Using Marine grade grease on the cardan joint?

[HPSimpson]

It's a "new and improved" joint on the '19+ trucks They made a big deal out of that in the intro videos.

New it is in theory improved only time will tell, there is a bit of noise when you engage the axle, my dealer says that is normal.

 

[Ozymandias]

For the last 15 years at least we had always Trucks with and without that Zerk. Is all depends who made the shaft, Spicer or AAM.

 

[Cummins12V98]

My 11 did NOT have the grease fitting as verified by Stan Gozzi at May Madness.

 

[gsbrockman]

WOW! I have a 2017 Ram 5500 with electronic xfer case.... guess I'll check and see if it's the same for it. Thanks for the education... Great Info!

Cheers, Ron

Yours turns all the time, Ron. Just crawl back under there and verify by locating all the slung grease from your recent greasing of said joint...

Electronic or manual floor shifter, the front driveshaft turns ALL the time on the 4500’s and 5500’s.

 

[Audiowriter]

QUESTION-
Mine is a 2012 4X4 with electronic HI and LOW engagement in the cab. But - when I jack up either front wheel and turn it with the motor not running / in park - in 2WD - the front driveshaft also turns.
So that implies that anytime my front wheels are rolling (with 4X4 OFF) my front driveshaft is also turning - Is this RIGHT?
(I use 4X4 "occasionally" for getting into back woods driveways and etc - but usually at no more than an idle speed - and I can see some "slung" grease above the DCJ on the underneath of the cab.)

 

[Wiredawg]

Yours turns all the time, Ron. Just crawl back under there and verify by locating all the slung grease from your recent greasing of said joint...

Electronic or manual floor shifter, the front driveshaft turns ALL the time on the 4500’s and 5500’s.

Yep Greg,
After posting, I got to thinking about it and realized there's no axle disconnect hardware in/on the axle and mine isn't electronic, it simply has a motorized engagement/ disengagement setup. More likely, my wifes 2019 Ram 1500 has it as it is pushbutton, not dial.

Still, good info.

Cheers, Ron

 

[gsbrockman]

QUESTION-
Mine is a 2012 4X4 with electronic HI and LOW engagement in the cab. But - when I jack up either front wheel and turn it with the motor not running / in park - in 2WD - the front driveshaft also turns.
So that implies that anytime my front wheels are rolling (with 4X4 OFF) my front driveshaft is also turning - Is this RIGHT?
(I use 4X4 "occasionally" for getting into back woods driveways and etc - but usually at no more than an idle speed - and I can see some "slung" grease above the DCJ on the underneath of the cab.)

Correct.
The 2013 3500’s and 2014 2500’s received CAD.

 

[JR]

On the electronic cases, the shaft doesn't turn so not much movement in the UJ. (Unless you use it)

It doesn't have anything to do with the transfer case. 2013+ trucks went back to CAD (central axle disconnect) like the gen 2, except gen 4 is electric vs vacuum on the gen 2. CAD simply disconnects the right axleshaft from the left axle (in 2wheel drive), the left axle spins the spider gears but the pinion and the front driveshaft stays stationary.

 

[Wiredawg]

It doesn't have anything to do with the transfer case. 2013+ trucks went back to CAD (central axle disconnect) like the gen 2, except gen 4 is electric vs vacuum on the gen 2. CAD simply disconnects the right axleshaft from the left axle (in 2wheel drive), the left axle spins the spider gears but the pinion and the front driveshaft stays stationary.

So there is a separate CAD switch for the front axle or it is another circuit on the transfer case selection switch?

 

[JR]

So there is a separate CAD switch for the front axle or it is another circuit on the transfer case selection switch?

I'm too poor to own a fancy electronic tcase so I haven't had the opportunity to play with one yet
But on the manual cases there is a switch like this guy here on the top of the case

When shifted into 4wheel drive the lever activates this switch on top of the tcase and energizes the CAD, this guy on the front axle. (Sorry for poor pic)

The gen 2's worked in similar manner but the switch on top was vacuum actuated vs electrical, a vac line coming from the pump and a pair of lines going to the CAD on the front axle.

Gen 3 and early gen 4 didn't have CAD, and the driveshaft spun all the time.

 

[Wiredawg]

I'm too poor to own a fancy electronic tcase so I haven't had the opportunity to play with one yet
But on the manual cases there is a switch like this guy here on the top of the case

View attachment 124368

When shifted into 4wheel drive the lever activates this switch on top of the tcase and energizes the CAD, this guy on the front axle. (Sorry for poor pic)

View attachment 124370


The gen 2's worked in similar manner but the switch on top was vacuum actuated vs electrical, a vac line coming from the pump and a pair of lines going to the CAD on the front axle.

Gen 3 and early gen 4 didn't have CAD, and the driveshaft spun all the time.

I remember the 2nd Gen... Had a 2Low Kit from BD that allowed 4L to with operate as 2L... nice with 3:54s pulling 18KLb 3 axle Travel Supreme up steep grades.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Didn't want to start a new thread. Maybe it's been covered but at least on the 21 2500 the grease Cardan Joint is not there.