Greaseable u-joints are a MESS!!!

[JasonCzerak]

As we all know, they make a mess the OEM ones being sealed were nice for one thing, they were clean!



Is there such a rubber shield you can put around the drive shaft, like in the slip yolk part in the front drive shaft or a CV joint that can be put around the normal u-joints on the drive shafts to catch all of the grease that is flinging around?

 

[dan.poitras]

You're kidding right?

 

[JFaulkner]

um..... either use less grease, wipe the excess off when your done greasing them, or remember it's the underneath side of a truck and your not eating off it. On some semi's I've seen people put a piece of rubber between the frame rails but only to keep the excess from slinging up on the back of the cab if the joint is in just the right place.

 

[Bob V]

I think you are putting in too much greese

 

[JasonCzerak]

I put in just enough so that you can see a tiny bit weep out. Only done this with the drive shaft unloaded and try to clean as much as I can out if there is any extra, no matter what, a bunch tends to whip out.



Yeah, it's the under side, but yeah, I like to keep it relatively nice looking and clean and rust free. It sucks working on a dirty motor, drive train, etc.

 

[BMH95]

I figure that it's one less area I have to worry about rusting, if it's getting a fresh shot of grease every couple of months.

 

[steved]

I usually grease the joints enough to see fresh grease coming from all the caps...



I don't worry about it, rust prevention.

 

[DieselDoghouse]

HMMM… greasable joints versus sealed: "better the devil I CAN see than the one I CAN'T"…

 

[JFaulkner]

Yeah, it's the under side, but yeah, I like to keep it relatively nice looking and clean and rust free. It sucks working on a dirty motor, drive train, etc.

Want to work on mine? I blew the turbo drain line a few years ago while driving, I had a CP3 take a royal crap (completely destroyed) which sprayed about 3gal of fuel on everything under the hood and from rear door and all the way down the bed sides, and I have greasable joints. So needless to say the underneath side of my truck is well protected. :-laf

 

[JasonCzerak]

Want to work on mine? I blew the turbo drain line a few years ago while driving, I had a CP3 take a royal crap (completely destroyed) which sprayed about 3gal of fuel on everything under the hood and from rear door and all the way down the bed sides, and I have greasable joints. So needless to say the underneath side of my truck is well protected. :-laf

I managed to pinch my valve cover gasket last year. about 1 gallon of oil under the truck. make it all the way to the shiny side of the rear bumper!!! 10+ cans of degreaser later, you would of never knew Shhh, don't tell the DNR

 

[Srichards56]

Jason, what you dont want to do is cover up the U- joints to avoid grease slinging,verses not getting greased

because of not haveing imediate access. Its important that you can visual inspect the caps,flange ,and yokes an the retaining U-bolts at the third member for defects. I agree with, Steved and and dieseldoghouse. Also

it would more of A bit----h and hassel and time to remove A U-jont cover to gain access to the zerk fitting versses just wiping off the grease after A spin down the road and wipping it free of spatter with A rag saterated w/ degeaser . Oh Ya I have seen black flexable plastic accordian looking u-joint covers on farm equipmetwith multipule drive shafts going to mower Decks. I dont think thay would stand-up to the RPM of our trucks very long before flying-apart. Stephen56

 

[Mr.Goat]

Jason



You have to get a more interesting life my friend if all you you have to worry about is a little grease flying out of your U joints.



Or you are your just joking around here and tugging on our pant legs a little. I'll let you decide which one applies !!

 

[JasonCzerak]

Jason



You have to get a more interesting life my friend if all you you have to worry about is a little grease flying out of your U joints.



Or you are your just joking around here and tugging on our pant legs a little. I'll let you decide which one applies !!

Would you enjoy the same grease flying around on, say, your mint condition 69 corvette? I think not. Sorry, I do enjoy a clean vehicle and grease flying everywhere is annoying, especially when you need to do work on this later.

 

[GHarman]

Would you enjoy the same grease flying around on, say, your mint condition 69 corvette? I think not. Sorry, I do enjoy a clean vehicle and grease flying everywhere is annoying, especially when you need to do work on this later.

I can see you like your vehicles very clean. I am not a mudpuddle mechanic. But when it comes to grease fittings and U-Joints, I'd rather they pushed out grease till the grease changes color. Contaminated grease has a chalky tint to it which is moisture. I keep pumping in the grease till the chalky color disappears. Lots of grease? Sometimes, especially around the Trunions and Front axle knuckle joints(yep, mine are greasable). I dont wipe 'em off! Dont have time fer that nonsense. Are they a mess, YEP. I dont care! GregH

 

[Joe G.]

Put plenty of grease in the joints. Wipe them as good as possible. Hose them down with brake cleaner and dry with compressed air. That should minimize the mess.

 

[Jetson]

The strongest U-joints are not greasable. The Zerk fitting hole is a weak point.

 

[GHarman]

The strongest U-joints are not greasable. The Zerk fitting hole is a weak point.

That may be true, however, in 40+ years of driving a 4X4 vehicle in various weather conditions, through heavy snow, over steep rocky terrain and through muddy bogs on occasion, I have never had a greasable u-joint fail! They have been worn out over many miles, some more, some less (That may be drivetrain geometry or increased torque; worse wear with the Dodge than the 72 Ford) but never cracked or broken! That might not be the case in a sled pull or a racing environment? All greaseable U-joints. GregH

 

[JFaulkner]

The strongest U-joints are not greasable. The Zerk fitting hole is a weak point.

That may be true, however, in 40+ years of driving a 4X4 vehicle in various weather conditions, through heavy snow, over steep rocky terrain and through muddy bogs on occasion, I have never had a greasable u-joint fail! They have been worn out over many miles, some more, some less (That may be drivetrain geometry or increased torque; worse wear with the Dodge than the 72 Ford) but never cracked or broken! That might not be the case in a sled pull or a racing environment? All greaseable U-joints. GregH

Exactly! Who cares how strong the joint is when it fails under normal driving conditions due to lack of lube, as my OEM joints did. Also the strongest joints ARE greasable. Click here!

 

[CDonaldson]

I plan on changing mine over to greasables, in fact, looking to run down the PN's and getting it done real soon. I'm right at 30K and do not plan to buy the warranty extension, I can get a lot of parts for that price and much less lip service.



I too like a clean truck, use brake cleaner, blow dry is about all you can do, otherwise, put up with it best you can. It IS better to have a little mess and clean it vrs the other headaches that come with the ungreasables. Cleaning IS cheaper than the parts.



CD

 

[tkerrigan]

Wrap the joint loosely with duct tape, take the truck for a spin, then remove duct tape. Most of the extra grease will come off with the duct tape. YMMV