4X4 Front Drive Shaft - Lubrication point?

[CGordon]

1.They all have it (4X4 that is)
2. Not all mechanics take the time to find it.
3.Service Managers lie about #1.

 

[seafish]

1.They all have it (4X4 that is)
2. Not all mechanics take the time to find it.
3.Service Managers lie about #1.

This is my experience as well, with the caveat that I myself looked ALOT and did NOT find it (even though I KNEW what was looking for) until the shaft was removed for servicing at 100k. Thankfully Cardan joint was dry but still good , so I THOROUGHLY greased it while the ds was part for u joint replacement and reinstalled it. Now with free spin hubs, I think it unlikely that I'll have to grease it until 200k (lol).

That being said, THREE mechanics and TWO different service managers insisted that it was NOT there, even with the sticker saying that it was. They told me some trucks were built with a permanently greased cardan joint. Don't know if THAT is true or not, but in my case, they were WRONG, but since I couldn't find it myself, I believed them until I found it at 100k.

 

[gsbrockman]

This is my experience as well, with the caveat that I myself looked ALOT and did NOT find it (even though I KNEW what was looking for) until the shaft was removed for servicing at 100k.

I was at a friend's shop once (he does a lot of diesel performance in regards to pulling trucks) and it's even a booooooooger to find the fitting with the driveshaft out, laying on the floor (he had a couple out of 3rd GEN & 4th GEN trucks in his shop).

 

[Newsa]

I was shocked at how long it took me to find it the second time. I knew it's approximate location and what to look for, but I must have still turned that shaft around 20 times before finding it.

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

1.They all have it (4X4 that is)
2. Not all mechanics take the time to find it.
3.Service Managers lie about #1.

1. You're wrong
2. True
3. Maybe

Maybe if I was totally incompetent I'd fall for your list, but I'm not. I know where the fitting is and it is not hard for me to find it. My '14 did not have the fitting when the shaft was on the truck and it still did not have the fitting when the shaft was taken off the truck. It didn't miraculously appear just because I pulled the shaft out. You could spin the shaft a million times and by golly, it still wouldn't be there.

 

[Cummins12V98]

YUP Stan Gozzi at MayMadness was shocked that my 2011 did NOT have it. He said to the head mechanic "they all have it" when we mentioned it was not there. Then with my truck on the lift he proceeded to spend several minutes with a flashlight and pronounced "it really does not have one". My truck had very few miles and had never been off road and was still spotless underneath when they looked.

 

[JohnCW]

It would seem that some do not have the fitting.
For those who do, what grease do you use, I use the Lucas Red n Tacky .

 

[Ozymandias]

For the other Joints I use Redline Red-Moly.

 

[kcpolk]

FOUND IT! I finally found the front driveshaft grease cup on my truck! After looking closely under the truck for about a half-hour, I was ready to announce that my truck must be one of those trucks WITHOUT the grease cup. However, just to be sure I decided to REMOVE the driveshaft. My plan at first was simply to remove the FRONT U-Joint bolts, drop it down and allow the back to pivot…. giving me more room to look. This idea didn’t really help. So, okay, 4 more bolts and I had the whole thing out on the bench for a look…… STILL nothing. And then….. there it is! DAMN. Okay, clean and grease with my new grease gun adaptor kit. Even on the bench it was difficult to find and perform the service. I used a paint pen to mark the location for next time. Then cleaned everything up for re-install. Prior to taking the driveshaft out, I index marked the joints to the trans/diff flanges….. so that I could re-install exactly as it came from the factory. Honestly, I don’t see how this service can be performed in-vehicle…. especially with the transmission support cross member location….. its right where we need to access the joint grease cup. The Manager at my local Dodge Dealer was the original owner… I bought the truck from him at 25k miles….. he had all the service records from the dealership….. from the looks of it, I would strongly doubt the dealership had EVER greased this joint. Now that I know where to find the silly thing….. I may try and find a more of a needle tip (I found one at Tractor Supply for about 5 bucks) and a small, one-hand grease gun….. perhaps, I can do it without removing the shaft. I am really disappointed that a seemingly critical service item is in such a poor location. I know of several trucks in this area with over 100k miles on them…. and I’m sure this service has not been performed….. EVER. Bottom line from me…. If your truck doesn’t have one…. keep looking until it does.

