Driveshaft grease / coolant

[NeverSatisfied]

OK, I know this is a basic question, but I am not a mechanic and want to make sure and do this right. I am wondering what type of grease I should use for my '06 for the driveshaft fittings.



In addition, anyone have suggestions on coolant?



Any other suggestions, other than oil, oil filter, fuel filter (my first time changing it will be today, hope it goes well) to check during routine maintenance that any of you have learned in all of your experience?



Thanks in advance, I really appreciate it.

 

[wcjp]

Welcome to the diesel world. There's been lots of debate on oil. I don't have time to post on all the differences. There's been considerable debate lately on the current oil standard of CJ4. It's now believed the older standards of CI4/CI4+ is better. I'd recommend buying Napa Premium Performance Universal Fleet Plus. It's a CI4 oil made by Valvoline. Available 12qt to a box or by 5gal pail. The Classic Valvoline Premium Blue CI4+ is a slightly better oil that's not available yet. Napa sells rebadged Wix filters. You'll be ok with Wix, Baldwin and Fleetguard. At all costs avoid Fram. Napa also sells fuel filters for your truck. The current Fleetguard standard for your truck is 7micron filtration. I don't know the Wix micron rating currently sold by Napa. I buy my filters direct from Cummins Northwest in Renton. Another great source is Dodge Cummins and Ford Power Stroke Diesel Truck Accessories - Geno's Garage.



Use a large freezer bag around the oil filter before removing. I've heard the factory oil filter is on unusually tight. I rarely spill a drop when changing oil. The oil plug torque setting is 40lb ft tq.



When changing the fuel I put a used heater hose over the fuel drain line. This extends the line to my waste container. No fuel to stain the driveway. Open the yellow valve. While it's draining do your oil change. Open the lid. Remove/install filter. Be sure to use new gasket. I also coat the new gasket with 30wt oil. Turn key on for two minutes. Turn off, turn on. By the 3rd time you turn the key on the canister should be full. Start truck.



Some of the 06's came with less than required ATF+4 in the transfer case.



Also, check the powersteering requirement. It's now ATF+4. Not powersteering fluid.

 

[NeverSatisfied]

Wow, great information. Thanks for the advice...

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

If you are doing coolant like your title says make sure you use HOAT type anti-freeze! The only one of this type I know of is Zerex G-05 or the stuff from Chrysler of Ford. The Zerex is a very light yellow color and I think the factory fill is orange but don't confuse that with Dexcool, that is not what is in there. Also you shouldn't have to change your coolant anywhere near now.

 

[NeverSatisfied]

Turbo Tim,



Thanks for the information. Do you have a recommendation on the grease to use for the driveshaft?

 

[wcjp]

Forgot to answer your driveshaft question. I use full synthetic Valvoline grease. Don't forget to get a needle attachment for your grease gun. Bought mine from Joes (somewhat local store). Many people buy their needle attachment from Napa. Search the TDR for exact part number.



Here's a picture of the grease point. Not my pic.



#ad

 

[Grizzly]

Welcome to the diesel world. There's been lots of debate on oil. I don't have time to post on all the differences. There's been considerable debate lately on the current oil standard of CJ4. It's now believed the older standards of CI4/CI4+ is better. I'd recommend buying Napa Premium Performance Universal Fleet Plus. It's a CI4 oil made by Valvoline. Available 12qt to a box or by 5gal pail. The Classic Valvoline Premium Blue CI4+ is a slightly better oil that's not available yet. Napa sells rebadged Wix filters. You'll be ok with Wix, Baldwin and Fleetguard. At all costs avoid Fram. Napa also sells fuel filters for your truck. The current Fleetguard standard for your truck is 7micron filtration. I don't know the Wix micron rating currently sold by Napa. I buy my filters direct from Cummins Northwest in Renton. Another great source is Dodge Cummins and Ford Power Stroke Diesel Truck Accessories - Geno's Garage.



Use a large freezer bag around the oil filter before removing. I've heard the factory oil filter is on unusually tight. I rarely spill a drop when changing oil. The oil plug torque setting is 40lb ft tq.



When changing the fuel I put a used heater hose over the fuel drain line. This extends the line to my waste container. No fuel to stain the driveway. Open the yellow valve. While it's draining do your oil change. Open the lid. Remove/install filter. Be sure to use new gasket. I also coat the new gasket with 30wt oil. Turn key on for two minutes. Turn off, turn on. By the 3rd time you turn the key on the canister should be full. Start truck.



Some of the 06's came with less than required ATF+4 in the transfer case.



Also, check the powersteering requirement. It's now ATF+4. Not powersteering fluid.

Great information, Thank you. Question on the picture, is that the lube point on the front driveshaft U-Joint, which has to be greased if you have the fitting? My 05 has a label in front of the radiator to that effect. Why do some trucks have the fitting and some don't. My son's 04. 5 does not.

 

[wcjp]

The grease point is not the Ujoints. They're sealed. I think the change to the front driveshaft was 05. 5' and up.

 

[MoparDave]

This is the coolant i use, its the same color as the factory fill if that matters

Final Charge 50/50 Pre-Diluted Antifreeze

 

[PBrauer]

Forgot to answer your driveshaft question. I use full synthetic Valvoline grease. Don't forget to get a needle attachment for your grease gun. Bought mine from Joes (somewhat local store). Many people buy their needle attachment from Napa. Search the TDR for exact part number.

Here's a picture of the grease point. Not my pic.

#ad

That's not actually the right spot, as the previous post says. That's a DC (double cardin) joint. The spot that needs to be lubed is the ball/socket, for lack of a better description, that is BETWEEN the two u-joints. Someone unfamiliar might have trouble recognizing the spot without rotation, but if you stare at it long enough you'll see it.

If you look left of the arrow in the picture you can see a little bit of the ball behind the end of the yoke... it's the dark spot. That ball/joint keeps the length of the DC constant (oversimplified), which forces the two u-joints to bend evenly/equally. When the prop isn't rotating it might look like something rigid/fixed but it does move. All you need to do is get some oil on it... nothing fancy.

EDIT:
Just looked a little harder at that pic... Is that a hole through the end of the yoke??? If so, then part of what I typed is wrong but at least you'll know where the oil needs to be... Never noticed a passage on mine but never really looked. Time to bust out the manual. 230K and I think I've lubed it two or three times.
=======
Just looked it up... owners manual says there's a fitting there. I didn't even see it when I had the DS out. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[rbattelle]

If you are doing coolant like your title says make sure you use HOAT type anti-freeze!

It's actually okay to not use HOAT, if you want. Fleetguard Compleat series are fully compatible with the HOAT (according to Fleetguard). But if you're going to change I'd recommend flushing out the HOAT first, just to be safe.

I'm running Fleetguard Compleat propylene glycol premix. Have been for almost 4 years.

Ryan