HELP. I need to grease a non-greasable u-joint. OK to drill cap?

[Carguy3J]

Ok, so I just got the front end mostly apart, on my '93 Ranger, 4x4, in order to do the '95-'97 brake upgrade, and do new ball joints, etc..

I replaced all the u-joints a couple years ago,with Duralast Gold non-greasable parts, in the front outer axle shafts. When I just pulled them out, one side of the "cross", on both shafts, is "squeaky" and feels dry. Given the minimal useage in 4wd, I think the joints are still good. They just need greasing. If I could, I would just replace them, but that's not an option. I don't have another working vehicle, so going out for parts is also not an option. I have an appointment for an alignment tommorow at 3pm, so this has to go back together.

I would rather not attempt to disassemble the joints, as a.) It will be time consuming, and b.) That risks a whole 'nother can of worms, due to rust,etc..

So, what about drilling a small hole in the end of each cap, to inject some grease, and then seal it back up? I can't just put in grease fittings, because there is no clearance to put the axle back through the knuckle. Would RTV last,and hold the grease in? What about JB weld?

I need some quick advice on this, as I have to proceed early tomorrow morning.

 

[Sogsnakebite]

grab a needle tip for your grease gun and carefully pierce the rubber boot and pump in grease

 

[Jack Flash]

replace the joint. it will save being stranded on the side of the road later on
,
,

J...JMHO

 

[Carguy3J]

replace the joint. it will save being stranded on the side of the road later on
,
,

J...JMHO

See quote below, from the original post:

I replaced all the u-joints a couple years ago.......
Given the minimal useage in 4wd, I think the joints are still good....
If I could, I would just replace them, but that's not an option. I don't have another working vehicle, so going out for parts is also not an option. ........

So, what about drilling a small hole in the end of each cap, to inject some grease, and then seal it back up? I can't just put in grease fittings, because there is no clearance to put the axle back through the knuckle. Would RTV last,and hold the grease in? What about JB weld?

I need some quick advice on this, as I have to proceed early tomorrow morning.

All I need is someone to weigh in on the feasibility of my proposed solution.

 

[Turdle]

If it is dry and squeaky the seal is gone. replace the joint.

 

[Carguy3J]

Would someone just address the question I actually asked, please?

If it is dry and squeaky the seal is gone. replace the joint.

If I could, I would just replace them, but that's not an option. I don't have another working vehicle, so going out for parts is also not an option. I have an appointment for an alignment tommorow at 3pm, so this has to go back together.

Again, THIS is the only question I am asking here:

So, what about drilling a small hole in the end of each cap, to inject some grease, and then seal it back up? I can't just put in grease fittings, because there is no clearance to put the axle back through the knuckle. Would RTV last,and hold the grease in? What about JB weld?

I need some quick advice on this, as I have to proceed early tomorrow morning.

 

[Turdle]

Ok, no. That is a effed up idea.

Sorry you are not hearing what you want to hear. We'll be on the lookout for the "help I am on the side of the road " thread.

 

[Carguy3J]

Ok, no. That is a effed up idea.

Sorry you are not hearing what you want to hear. We'll be on the lookout for the "help I am on the side of the road " thread.

If you look at all the other things I've posted over the years, you'll see I'm generally not a fan of doing things half-assed. In fact, I nearly always go overboard and replace anything and everything that might be bad, that's in the vicinity of what I'm working on.

As I've pointed out, in this case, I simply have no other choice. It HAS to go back together today. Either it goes back as-is, with a squeak, or I try to do SOMETHING to make it better. These are only the front outer axle joints, and winter is over. I don't offroad, or "wheel". It is unlikely I will even put the truck in 4wd again for a good 6 months or more. Had I known about this beforehand, I would have bought new joints. I didn't, and now I have no way of getting them, for this repair. Before the next winter, I will pull the shafts and change them. For now, I just need to put it back together, and just make sure the joints won't bind/pop.

Why do you think my idea is a bad one; other then seals being bad? Will the RTV and/or JB Weld not "hold" and get slung out, with the grease? The hole would be very small, so I don't think it would compromise the strength to a degree it would matter, in my situation, especially since I won't be using 4wd. This doesn't have to work forever; it just needs to buy me some time.

