journey greasing

[notslo]

I have a 03 journey 36 on a freightliner chassis. It has about 19000 miles and records show it has been serviced regularly and the consign dealer was a reputable Winnebago dealer and did a full service when I got it about a year ago. My question regards the universal joint on the steering shaft that is in the cockpit and under a rubber boot. How many grease it and do you think many shops do it? My boot looks like it has never been moved and it looks like not a real nice job.
Thanks

[notslo]

I have a 03 journey 36 on a freightliner chassis. It has about 19000 miles and records show it has been serviced regularly and the consign dealer was a reputable Winnebago dealer and did a full service when I got it about a year ago. My question regards the universal joint on the steering shaft that is in the cockpit and under a rubber boot. How many grease it and do you think many shops do it? My boot looks like it has never been moved and it looks like not a real nice job.
Thanks

[MrG]

Unless you belong to FCOC, read the Freightliner Flyer or have attended Camp Freightliner, you wouldn't know about the need to grease it. Freightliner's web page service bulletins talk about it some also but the average Joe or service center doesn't know.

[SteveG]

I happened to be traveling through Gaffney, SC this summer so stopped by and let FreightLiner clean my radiator (Did a great job) and lube the steering zerk. Ours is a 2004 and I'd be willing to bet it had not been done before. They told me they have a special tool to fit to that zerk.
The shop that normally does our lubrication told me it wasn't all that important. And if I insisted they would lube it my cutting the boot. This "cutting" method was also given to me during a FreightLiner seminar.
Fortunately I held off and got it done without cutting the boot. So now I am set for the next 4 years. SteveG

[historyljc]

The big advantage of having you FL chassis serviced in Gaffney is that you can be confident that it's done right. I try to be "in the area" about the time my service is due.

[Shuffster]

SteveG

Could you described the "cutting of the boot" procedure? The top u-joint is the only fitting missed during my greasing of the chassis.

My previous coach (also on a Freightliner) had a boot that could be opened. If the surgery is not too bad, I may do it. Thanks.

[Old Snipe]

I cut my boot today and openned it up to see if the grease fitting had been greased. My unit does not have a greae fitting on the universal joint! I felt around and then got a flashlight to be sure. There is a screw in flat metal cap where the grease fitting would screw in.

Since I could see grease on the edges of the u joint cups, I left it alone. Some rainy day when I'm really bored, I suppose I'll install a zerk.

What do you recommend to seal the cut in the boot? Black electrical tape?

Best Regards!

[Troubleshooter]

I elected not to cut the boot that covers the steering linkage. My method is to work the boot up over the universal joint by using a Phillips screwdriver to streach the boot.
I then use a needle adapter on my grease gun to lube the zerk fitting.
While I lube the chassis every 6,000 miles, I normally only grease this zerk fitting every two years.

Bill
2002 Discovery

[notslo]

Well I decided to do the lift the boot trick, it worked well although I never really got the boot to fit quite like it was. Thanks