Driveshaft Slip Joint

[LuckyDog]

I'm getting the "bump" from my truck that comes from the driveshaft slip joint needing to be greased. Ford wants an awful lot for their teflon grease. Slick 50 NLGI 1 has been recommended, but I haven't been able to find any, where I live. Does anyone know of another brand/type that works well in this application?

 

[George7941]

I have never used any special grease on the slip joint, just the same grease that I use on the U-joints which is regular run-of-the-mill grease and have never had a problem with the slip-joint. I have to say, the slip joint has to have been seriously neglected for it to bind up like it is doing on your truck.

I have always wondered, what happens to the large quantity of grease that the slip joint takes when it is greased? It takes about fifteen to twenty squeezes on my grease gun before I see grease oozing out of the weep hole. I don't see excess grease being flung out in between greasings, so, where is that grease going?

 

[tom slick]

you have good timing, I need to do the same on my ford truck. apparently it is a common problem on fords. I discussed it with a good friend that is a service manager at a ford dealer and for some reason ford only recommends one specific grease to fix it.

I think a good quality grease with moly in it would work. I don't know the reasoning behind the special grease.

 

[LuckyDog]

Thanks for the input, guys. I've got some Valvoline synthetic blend marine wheel bearing grease I'll use on it. That's what I use on my tie rod ends and ball joints. The slip joint on my truck is covered with a boot and doesn't have any grease fittings. Neither do the U-joints. There isn't any recommendation to lube any of those in the maintenance schedule, either. I guess I'll have to set up a timetable to lube the slip joint, though. I never experienced this "bumping" in my 3/4 ton trucks, even with twice the mileage. Learn something new every day.

 

[Rob Taggs]

I grease up dumptrucks and all we use on the slip shafts is the same stuff we use on the rest of the truck- #2 general purpose grease.