 

[delexploder]

I would call around and see if a parts store could deliver, advanced, auto zone, and all the others deliver to shops all day, im sure if you explain your store should be able to help, just an idea,

 

[Carguy3J]

I would call around and see if a parts store could deliver, advanced, auto zone, and all the others deliver to shops all day, im sure if you explain your store should be able to help, just an idea,

I've tried that before, in prior desperate situations. I'm not a shop, so no delivery. I Do have a commercial account at Autozone, but the closest one to me is about 45min.That is WAY outside their delivery radius.I've asked before, and they always say no. There is an Advance Auto about 15-20mins away. I would MAYBE be in the delivery radius, IF I were a big commercial account. I'm not. The local "independent" parts store is not an option, as the owner and I had a disagreement over a defective brake drum, and apparently my money magically becomes worthless at his store. And, that's about it. There is nothing else around. Everything is too far to walk. I have no friends/family anywhere remotely close enough to help.

I just rescheduled my alignment for tomorrow afternoon, so I may try to remove the joints and pack them with fresh grease. However, that's a risky proposition. If I break something, or lose a needle bearing, or even a snap ring, I'm REALLY screwed.

 

[kkjb4x4.0]

Put it back together,,it'll be fine,,and just go back in there and replace it when you can,,not sure about drilling holes in it.Your truck has locking hubs so just avoid 4x4 til it's replaced. Thats what I would do in your situation.

 

[Carguy3J]

Put it back together,,it'll be fine,,and just go back in there and replace it when you can,,not sure about drilling holes in it.Your truck has locking hubs so just avoid 4x4 til it's replaced. Thats what I would do in your situation.

Actually, the "holes in the end of the cap" idea isn't as "crazy" as it may seem.
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=387742&cc=1137923
This is a Moog joint, for this "position" (wheel joints) that has flush mount grease fittings in the ends of the caps, with no grease channel through the cross. This is exactly what I would be "making" by drilling the holes. The only problem is a.) making sure I don't get any shavings inside, and b.) I don't have any of those flush mount grease fittings. So, I guess I'm back to wondering if plugging the hole with RTV would work, or if centrifugal force would force it, and the grease, back out.

 

[delexploder]

That sucks, I hate doing things twice, I would just put it together and go get new ones, if you screw with the caps and have a problem your screwed even worse, other than that im trying to think is there any members near you?

 

[kkjb4x4.0]

If you drill the caps you still have to back in and replace anyhow and like delexplorer said you may end up with in more trouble than its worth.

 

[RangerX]

It is unlikely I will even put the truck in 4wd again for a good 6 months or more.

If that's the case, those joints won't be turning even an inch. No need to do anything other than reassemble.
But, if you want to drill and fill, I say go for it. You'll have piece of mind, until you change them out in 6 months. And it's not going to hurt anything.

I've had a squeaky ujoint in the front axle for years, it only squeaks when I'm in 4x4. Is it the best thing? No. Am I lazy? Yes. But when I'm in 4x4, I'm not bombing across the desert doing 75, I'm just puttering along a rocky or muddy trail. I'll get to it next time I do bearings.

 

[Carguy3J]

If that's the case, those joints won't be turning even an inch. No need to do anything other than reassemble.
But, if you want to drill and fill, I say go for it. You'll have piece of mind, until you change them out in 6 months. And it's not going to hurt anything.

I've had a squeaky ujoint in the front axle for years, it only squeaks when I'm in 4x4. Is it the best thing? No. Am I lazy? Yes. But when I'm in 4x4, I'm not bombing across the desert doing 75, I'm just puttering along a rocky or muddy trail. I'll get to it next time I do bearings.

Thanks for the input. I actually ended up just putting it back together as-is. For whatever reason, when I picked them up the next day, the "squeak" was gone. I had sprayed everything down with Kroil the night before, in anticipation of having to take it all apart. I think maybe it was a.) the rubber boots squeaking, and b.) the joints may just have needed to be moved around, to spread the grease, since they don't move much normally. Hopefully it will be ok.

As far as them not moving in 2wd, I have to disagree with that. Granted, there would be very little rotational movement, but there is enough drag, from grease,etc.. that they will spin a little bit, especially when the front wheels are steered while moving. I would be willing to bet that if you marked those joints, and did a day of driving in 2wd, you would find them not in the same position you marked them. The joints definitely need to be able to move, even just to allow the front wheels to steer. I have had a couple of these RBV TTB vehicles in the past, where they had all kinds of popping and binding, in 2wd, that was traced back to bad front wheel joints.

In any case, they are back in now. The truck is still down, but it will be back on the road shortly ( I hope). I now have a second set of front shafts, that came with my donor parts, for the '95-'97 knuckle/brake upgrade. I will rebuild, clean, and paint them, when time and money allow. This way, I will have a fresh set ready to just put in. minimizing down time.

 

[RangerX]

I've always been under the assumption that the driveshaft and axles are fully disconnected when in 2wd and hubs unlocked.
I'll do the mark the shafts test, just for my own info, but I'll report back here, too.