Fight, fight. Grease Zerks.

[Rock62]

About 18 months ago I replaced all 5 U-joints on my truck. These are the greaseable type with the zerk on the end cap. Choose this style for easy access.

Last time I greased these.....it was a fight to connect the grease gun coupler to the zerk. Then another battle to remove the gun from the zerk.......10 battles........ Many blue words were uttered plus a skinned knuckle.

Anyhow, my question relates to anyone who is using a Lock-n-Lube type coupler for this task.
Are these gadgets worth the $$$ to avoid the battle with making/breaking the connection?

I'm not concerned about space. The area is wide open around the prop shafts for access to the zerks. My truck and motorcycle are the only machines I have with grease zerks.

 

[tacojoel]

Been using the lock&lube zerk coupler for years. Its a great grease gun accessory to have. While it's not useful for my tacoma...no zerks on that truck, its been handy on my snowmobile, and tractors.

 

[Rock62]

Thanks for the feedback. I think a cheapie will last me forever. I only need to lube the prop shaft about twice a year. Found a knock-off clone on Amazon for less than $20.

So tired of fighting basic maintenance items. Greasing the prop shafts should be a 10 minute task. Currently, it takes about 40 minutes with battles, frustration and many blue words.

 

[tacojoel]

Toyota did away with all the zerks on my 2020 truck. Service manager at the area Toyota dealer claimed they found less issues that way.

 

[Rock62]

The dealer issues probably stemmed from the Service Techs skipping the fittings.

Replacing U-Joints is not a difficult task, but it does consume roughly 15-20 minutes per joint.

I prefer the greasable type joints. I can "flush" debris out, asses the condition and install fresh lube are primary reasons. it only takes a quick wipe to clean the zerk and a pump or 2 on the grease gun. A 10 oz tube of GC/LB (formerly NGLI 2) grease lasts a long time.

Toyota likely took the step as a cost saving measure. Less labor on the assembly line with the elimination of the greasing steps. Toyota only needs the vehicle to last longer than the warranty period, then repairs are on the owner.

 

[JayQQ97]

Toyota did away with all the zerks on my 2020 truck. Service manager at the area Toyota dealer claimed they found less issues that way.

will that grease get old and degrade at all over time?

 

[JayQQ97]

The dealer issues probably stemmed from the Service Techs skipping the fittings.

Replacing U-Joints is not a difficult task, but it does consume roughly 15-20 minutes per joint.

I prefer the greasable type joints. I can "flush" debris out, asses the condition and install fresh lube are primary reasons. it only takes a quick wipe to clean the zerk and a pump or 2 on the grease gun. A 10 oz tube of GC/LB (formerly NGLI 2) grease lasts a long time.

Toyota likely took the step as a cost saving measure. Less labor on the assembly line with the elimination of the greasing steps. Toyota only needs the vehicle to last longer than the warranty period, then repairs are on the owner.

my rig has 9 fittings scattered iirc... so quite a few
once these Gen2 trucks (and then Gen3) come along the local Yota dealer routine maintenance slipped quite a bit in covering everything i pay for
i found out i have to ASK them suckers to grease the shafts
and then found a few so caked in dirt and looked like it had not been touched in a decade +

one dealer service dept. told me they no longer have grease guns back in their shop
one dealer in KCMO wanted an additional 30$ on top of the 30$ oil/lube/filter coupin to grease those 9 and still could not put the skid plate back up securely!

 

[Rock62]

You have detailed the reasons why I do my own service work.

So far, my only limits are specialty tools. For example, headlight alignment. Needs special tools. Sure, I could do the alignment if I had a level drive with enough distance to set up the target screen. Front end alignment, I understand how it works and what the functions are, but I don't have the equipment. Some tasks just need a shop. Most tasks I can do.

I also figure that it already needs work. So, I can't screw it up any worse. If I get in over my head.....I can reverse my work and go to a shop.

will that grease get old and degrade at all over time?

To answer your question. Grease is just oil in a thickener. Yes, when in a joint it will get "old". Sitting in a tube or tub, it will last a long time before it begins to separate.

Suggest those 9 fittings need a good lube job. These maybe the root of your vibration/suspension/steering problems.....worn joints.

 

[JayQQ97]

You have detailed the reasons why I do my own service work.

So far, my only limits are specialty tools. For example, headlight alignment. Needs special tools. Sure, I could do the alignment if I had a level drive with enough distance to set up the target screen. Front end alignment, I understand how it works and what the functions are, but I don't have the equipment. Some tasks just need a shop. Most tasks I can do.

I also figure that it already needs work. So, I can't screw it up any worse. If I get in over my head.....I can reverse my work and go to a shop.


To answer your question. Grease is just oil in a thickener. Yes, when in a joint it will get "old". Sitting in a tube or tub, it will last a long time before it begins to separate.

Suggest those 9 fittings need a good lube job. These maybe the root of your vibration/suspension/steering problems.....worn joints.

those joints could be getting worn out and tired but IDK! a few seem to be spitting grease back out everywhere on the muffler and fuel shield on the rear-most one... but I don't know if that is a normality or not!?? ... i have not yet been told on the multi-point inspections that they need replaced

over the past year i've been shooting some PB red tacky in some of them (not all of them at once) whilst underneath cleaning/inspecting frame and muffler grime and the fittings are lined up and ready to lube in front of my face (which does not happen often!)... it still takes much belaboured effort to hold the one end of the gun on the fitting and try to squeeze the handle with a bummed pinched shoulder on the other end

 

[tacojoel]

The dealer issues probably stemmed from the Service Techs skipping the fittings.

Replacing U-Joints is not a difficult task, but it does consume roughly 15-20 minutes per joint.

I prefer the greasable type joints. I can "flush" debris out, asses the condition and install fresh lube are primary reasons. it only takes a quick wipe to clean the zerk and a pump or 2 on the grease gun. A 10 oz tube of GC/LB (formerly NGLI 2) grease lasts a long time.

Toyota likely took the step as a cost saving measure. Less labor on the assembly line with the elimination of the greasing steps. Toyota only needs the vehicle to last longer than the warranty period, then repairs are on the owner.

I agree with you having u-joints that you're able to grease. I always greased them in all the Toyota trucks I had till this one. It's the reason I was skeptical asking the service tech about them. My last tundra had nearly 300k miles...I never had to replace a u-joint, just a couple pumps of grease every year.

will that grease get old and degrade at all over time?

Really no idea. My first Toyota with no zerks. I suppose as long as that grease remains free of any air inside those u-joints, it shouldn't degrade.