Zerk Fittings - 2021 Tacomas

I went to grease the driveshaft on my 2021 SR5 V6 4WD but it looks like the 2021 models do not have any zerk points. I have seen a lot of varying responses on the zerk fittings for 3rd gens, but I thought most people have said that 2018+ should still have two grease points. Am I just not seeing them or do the newer models just not have any. If there are no grease points is this gonna be some deal where they make you replace the whole drive shaft when U joints go bad. Thanks y'all

 

My 2017 only has them on the front driveshaft.

 

ALEXA! Add this to my list of things to check and do.

 

I went out and got a lock n lube grease gun, got all set to grease my driveshafts (which is specified in the manual btw) and couldn't find a single one on my 20

 

Yea, I don't understand this. I mean, I guess I do because I could see dealers and other shops benefiting from replacement costs. Not too many understand the value of PMCS and how often us military folks would spend all day hitting every single grease point on the entire company lineup. So it's something that gets overlooked a lot I guess. But I did the same thing back when I had just got out and was driving around a used POS. I bought the grease gun for myself to not catch flak from using the shops stuff (which I later found they didn't care and even let me change my oil on their dime), got under the vehicle to grease everything and there was like 3 total grease zerks lol. So I've had the same tubes of grease for the past decade. I even went a step further and got attachments and spare zerks. Used nothing.

 

If the U-joints go bad you just change then out like any other, pop the clips off and press them out, not a big deal nor expensive.
Under reasonable conditions the sealed ones should easily last 100,000+ miles. The front axle shaft (behind the wheel) U-joints on my old XJ Cherokee are the originals with over 200k.

 

Hah, I did something similar when I bought my 2021 and went to change the oil around 4500 and grease the joints. Read the owners manual and got the specified grease (and splurged and bought some good grease). After changing the oil, loaded up my grease gun with the new grease, purged it, and crawled back under it. To my surprise there wasn't any fittings on it like my 2009 TRD OR. Oh well, guess the mower gets good grease now

 

No Zerks on my 21’ Trail as well. It would just be a universal joint replacement not the whole shaft. And yes I’m pissed!

 

I don’t really enjoy greasing driveshafts, so I’ll happily take sealed u joints. They’ve been around a long time and they last pretty much just as long. If I gotta spend maybe $100 and an hour replacing one in 15 or 20 years, that’ll be fine with me.

 

Does yours have zerks?

 

Yep. An hour or two and a press and you are good to go.

 

Here you go, should cover most 3rd gen --- https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/check-your-u-joints.409042/

 

Not sure, I haven’t reached the mileage to need to grease the DS yet on my ‘21 so haven’t looked. But if others are saying their’s have no zerks from 2018 and up, I don’t expect that I would have them, and that’s fine.

 

Chloe just did a video on this. It sounds like the very newest Tacomas might not have zerks at all maybe???



fwiw, not a forum sponsor so I don't want to get in trouble, but I work for LockNLube and am working to set up a group buy and some other perks for Tacomaworld members.

 

My 2023 has zero grease points I was crawling under there looking high and low. I'm very disappointed after buying a new grease gun

 

Here are some interesting thoughts on greaseable vs. non-greaseable joints.

“Bottom line on strength: The non-greaseable joint is slightly stronger than a greaseable joint. The exact number, how much stronger, is unknown and we do not believe it to be very significant.

Bottom line on wear life: A regularly greased greaseable joint will outlive a non-greaseable joint. But a non-greaseable joint will outlive a greaseable joint that does not get greased properly.”

https://4xshaft.com/blogs/faq/greaseable-vs-non-greaseable-joints-which-is-better

 

Um,
I usually determine the tool I need by looking at the task first.

 

And let's face it, even with this bunch of this forum, only a few percent will grease them regularly.
Hell, even the mechanics I know don't do regular maintenance on their vehicles.

 

My ‘22 has zero zerks at the moment (OEM)…that will increase by 6 once the JBA UCA’s are installed.

 

My 2018 TRD OR built in June of 2018 has exactly one grease fitting at the front of the front drive shaft and none anywhere else, so that's the one I grease.