Community Forums

Pigman1 · 12-03-2015, 05:49 PM

I've had a couple of "services" performed where the business flat out lied to me about lubing and other issues. Whether it was the service writer's fault, the tech's fault, or company policies, I don't care. THEY LIED...FLAT OUT...NO DOUBT.

This is why I've only found 3 places in the country I'd trust with my rig, and why I do 99% of all my work myself. The places I trust let me watch, and ask any questions I need to. If you need someone to trust, TRUST BUT VERIFY.

Pepperell · 12-04-2015, 04:48 PM

My God, a u joint is a simple device. As was said above:

If new grease does not purge at the seals, loosen the bearing cap bolts and re-grease until all four caps purge. If new grease still does not purge, disassemble and clean or replace the universal joint.

Just check the bearing surfaces for galling before reassembly. It ain't rocket surgery.

twinboat · 12-04-2015, 04:57 PM

Rocket Surgery ? :?

I have, on many occasions,
needed a porta power and torch to get the caps out of large U joints.

One slip of a needle on assembly and the joint fails, down the road.

It's not exactly a walk in the park.

holycow · 12-04-2015, 05:28 PM

You are right in expecting better than what you received. In the real world as the guy mentioned they are after the quick buck, the quick fix. and quickly moving on to the next truck load of easy money. All four sides of the joint should pass grease. Many times that is not the case in the real world so the real world protocol requires that whatever necessary steps be taken to do the job properly are taken. A bunch of excuses or in your case A load of B.S. aren't getting it done. Monday morning I would be back in their face . You just left a $145.00 of your money there after receiving nothing for it. It's like holding the money up and touching a match to it .

JRPA · 12-04-2015, 05:35 PM

I agree that it really isn't rocket science, but it does require purchasing new bolts and getting out the torque wrench. I do plan to take the u-joint caps off, check it all out and get the grease flowing before spring but the main point of my post if the fact that when you take your vehicle to a dealer you expect to have it done right (meaning how the service manual states) and expect to have my questions answered honestly. Most of us are older and not a limber as we once were and getting down under a 40,000 lb. vehicle and crawling around on the ground is something we would prefer to pay someone else to do and do it correctly.

There are more shade tree mechanics on this board than I was aware of, but we have all paid our dues and we all get to do it the way we want to do it. I have no doubt that we can take short cuts on our rigs and they will still last a lot of years and miles but eventually the few bucks saved today will cost a lot of bucks down the road and maybe worse, but it may be the next owner that has to pay.

How ever you do you maintenance, Good Luck to everyone...

holycow · 12-04-2015, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRPA

I agree that it really isn't rocket science, but it does require purchasing new bolts and getting out the torque wrench. I do plan to take the u-joint caps off, check it all out and get the grease flowing before spring but the main point of my post if the fact that when you take your vehicle to a dealer you expect to have it done right (meaning how the service manual states) and expect to have my questions answered honestly. Most of us are older and not a limber as we once were and getting down under a 40,000 lb. vehicle and crawling around on the ground is something we would prefer to pay someone else to do and do it correctly.

There are more shade tree mechanics on this board than I was aware of, but we have all paid our dues and we all get to do it the way we want to do it. I have no doubt that we can take short cuts on our rigs and they will still last a lot of years and miles but eventually the few bucks saved today will cost a lot of bucks down the road and maybe worse, but it may be the next owner that has to pay.

How ever you do you maintenance, Good Luck to everyone...

You hit the nail on the head when you mentioned that a lot of us aren't as limber as we once were and many things are getting harder for a lot of us to do. This has many of us having to purchase services we would have never purchased just a few years ago and did them for our selves and did them well. It is disappointing to pay thru the nose for service and not get it.

InfinityJim · 12-04-2015, 05:49 PM

I'm a little confused... if this is a DP with larger ujoints (not little ones like in a jeep or truck) loosen up the bolts holding the caps where grease isn't flowing and pump away. If it still doesn't flow then loosen the bolts some more and try again. In all my years working on heavy equipment & RV's I always insist all 4 must have grease flowing and usually the hardest part is getting the retainer backed off to loosen the bolt. it's normally just hardened grease at the tip and once that breaks free it'll take grease just fine.

