Grease Drive Train at 5000 mi

[slickest1]

Mike, you'r right on some 18 wheelers you can, on some you can't. If you want to check things out you climb underneath. I was talking about my coach, and you definately have to go under on that. Didn't intend to step on toes!

[Mike Canter]

Thats OK I just love to learn things.

[Barlow46]

Slickest1,
Yes I use four total, and yes they are very easy to store and don't add a lot weight when traveling.

[slickest1]

Thanks Barlow, that will be another project this winter.

[Wannabe]

Good thread! How can I tell what series of Spicer driveshaft I have? Thanks!

[Mike Canter]

Call Monaco Tech and ask them. It depends on your engine and length. This is what they sent me. On the right side where it say 1710 that is the size Ujoint

[00MonDip]

This has been a very informative discussion, and I am learning alot here. I was changing to Bilstein Shocks on my 2000 Dip yesterday and noticed a pool of "oil" dripping from the middle of the driveshaft, from the plastic cover looking thing in the middle.

Any ideas why I would be seeing oil dripping there?

Also, where are folks finding Mobil 1 grease to buy? Any other grease that you are finding to be good for the long haul?

Harry P

[Mike Canter]

My guess is that is the seal on the slip joint that you are talking about. They are threaded on and can be tightened. See if yours is loose. The oil that you are seeing is coming from the grease that is inside the slip joint. Nothing to worry about. Some greases break down more than others. One more reason why I prefer Mobil I because it doesn't seem to do that as much. I buy my Mobil I at most auto stores such as Pep Boys, Auto Zone or Advanced. Whatever chain store is in your area should have it. I have never seen it at WalMart.

[00MonDip]

Thank you Mike, for that input. After being spooked by this extensive thread, my next project will be to get out the creeper, flashlight, radio, warm beverage, (Chicago Winter nearby), grease gun and rags, and try to find all the grease fittings.

First, I will buy Mobil 1 grease, and probably invest in a decent grease gun at the same time.

Harry P

[Mike Canter]

Harry, if you have an air compressor then I would highly recommend the Lowe's Kobalt pneumatic grease gun because it sure makes life easy shooting that grease in and purging out the old stuff. If you are going to get a manual grease gun then don't get one that is too cheap because they can be so much trouble to use. Also, be real careful on greasing tie rod ends because there are two differnt types of grease boots. One is open and the old grease just purges right out and there is a sealed type that will ballon up when you pump the grease in. Just becareful on the sealed ones that you don't overfill them and split the boot.

[Wizard]

I was greasing mine a couple of days ago, first time since buying the coach. Found the slip joint screw on cover, almost off, turned it about 4 turns by hand to tighten. How tight should it be, seemed to be plastic so I just hand tightened.

Don't know who or when the chassis was last greased but wow. All the excess grease that was on everything would have filled several gun cartridges. Trying to clean everything up as I go.

[Mike Canter]

Hand tight is good. Like you said it is just plastic. To do a grease job correctly is a messy job. Need two rolls of paper towels.

[Diplomat Don]

This thread motivated me to crawl under the coach today. I power washed the entire undercarriage which has been nasty dirty since our Yosemite trip at Thanksgiving. I'm a little embarassed to say, but I bought the Kobalt air greaser about two years ago. The last couple of times I've greased the driveshaft, I haven't been able to get any grease to purge, even though I lubed it with about 20 pulses per zerk.

Today I removed one of the zerks and connected the grease gun to make sure it wasn't plugged with dirt and it squirted like it should. I reinstalled and cycled the gun through about 20 plus times and finally got grease to ooze. Its been the idiot behind the gun all this time.

The moral of this story.....even though I grease the joints every 5000 - 10000 miles, they take a lot of grease.

Harbor Freight has 6 ton jacks ( I think about $50.00 a pair) and 10 ton (I think about $90.00 a pair). I think the 6 tons woud be good for safety backup. I use 8" x 8" x 12" blocks.

On a side note......Check your Source Sway bars if you have them installed. The rear sway bar bracket that pinches the frame had worked itself loose. I had cranked it tight during install. The other side was still tight.

[deSanford]

Just curious can I use the air system on my coach to operate a air grease gun? deSanford