Grease your drive shaft you lazy sods.

To be clear: I see no fitting in the EPC.

But I probed a little bit online and came up with 96451-00600 for the grease zerks on our driveline. I am not 100% certain that's correct, so if you drop the $2.50 on buying it, I'd appreciate a confirmation it's the right part.

​

 

Thank you! I searched before asking and found this one: 90416-06004 but it is a right angle, so I knew it wasn't right.

Unfortunately this particular zerk I do not have a great straight shot at it, and I can't access it with my current grease gun. But I will try.

 

All right I'm going to try this one I found. If this doesn't work, I really have no clue how to grease the fittings I can't reach. Just sucks because I paid extra for this nice Lock n Lube grease gun with the attachment at the end, and I'm going to have to take it off to use this one.

Will report back.

 

Will the LnL XL coupler work?

 

At least when I try to use my current LnL coupler, it’s not even that little extra metal bit that is preventing me from reaching the zerk. The entire coupler won’t fit in the hole in the double cardan joint for me. It’s too wide. And for the front driveshaft, it hits the metal on the joint before it reaches the zerk to latch on. It’s like I need a longer zerk.

 

It's so weird. I don't understand why you can't do it. It's literally no problem for me at all. I've never seen anyone out of hundreds of people who've had the same issue. Makes me think there's something else at play. Someone replaced the zerk, maybe?

 

agree. It is weird. I’ve tried multiple grease guns and fittings at this point. It’s a bit of a relief someone else is having the same issue. @TnPlowboy believes it’s a 2004 AC issue.

 

Funny to see this thread still going.

I just replaced the U joints on my front driveshaft last week, and it was a bit of struggle to grease the front joint. I ended up using a grinder to take most of the metal off my grease gun fitting, making it V shaped so I could get enough clearance.

 

That’s my next step if this doesn’t work. Unfortunately I don’t have a bench grinder. Was thinking about trying to use my Milwaukee “Dremel” and a grinding tool or a cutting disc. That’s the issue I’m having. It’s like it’s at the bottom of a valley, and I can’t get the coupler on it.

Any big box hardware stores have a grinder you can use?

 

I'm not aware of any with a floor demo model, but Harbor Freight has decent grinders for as low as $40-50.

You're paying for safety and time savings on this one. Bench grinder will do the job in 30 seconds, fairly safely. Using a dremel is going to be messy, and potentially risky, and will take far more time with a poorer quality result.

"Use the right tool for the job" applies here. Only exception would be, if you have an angle grinder, clamp it into a vise, lock it to ON position with a grinding disk, it could maybe be a substitute? I wouldn't do it, but have some family who would.

 

Just saw this thread. I swapped out all my u-joints ('06 RWD) and none of them had zerks. I KNOW they were all OEM since I owned the truck since new.
I just replaced them all with exact same model without zerks. I figured it lasted almost 20 yrs so it should last me another 20 so this will probably be last time I do the U-joints.
Actually, only 1 of them were really bad out of the 3.

 

Can't find the picture, but I basically "pencil sharpened" a regular tip and it reaches everything. Chucked it in a drill and held it against an angle grinder. You could easily do it with a file or even coarse sandpaper too, just may take a little longer. But it worked well and I use it every time to get almost all the zerks. I use the lock n lube tip for maybe 1 or 2 of them. The pencil sharpened tip gets the rest. You gotta push it on hard though. Sometimes I gotta adjust the angle and really cram it on there, but it works.

 

Yep, that's correct, as I'm sure you've already seen in the thread every 1st gen owner should read. 4WD have factory zerks, 2WD do not.

That thread also highlights the issue all RWD 1st gen owners should know, about the factory transmission crossmember which tends to crack and drop bolts, and should be replaced with the new, updated part. If you're not aware of what I speak of, look at the 2nd reply in that thread, 4th bullet point under "Recalls, TSBs, and annoyances" section.

As long as you went with a quality Spicer/Dana sealed joint, you should be fine for no less than 10-15 years. OEM joint and shafts were both Spicer brand, not something Toyota made in-house.

 

Yes, it was Spicer 1330x.

 

Here it is

 

Interestingly when I picked up this part, I had the dealer look up the fitting based on my VIN. With my VIN, there was no zerk part listed. With the VIN removed (as a filter) on the same diagram, the zerk showed up. Really weird.

I think this is the correct part. But just my luck with this truck, the broken zerk has had the edges rounded off. So I couldn't get it off. But it appears to be the same.



Also, here's a photo of one of the zerks I can't grease. Look at that metal where there's a green mark. It's so close to the zerk that I can't fit the coupler onto it. Basically I need a longer zerk. I tried getting just a socket on there, and even my 7 mm socket can't reach the bottom of the zerk. No hope of getting a grease gun coupler on it.

 

Not a lazy sod, check.


Of the half dozen times I've done this, not once have I had to move the truck to get access, or had the slightest issue getting in the zerk.

 

it's like riding a bike. The first time I did all mine it was a science project. I couldn't find them all and had to move the truck back and forth like 5 times. It get's easier. I usually have to move the truck a little but at least I know where they all are now.

 

In theory, at least from the factory, they should all be oriented the same direction as shown by @BroHon, so all you need to do is look for end caps, and find the zerk related to the end cap in question, one joint/zerk per cap down the line.

I'm not unconvinced folks having issues may've had their joints replaced and the installer stupidly didn't orient the zerks the same way, used a joint with a different shape/size zerk, or maybe someone replaced the zerk at one point.

It's also possible it's what we call a PBCAK, PBDAC, or PICNIC. Problem between Chair And Keyboard, Desk And Chair, or Problem In Chair Not In Computer. i.e. user is just unfamiliar with locking, and/or not holding the tip onto the zerk firmly (if not a locking tip) while pumping.

 

It must be, or it has to do with the year. But the 3 in the rear that are u-joint/in the joint I've never had an issue, and that's with a fat hex headed end.

@diff


Rear@TC


Fronts, spin for desired entry angle

Been working her a little pulling timber. Though ide give her a squirt before driving her to town.
I drove half way there in 2nd not even realizing it... dirt roads, slowing my roll.

 

Pretty sure that lower zerk in 1st pic is aftermarket. The one with the zerk in the cap. Not a problem, just an observation.

 

Is that the one most people have trouble with? Or was that the cardan joint. Yup, I noticed that easy one in the cap and figured as much.

 

I have more issues with front driveshafts than anything, but to your point, it spins freely if the truck's not in 4HI/4LO, so ...

I think it's one of the rearmost joints, cardan probably, that ppl have issues with?

 

I can't grease any of the front driveshaft ones and two of the ones in the double cardan joint. I think with my previous grease gun, I could maybe get one more in the double cardan joint. But with the LnL coupler, it's just too thick.

 

I had to take my truck in for emissions. Decided to get it done at the dealer. Asked them for a courtesy driveshaft grease. I’ll report back on how it goes. I’ll see if they can do it or if they’re lazy sods.

 

.585


.655 on the widest


Just a cheap Scamazon gun

 

That grease coupler with the tapered head might be the ticket.

Very kind of you to measure it. Much appreciated. I ordered

$18 OKYOUK World's Smallest Grease Gun Coupler (Only 0.53 "),High Pressure Quick Release Grease Tips,Fit All 1/8" NPT Manual/Electric Grease Gun (Grease Gun Coupler)

this narrow guy on Amazon that measures 0.53". There's actually a Lancruiser owner in the reviews who had trouble greasing their driveshaft with other guns but had luck with this one.



I have the one on the bottom. The one I ordered is still en route from Amazon.