JRPA · 12-04-2015, 06:11 PM

Jim
That is exactly what I thought, but I went to look up the service manual to see what the torque would be when tightening the bolts back up. I even ordered a torque wrench from Harbor Freight so I could put it back together correctly, but in the research I found the Spicer Service Manual states the bolts are not reusable and if loosened must be replaced. I would have to go to Freightliner to purchase a kit with the bolts and straps before putting it back together.

I have done this job dozens of times in the 60's and 70's on cars, pickups and such and I am a certified Airframe and Powerplant mechanic but haven't worked on aircraft since the lat 70's so I felt qualified to do the job but being almost 70 years old, I decided this was getting to be a little more that I wanted to mess with so I decided to cough up a few hundred bucks and have them replaced or greased correctly by Freightliner.

I am not saying which way is best, but I was definitely disappointed in the Freightliner experience so I will be doing it myself on a warm afternoon soon, so I know it is done right.

stan5711 · 12-04-2015, 06:30 PM

I think I would have just lost my trust in that company and I would make sure I never used them again.

There more and more of this goes on everyday.

InfinityJim · 12-04-2015, 06:38 PM

Yes spicer does state to only use once as when torqueing it stretches the bolt and it truly is the best CYA. It's all a compromise, normally the worst that can happen is when re-torqueing the bolt breaks, and yes that's awful for everyone involved. I take that chance on occasion on a older unit that at least I'm getting grease flowing. Hasn't happened yet, but I'm sure the bolt could break later down the road. But if you loosen it, re-torque it and get the retainer back on without breaking any of it, your probably much better off then not getting grease in it.

On a side note, I see coaches up on my rack that are 20-40 years old that you just have to wonder if the U-joints have ever been lubed. Shoot I see 5-10 year olds that still have black paint on the fittings, with pretty high mileage. At least for RV's.

If changing them makes you sleep than I say do it!

super_rep · 12-05-2015, 08:05 AM

When our SIG turned 100,000 miles last summer, I had the U-Joints replaced just as a routine maintenance item. I always use Speedco for service. Went the tech is under the coach, I always tell them to make sure the 4 caps on each end purge and that they try to shake the drive shaft before greasing it.

JRPA · 12-05-2015, 09:05 AM

Chet
I think your comment exemplifies what many here assume is happening, now I would suggest the next time you have it lubed, once they are finished ask if you can go down in the pit (several folks have told me that is acceptable?). Don't be surprised if you find they are not all purging grease as you requested, and as the U-Joint manufacturer recommends in their service manual.

When I took mine into Speedco last week, the manager on duty said he would see if he could get them all 4 to purge and when they didn't all purge he let me know he wasn't successful. I asked if he tried to tap on the drive shaft or anything to help the cap that wasn't purging and he said all they do is pump grease in it and they cant do anything else.

So if you have a cap that doesn't accept grease when you go in then you will most likely have the same condition when you leave. My guess is that there are a lot of folks here that assume when they leave Speedco (Freightliner or any of the lube shops) they have a fully greased Motor-home and that may not be true.

Weather that matters to anyone or not is another question, many seem to think that as long as one cap purges grease then the u-joint has been greased successfully and I am starting to agree that that may in fact be adequate but I am still trying to figure it out.

There is the Real World and there is the Perfect World and the service manual may be referring to "In a Perfect World environment."

deandec · 12-05-2015, 11:04 AM

This thread discusses the proper way to grease a U joint:

The correct way to lube U-joints?? | Grease | Bob Is The Oil Guy

gemini5362 · 12-06-2015, 01:01 PM

I have not seen anyone advise on using the tool that opens up grease zerks. It is a small cylinder you fill it full of a lite oil like wd40 and then attach to the zerk and hit it with a hammer. That will free any old grease out of the zerk. I am thinking the same thing might work with your grease caps. put some light oil and force to push hardened grease out.

https://www.zerkzapper.com/