Greasing UCAs

How often are people needing to grease their UCA?

Got mine put on last year. Maybe less than 3 months later and not even 1k miles it was squeaking. Greased it and good to go.

Now fast today only 700 miles since greasing them it was squeaking at me again.

I loosen the UCA bolt. Grease it until it spills out. Wipe it up and tighten. 85ft/lbs.

Wrong grease maybe? I put maybe 2 - 3k a year on my 4R I figure it would be good for at least 6 months or every oil change.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CPAEJA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Grease my JBA's every 5000 miles.

 

I use Super lube regularly. Tri flow on My uniballs all the time as well. They're not cheap either. My trucks sit for weeks at a time in the Florida heat, which doesn't help. Urethane will squeak, no question. Probably worse in dry climates.

 

Guess is grease every 3 months regardless. I don't mind some squeak but when I can hear it from the inside I can't imagine how loud it is outside.

 

I've got Built Right uniball UCAs w 8K+ miles on them. I've yet to experience any noise and therefore I've never considered greasing them... I remember being told to clean them occasionally though I also think I was told grease wasn't needed. Anybody else following this pattern or been told something similar?

 

Yes they need to be greased. The red bushings in the picture are urethane and get dirty, dry and will squeak eventually. You can actually put grease on your uniball to help keep dirt out, but I've found regular cleaning and tri flow works best for me. The Built Right description mentions zirk fittings for greasing. I use super lube for this as it's more compatible with urethane bushings. Here is link for a TC video on the procedure. Super Lube for bushings and Tri Flow for uniballs. https://youtu.be/xvMdAX2uybs

 

I gotcha MI-FL. Yes grease the urethane bushings, absolutely. I wasn't clear in my previous post.. I was suggested that I wouldn't be greasing the uniball, though I see you apply tri flow

 

Ugh maybe I didn't read it right lol. Built Right may have a higher quality uniball to guard against the corrosion. So my post might be all for not lol. It was early......
I never thought to lube them but I had one instance about 3 months after the initial install where I wasn't using Tri Flow and the TC uniballs started groaning during turns and would have seized up if I hadn't done a little research. Turns out I had gotten them a little muddy and not washed them out real well, then the truck sat at the Airport for about a month while I was working.

 

I grease my UCAs every oil change.

 

If I did this I'd be greasing once a year.

No noise yet in 4 months. Though I haven't driven much.

 

Green Grease!

 

I just checked my records, I greased my TC UCA's over 4 months ago and no squeaking yet. My 4runner is my daily driver too. Maybe it's the grease you're using?

I looked all over for the SuperLube they recommend but couldn't find any without ordering it online, which I didn't feel like doing, apparently it's less work to drive around to different parts stores...no luck.

Back at my shop/work I found a tube of Mobil grease so I used that. Like I said, so far, so good!

 

What's green grease? My new UCA's have grease fittings, but I just used regular grease (whatever my buddy had in his grease gun).

Is there a specific type I should use?

 

Curious as well. I went with the Amazon one in my first post. I swear I found a thread somewhere someone was using it.

I have no problems switching if needed.

 

Its called Green Grease and it's compatible with the grease inside every single zerk fitting on your 4Runner

 

How often are people greasing SPC UCA’s? Just had mine out in about two weeks ago and no complaints but just want to know.

 

If you can use this for everything that needs to be I'm going to get this. So confusing needing different types.

 

Looks like I'm going to have to get some of that! Thank you!

 

I don’t take that as you doubting the claim, but just to back it up with actual data....


2011 grease spec (looked up 2018 as well just to confirm it was the same) - lithium based NLGI 2

JBA (my control arms) recommends lithium based grease


Green Grease is compatible with lithium based grease


Green Grease meets the NLGI 2 spec


It’s awesome stuff that will work for everything on a 5th gen 4Runner.

 

Looks Chinese to me I'll take your word for it.