Interval for Propeller Shaft Lubrication

[The Critic]

My neighbor has a 02 4Runner - he does his own oil changes and other light repairs. A few weeks ago, I asked him what grease he used and he had no idea what I was talking about. He was apparently unaware of the 8 grease fittings that require attention every year or 15k miles.

I greased all of them for him and while they were pretty dry, he was not experiencing any issues. All of his propeller shaft components (slip yoke and spider joints) are original at 186K miles, and they had probably gone without greasing for at least 20 years.

All of this makes me wonder: how often do you really have to grease these components if your vehicle never sees off-road use?

 

[Oliveoil2]

Amazing if you think about it. My 96 Tacoma (v6 4 wheel drive) has 293k and gets grease once a year to ALL the Zerks in the drive line. Still all original.

 

[benjamming]

But what grease did you use?

 

[Chris Meutsch]

I do mine on the 2016 4R every 40k or so. Nearing 200k and seems fine to me. I use Lucas tacky red as they sell it at Meijer. I do that, ATF and both diffs and transfer case at that interval also.
This time around will also include serp belt, plugs and all filters. Ready for another 40k.

 

[ripcord]

Seeing how it's probably only been out in 4wd a few times in it's life if it's a typical SUV, I bet things in front of the transfer case can last indefinitely.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

It should always be NLGI #2.

 

[The Critic]

But what grease did you use?

Mystik JT-6 HD Syn Blend 460 for the spider joints.
Schaeffer's 274 for the slip-yoke and double cardian joints.

 

[ripcord]

It should always be NLGI #2.

That's as specific as saying something should have 5w-20. NLGI #2 is a viscosity grade and doesn't tell you anything about the specific type of chemistry of grease something needs.

Edit: apologies for sounding snarky in my reply

 

[Chris Meutsch]

That's as specific as saying something should have 5w-20. NLGI #2 is a viscosity grade and doesn't tell you anything about the specific type of chemistry of grease something needs.

Edit: apologies for sounding snarky in my reply

Snark approved by THIS guy! I get ya, I was just saying what I use in all the fittings. 200k and no ill effects. Just wait till I switch my kid’s Subaru to 5w-30 to slow consumption and watch the board burn.

 

[The Critic]

Snark approved by THIS guy! I get ya, I was just saying what I use in all the fittings. 200k and no ill effects. Just wait till I switch my kid’s Subaru to 5w-30 to slow consumption and watch the board burn.

Looks like they loosened up the requirement on the newer 4Runners and you can use one grease for everything.

 

[doitmyself]

No good deed goes unpunished.

 

[ka9mnx]

If the u joint seals are dry, there really is no reason to grease them. But I still do when I think of it.

Funny, I just put new u joints on my 00 4Runner. Got them straight from Toyota and they have no grease zerks.

 

[nobb]

TBH I don't think I've ever heard of these going bad. I'm guessing most owners probably forget. The joints all have a rubber seal around them and greasing merely means it flushes out the old stuff. I don't see the joint being that different than modern joints which they all claim are sealed for life, but that just means they don't have a zerk. The rubber seal should generally keep moisture out except if you are doing really heavy offroading and submerging the part.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I think given your in a dry climate you fair better. If it was a wet climate or heaven forbid road salt you might have had more issues. Since you greased them now its likely good for another decade.

 

[dubber09]

If the u joint seals are dry, there really is no reason to grease them. But I still do when I think of it.

Funny, I just put new u joints on my 00 4Runner. Got them straight from Toyota and they have no grease zerks.

New ones are like that, no greasing is required or scheduled.

 

[D60]

Toyota has the special sauce to build a greaseable u-joint that also lasts.

Historically greaseable joints have lower quality seals because they must let grease escape, and fewer roller bearings for a "coarse" count.

But whatever Toyota does, it works. I also see a couple early 2000s Tacos and 4Rs with a tiny bit of play in the joints, but it doesn't seem to get worse -- at least not very rapidly. Since Toyota technically considered the CVs (double cardans) to be non-serviceable, I don't push to do anything until/unless it's bad. Yes, I know you actually CAN service them and part numbers are available on forums

Of course now they'd put the 3.4TT Engineering Team on the case and u-joints would fail at 10k miles

 

[GW.]

Impressive. Back in my dealership days all grease fittings were hit every oil change.

 

[4wd]

Impressive. Back in my dealership days all grease fittings were hit every oil change.

Yep, my old GM trucks had 11 zerks …

 

[Ursatdx]

I was OCD about lubing cars properly when in the biz. I recall some of the older Yotas having 3 fittings in the propeller shaft. 10 total. The front shaft fitting closest to the transfer case on my Tundra is very hard to get.

 

[berniedd]

My Toyota pickup owner's manual of years ago says to grease the propeller shaft zerks every oil change (roughly 5000 to 7000 miles). I do that and the U-joints seem to last forever.