Grease - ? -- Respond before I drive home from work!

[Mlachica]

Thread Ressurection

How frequent are you guys lubing up?

 

[HenryJ]

At oil changes and after a trip that included deep water crossings.

 

[Grim Reaper]

How frequent are you guys lubing up?

I have been following MFG recommended that works out to about every other oil change. The exception is if I get into mud and water. Then its as soon as I can. Water contamination will destroy parts FAST.

I see so many people with trail only vehicles that go trail riding in mud then pressure wash the truck and call it good and don't do any other work beyond washing. All the U-joint failures I have ever seen were contamination problems. I find them in the side of the trail with a blown or U-joint that had the grease washed out all the time. You should do a lube and check for contamination within 24 hours of any mud and water play.

I like the Mobile 1 synthetic and semi synthetic. So far I have not had any wear out issues using those products.

Most U-joints are easily changed. I keep a joint press and spare joints in my trail rig. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=38335 is the press I carry.

 

[BajaTaco]

How frequent are you guys lubing up?

Usually during an oil change, but sometimes I will skip one and go every other oil change. And after water submersion (but not water spray - i.e. wet roads).

 

[goodtimes]

How frequent are you guys lubing up?

Lately...not too often. Too much work, not enough play.

Usually after any long trip (1000+ miles), after any 4+ rated trail (part of the post-rock crawling inspection), and at each oil change. In other words....quite often. I have owned my jeep for 3 1/2 years, and probably have lubed it up 30+ times.

Keep in mind, this much lubrication may be bad for things like ball joints, TRE's, etc., where the OEM has used grease seals that don't let excess grease escape. Also beware of overgreasing the slip joints on driveshafts. You can literally fill the void inside joint with grease, then when it compresses hard and fast, the small hole at the end can't deal with the volume of grease, so you basically hydro-lock your slip joint, which then transferrs the pressure to the u-joints, then the pinion gear and t'case output shaft (neither of which are designed to carry that kind of a load)...and it can go downhill from there.

 

[Mlachica]

thank you all for the good info! :littlefriendjust playin with the new smilies)

 

[Ursidae69]

You can literally fill the void inside joint with grease, then when it compresses hard and fast, the small hole at the end can't deal with the volume of grease, so you basically hydro-lock your slip joint, which then transferrs the pressure to the u-joints, then the pinion gear and t'case output shaft (neither of which are designed to carry that kind of a load)...and it can go downhill from there.

You know, I know someone that is really ignorant and this person should have asked for help but he is stubborn. So, this person I know, we'll call him 'Chuck', he wasn't very bright and he put a lot off grease in the slip yoke thinking to himself "Hmmm, shouldn't it ooze out at some point like the u-joints do?". What should I tell this person, he is a little worried about it after reading this thread. I might slap him next time I see him too... :littlefriend:

 

[goodtimes]

oops. This "chuck" guy....he should pull one end of the driveshaft off (preferrably the end with the slip joint...but the other end will work too). Then if he were to compress the slip joint by hand, it would force the excess grease out of the weep hole in the end of the slip joint. The joint will be a bit stiff at first, then ease up, then get tight again once "chuck" gets to all the grease. He should keep pressure on the joint until it is fully compressed. Then he should wipe up the grease that is all over the place, dispose of it in accordance with federal, state, and local ordinances, re-install the driveshaft, and not overgrease it again.

:ylsmoke: