put fittings only on the front shaft joints.

The rear drive shaft has no Zerks on it- AT ALL. Personally - Even considering the pitch offered by those saying that the non- servicable joints last for extended miles - I want zerks.

Illusion or not, I like to be confident that I am rolling in top shape (as much as is possible). Rolling resistence is never good - and worn out joints are never convenient to have to stop and deal with.

So Im adding this minor hit to my list of things that Toyota cut corners on with respect to my truck anyway ,IMHO.
Click to expand...

https://www.danaaftermarket.com/search?cat1=115&from=0&y=2017&mk=Toyota&md=Tacoma

Worrom1 · Apr 1, 2018

Made 1-16 5 zerks

I am Root · Apr 1, 2018

I am root

TA2016 · Apr 1, 2018

Here is another thread on zerks with pictures.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/check-your-u-joints.409042/

strktly_bodysurf · Apr 1, 2018

The hell is going on here?! I didn't even know these things required grease. You guys are awesome. Thanks for the fun reading and quality info

bobrown14 · May 9, 2018

MarcoTaco said: ↑

I dont wanna bust in uninvited but after 7k miles on my 17 TRD Sport, i crawled under to assess the situation. Im not impressed.

The front shaft has a sngle Zerk on the joints at each end. The front fitting was not too hard to service - however - it was obvious that nether Zerk had ever been greased - from assembly until now. They were Sahara dry.

The rearward Zerk on the front shaft was almost impossible to access or see. I use a Amsoil blue grease, injected via a hand gin setup with a long flex hose.

The trucks cross-member, shields, and “work by feeling only” hurtles made a mess - and took me a while to service & clean up....but I managed to get it done. Strange that they put fittings only on the front shaft joints.

The rear drive shaft has no Zerks on it- AT ALL. Personally - Even considering the pitch offered by those saying that the non- servicable joints last for extended miles - I want zerks.

Illusion or not, I like to be confident that I am rolling in top shape (as much as is possible). Rolling resistence is never good - and worn out joints are never convenient to have to stop and deal with.

So Im adding this minor hit to my list of things that Toyota cut corners on with respect to my truck anyway ,IMHO.
Click to expand...

Hey bro - that shield comes off with a 12mm socket - don't even need a needle nose grease fitting... its a slight PITA to get the shield back on but a lot easier and less messy that trying how you did it.

MarcoTaco · May 29, 2018

Thanks for your reply.
I do appreciate it.
MSJ

Log in or Sign up

Welcome to Tacoma World!

Drive shaft zerks

#41
Mush Mouse Club Soda Not Seals

#42
Mush Mouse Club Soda Not Seals

#43
Mush Mouse Club Soda Not Seals

#44
Aussiek2000 Well-Known Member

#45
MarcoTaco Active Member

#46
splitbolt Voodoo Witch Doctor

#47
Worrom1 Well-Known Member

#48
I am Root UID 0

#49
TA2016 Well-Known Member

#50
strktly_bodysurf Well-Known Member

#51
bobrown14 Well-Known Member

#52
MarcoTaco Active Member

Products Discussed in

Log in or Sign up

Useful Searches

Welcome to Tacoma World!

Drive shaft zerks

#41 Mush Mouse Club Soda Not Seals

#42 Mush Mouse Club Soda Not Seals

#43 Mush Mouse Club Soda Not Seals

#44 Aussiek2000 Well-Known Member

#45 MarcoTaco Active Member

#46 splitbolt Voodoo Witch Doctor

#47 Worrom1 Well-Known Member

#48 I am Root UID 0

#49 TA2016 Well-Known Member

#50 strktly_bodysurf Well-Known Member

#51 bobrown14 Well-Known Member

#52 MarcoTaco Active Member

Products Discussed in Entire Site Forum: 3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)

#41
Mush Mouse Club Soda Not Seals

#42
Mush Mouse Club Soda Not Seals

#43
Mush Mouse Club Soda Not Seals

#44
Aussiek2000 Well-Known Member

#45
MarcoTaco Active Member

#46
splitbolt Voodoo Witch Doctor

#47
Worrom1 Well-Known Member

#48
I am Root UID 0

#49
TA2016 Well-Known Member

#50
strktly_bodysurf Well-Known Member

#51
bobrown14 Well-Known Member

#52
MarcoTaco Active Member

Products Discussed in