Greasing The Drive Shaft Spline

[Mark&Marie]

I'm one of those people who pumps grease into a zerk unit the boot on the joint is taunt (inflated), or I see/hear a little grease squeezing out of the joint, which ever comes first. That is for all the grease fittings on my W22 except the spline shaft.

Every spring, I give it about 20 pumps of grease into the grease fitting for the spline shaft and never see any grease coming out, never hear a thing. How much grease should I be putting into the spline? Should I just keep adding it until I get some coming out somewhere?

Where is it all going? Am I filling the entire drive shaft?

Thank you,
Mark

[Mark&Marie]

I'm one of those people who pumps grease into a zerk unit the boot on the joint is taunt (inflated), or I see/hear a little grease squeezing out of the joint, which ever comes first. That is for all the grease fittings on my W22 except the spline shaft.

Every spring, I give it about 20 pumps of grease into the grease fitting for the spline shaft and never see any grease coming out, never hear a thing. How much grease should I be putting into the spline? Should I just keep adding it until I get some coming out somewhere?

Where is it all going? Am I filling the entire drive shaft?

Thank you,
Mark

[Thudman]

I think you're putting way too much grease into the spline zerk, but I prefer to allow someone more qualified than I put a number on the squirts.

Thudman

[Blaster]

, I also pump a lot of grease into the splined slip joint. The splined end of shaft is solid and grease can not go into drive shaft. There are seals on both ends of splined yoke to hold grease and I pump grease till seen at seal, never had one to wear out!!!!

[kb7our]

Just want to confirm that the spline shaft indeed has a zirk fitting or does the grease go somewhere else?

[Blaster]

Yes there is a zerk on the slip joint or spline shaft what ever you want to call it, and on each u-joint.

[rondi]

Funny you should mention this. About 2 weeks ago i greased my rig and i did the same thing---but i didn't stop with 20 pumps. My plan, like yours, keep pumping until I see/hear grease. NOTHING ever came out the front side--where the splines are on my stretched W24--which is where i was looking. But what i found once i got a flashlight--it was coming out the rear of the yoke and i never saw or heard it. I must have had 1/2 cup of grease back there. I removed as much as i could so it wouldn't splatter on the muffler/exhaust pipe or wherever. Next time--i'll stop at 5 to 10 pumps since i now know it's now FULL!

Ron

[oemtech]

I wish I had a $1 for every grease zerk I have put grease in. I learned very early working in the back room of a gas station that you DON"T fill until you see grease come out. Remember, you are lubricating parts not filling voids. Your drive shaft will just sling it out and make a mess. To much in a sealed ball joint boot will break it. One more thing, take the time to wipe off and excess grease off the zerks and parts.

Bottom line... 2 or 3 pumps a couple of times a year is all I every do. I have never had a failure or excess grease squeeze out.

[dieselclacker]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by oemtech:
I wish I had a $1 for every grease zerk I have put grease in. I learned very early working in the back room of a gas station that you DON"T fill until you see grease come out. Remember, you are lubricating parts not filling voids. Your drive shaft will just sling it out and make a mess. To much in a sealed ball joint boot will break it. One more thing, take the time to wipe off and excess grease off the zerks and parts.

Bottom line... 2 or 3 pumps a couple of times a year is all I every do. I have never had a failure or excess grease squeeze out. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


Dale is absoloutly right on. All the grease on the outside of the seal lubes nothing.
Driveshafts with splined shaft have very little movement, and are quite often over lubed. Universal joints are another item that should not be pumped with so much grease that it comes out of seals, they require very little grease, and more harm than good can occur if over lubed.

Dale, I too have put in lots of hours in my younger days in those service station lube bays.

Dieselclacker

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by oemtech:
One more thing, take the time to wipe off and excess grease off the Zerk and parts (after) .. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Good practice requires that the old grease and dirt be wiped off "before" you apply a nozzle to a Zerk fitting.

[dieselclacker]

there would be no old grease to wipe off if fittings were wiped after grease gun was removed. Lots less dirt to wipe if this were done also.

Dieselclacker

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by dieselclacker:
... Lots less dirt to wipe if this were done also. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>dieselclacker, Yes sir! I'll still give it quick wipe before I hit it with a grease gun. Debris on the Zerk causes premature wear on the jaws. Cleanliness is next to you know who!

[speed racer]

All drive shaft slip joints have a hole somware in the yoke or the end of the spin shaft so the air can excape as the shaft moves in and out.

[surfride]

Not to hi-jack this thread, but is it acceptable to use molly based lubricants on the chassis?