Greasing the Slip Yokes and other thingy

Can’t you use NGLI #2 for all zerks?

 

Just did front and rear drivelines on my 4Runner. LocknLube grease gun with LocknLube coupler on about a 2' grease hose made it an easy job. Lay the grease gun on the garage floor and pump the grease with one hand guide the grease coupler in place with the other. None of the grease fittings were pointing down at the ground but that was not a problem. I could connect the LocknLube coupler just by feel, didn't need to see the grease zerk.

 

It was a little tricky getting at the spiders, but it ended up working better than the standard coupler for me. It's easier to tell when it's really on, and when it is, it stays on.

Yeah, my first attempt with a regular coupler on the spider ended up with four pumps of lube mostly on the outside of the spider. It seemed like it was on, and it gave the right amount of resistance, but really wasn't on right. It was much easier with the Lock N Lube (after I cleaned up the mess). I'll probably get caps next week.

Another observation is that burping the slip yoke on the front shaft was a challenge because I had to take the zerk completely out, and screwing it back in was less obstructed with my right hand (I'm left-handed).

 

There’s nothing more annoying when you get in position under the car to loosen or tighten something, realize it’s the wrong position, then realize the right position requires you to get out from under the car to come at it from the other side…just for one damn bolt…. Lol

Usually, I just choose rounding off a head

 

Fortunately, working right-handed is easier for me than for most righties to work left-handed, so it ended up just being a little slow. It was nothing compared to cleaning up the misapplied grease from the standard coupler. Also, I don't think I could do half the work I've done without the ramps and creeper. My days of wriggling under on a big piece of cardboard are over.

 

Splooged grease is premium corrosion inhibitor! My driveshafts get wiped down with that shit whenever I get a mess
They are still as black and clean as the day it rolled off the line.

 

I have always had to remove the factory T-case guard thing to get the right angle to get at them zerks. I guess I don't have a good technique if no one else has to do that. It's a pretty small plate and only two 12 (?) mm bolts IIRC...

 

I always remove that too. First time I fought with it for 15 minutes trying to get the right angle. Easier just to pop it off.

 

Taking that shield off probably does not make the job go slower. But if you don’t feel like taking it off, try getting to the zerks from the drivers side-with the zerks pointing to the drivers side.

 

That's what I found to be easiest, with the spider zerk pointing just a bit upward with the grease gun hose looping down from above and to the side.

 

Get the whole Lock and Lube kit. It's got a nice 90 degree, needle, hose for tight spots. I have a 2 speed Milwaukee grease gun you can set 2 different pressures and number of pumps per trigger pull. Keeps from breaking slip joint seal or over greasing.