 

[JohnCW]

Yea ! Congratulation , now, all you others get under there and keep looking.

 

[Newsa]

It would seem that some do not have the fitting.
For those who do, what grease do you use, I use the Lucas Red n Tacky .

I think it specifies lithium. I use this green crap.
http://www.greengrease.net/
Which is marine approved.

But i hear the red stuff is the best money can buy.

 

[zetatre]

FOUND IT!

Great job!!!! It's good that you just simply didn't give up and said "my truck doesn't have it" and didn't trust some "mechanic" in telling you your truck has the "other" driveshaft.

 

[JohnCW]

I think it specifies lithium. I use this green crap.
http://www.greengrease.net/
Which is marine approved.

But i hear the red stuff is the best money can buy.

The red tacky is lithium, I have it on hand for my M1 Garands, they like it a lot.

I had a 1957 Dodge Power Wagon years ago that add about 10 zillion zerks to grease, it was a tank, had a cop car engine and trans.
Sorry I did not keep it.

 

[crispyboy]

I grease this joint at every oil change with Valvoline Synpower grease.
I cannot find the fitting on my brothers 2012 truck..........

 

[Cummins12V98]

I grease this joint at every oil change with Valvoline Synpower grease.
I cannot find the fitting on my brothers 2012 truck..........

OH it's there

 

[JLandry]

The Grease Blob?

I crawled under my truck today and greased that nearly-impossibly-to-find Cardan joint fitting. Even though I'd seen it before and thought I knew where it was, it still took me a minute or two to find it again. #@$%!

I put in about 4 pumps of grease into the fitting. While going in, I could hear the grease popping and snapping so I know it had to be coming out somewhere. I rotated the shaft around a few times looking for the grease and found a big blob had exited through a small hole at the opposite end of the Cardan's inner joint. None of the grease actually came out around the sliding part of that inner joint... which is where I'd think you'd want to see it.

Have any of you experienced this same thing?

Thanks,

John L.

 

[SnoKing]

I crawled under my truck today and greased that nearly-impossibly-to-find Cardan joint fitting. Even though I'd seen it before and thought I knew where it was, it still took me a minute or two to find it again. #@$%!

I put in about 4 pumps of grease into the fitting. While going in, I could hear the grease popping and snapping so I know it had to be coming out somewhere. I rotated the shaft around a few times looking for the grease and found a big blob had exited through a small hole at the opposite end of the Cardan's inner joint. None of the grease actually came out around the sliding part of that inner joint... which is where I'd think you'd want to see it.

Have any of you experienced this same thing?

Thanks,

John L.

John, I think that is fairly normal. Just two or three pumps next time. You are not greasing the 8 caps, just the center pin and needles that it rides in. So coming out the other end indicates that the grease passed through that center join. Picture one leg of an U-join and one cap, that is what you are greasing. If you were greasing all the caps then it would require two grease points, as the other star is on the far end of things!!! SNOKING

 

[JLandry]

Just two or three pumps next time. You are not greasing the 8 caps...

Got it. Thanks!

I would've stopping pumping sooner had I seen grease oozing from the center sliding surface.

John L.

 

[Newsa]

When fully greased, the excess grease came out of a collar about 1.5-2.0 inches further toward the back of the truck. I used at least 4 pumps. My grease pops just from being forced through the tiny hole of the injector needle. Make sure you have the needle all the way in.

 

[Oil Stain]

All the 4x4's have them. It will be very hard to see. Laying on your back with your left arm facing the rear of truck and of course your right facing the front. It's not a zerk fitting. It's more like a counter sink that you would make in wood with a tiny ball bearing under tension to keep the grease from flying out when spinning.

I got this idea from another member on the Dodge Cummins forum. I use a 3ml syringe and a 16ga needle.

Below grind down using a grinding wheel or a belt sander to grind down the point. Do not cut or you will crimp the end close. Rightside needle is before grinding and bottom is ground down.

On the syringe remove plunger and fill with grease to the 2ml line. It does take some effort to push plunger. Insert needle about 1/8" into fitting. Repeat one more time.

I will confess I pushed mine in to far and the ball bearing is now somewhere inside the joint. That was 45k miles ago. I was assured my issue will not harm anything.

I purchased syringe at Tractor Supply, I'm sure that any pet store that handles farm animals will have the syringe.