ok so i have my front shaft out right now i was going to clean it up and grease all of the u joints and the slip part where the zerk fitting is. only ? i have is how do i grease the double cardan ball or what ever it is called? right now there is alot of grease and dirt on the driveshaft so i cant really see anything but before i rip it apart i just wanted some advice. pretty much i just want to clean up the entire driveline and grease everything so i can put it back in knowing i did it right.
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servicing front drive shaft?
- Thread starter bails85
- Start date
- Location
- Minneapolis, MN
The double cardan centering ball is not routinely serviced. If you think it needs greasing, you disassemble the u-joints to access the centering ball, at which point you might as well just install a new centering ball and new u-joints.
BrokenSockets
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Ayr, Ontario
Is there not a way to use a needle type adapter to grease that? Or is that for some u-joints in the double cardan? I am not sure as my u-joints up front are all the non-greasable type.
Last edited:
RCP Phx
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Phoenix,Az
The factory CV isnt greasable(without dis-assembly),most aftermarket shafts/parts are.
heyhar
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA (near Poconos)
A friend of mine recently had a chirping noise coming from the front drive shaft of his '95 ZJ, over 200k miles. He borrowed my bushing press and u-joint C-clamp, expecting to spend some quality time. He removed the shaft to disassemble it, and went to a shop to get new joints. The fellow there asked to see it, and damn if the crosses in the double joint didn't have plugs. The shop guy pulled them out, installed a grease teat, shot 'em full, and now they're fine. The fitting cannot remain in the joint, and unfortunately the fitting plug could not even be seen without removing the shaft, as the joints need to be bent sharply to access the plug. I'm not familiar with this myself, but next time I'm under the Heep, I will have to take a look.
SteveT
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Aurora, CO
Bails -
Here's a good write up (for a TJ, but same as ours) linked from the Stu-Offroad site. When I rebuilt mine, I just got new spicer parts for the ball centering joint, but the factory design without the zerk fittings. I got 140k out of the first one and figure that's good enough for me. I did find reference to someone drilling a small (1/16") hole in the factory rubber cup so you can lube it with a needle fitting, but again, I didn't see the need to as the original lasted so long.
Steve
Here's a good write up (for a TJ, but same as ours) linked from the Stu-Offroad site. When I rebuilt mine, I just got new spicer parts for the ball centering joint, but the factory design without the zerk fittings. I got 140k out of the first one and figure that's good enough for me. I did find reference to someone drilling a small (1/16") hole in the factory rubber cup so you can lube it with a needle fitting, but again, I didn't see the need to as the original lasted so long.
Steve
RCP Phx
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Phoenix,Az
You cant leave the normal style zerk fitting in place,but you can use flush fittings and leave them in place.
heyhar
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA (near Poconos)
Yeah, a normal fitting would not have fit, and the shaft had to be removed to bend the double joint to access the threaded plug. The plugs needed to be removed in order to install the grease fitting, pump in the grease, then remove the fitting, reinstall the plugs, put the shaft back in. Good thing it's only every 200k miles or so!