Lubricate Propeller Shaft (4wd)

Hi, First time to lube our Tundras drive shaft. Looking it up i see it calls for two different greases. The double-cardan joint calls for moly-disulphide lithium base, all others lithium base chassis grease. How important is it to follow these directions? Is it harmful to treat the double-cardan joint same as all the others and use lithium base in it? The truck is a 2020 4WD, bought it used with 26K on speedo, like you i want to get as much service from it as can be had. Thxs for your advice.

john in New Mexico

 

Following... I don't have an answer, but I wanna' know too.

 

Joints are sealed, can't lubricate on your model year.

 

Same for 2019?

 

There hasn’t been zerk fittings for a long time on the Tundra. I think they stopped around 2017 ish.

I can confirm that my 2020 Tundra doesn’t have them.

 

Yeah. My 2019 doesn't have any zerks.

 

Sweet!! One less thing for me to probably neglect.

 

Yes, just buy new driveshafts when yours die prematurely.

 

I hate that they aren’t serviceable. All the driveshaft shops in my area are sketchy and take forever.

 

You are basically on hook now and need to replace them every 10 to 15 years. At least that's my experience with sealed driveshafts.

 

I don't have enough first-hand knowledge on the difference between greasable and non-greasable u-joints but this video would have you believe that it's actually an upgrade to have the non-greasable joints

https://youtu.be/JSPC2Toq27g?si=m3cNnS7k0A72EESw

 

Yeah, if it becomes an issue in 15 years (when I'm 76) that's probably what I'll do.

So you've had to replace them I take it?

 

On my other vehicle (old Volvo wagon).

 

@shifty` in the FGT research this and here’s us early guys use.

$13 Valvoline Moly-Fortified Gray Full Synthetic Grease 14.1 OZ Cartridge

$15 Valvoline Moly-Fortified Gray Full Synthetic Grease 14.1 OZ Cartridge
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CQ4DK0


Where non-full-synthetic / non-moly is required and for loose-bearing applications, use the following in tube or tub, both are NLGI 2 (<$5):

$10 Valvoline Multi-Vehicle High Temperature Red Grease 14.1 OZ Cartridge

$10 Valvoline Multi-Vehicle High Temperature Red Grease 14.1 OZ Cartridge
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CQ4DIM OR

$13 Valvoline - VV614 Multi-Vehicle High Temperature Red Grease 1 LB Tub

$14 Valvoline - VV614 Multi-Vehicle High Temperature Red Grease 1 LB Tub

 

I’m told the moly fortified is best where shiny surfaces slide across one another as in the slip yoke

 

I've since switched up where moly is required.

The Valvoline 985 tube has 2.5% moly. Ever since I installed my lift, the SPC arms call for 3% moly, and I've moved to Valvoline Palladium #2

$15 Valvoline Palladium #2 3% Moly, Heavy Duty (HD) Grease 14.1 OZ Cartridge

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0735RLMCC/

 

Correct.

But in the regular ujoints, you don’t want the moly grease - just regular red grease like shown above. It is available in synthetic, just maybe not valvoline.

The little rollers in the ujoint ends are supposed to roll. With moly grease, they will tend to slide. Also the moly additive is a solid, which can gum things up. I had a long conversation with an engineer at spicer a few years ago, and thats what I was told.

so i follow the toyota recommendation, which mirrors what spicer says.

 

In reality you can probably use Valvoline red or RednTacky on your entire OEM driveline

 

Title wave of replies, john you're in the right spot. I searched this question before joining this group and asking. The search yielded the link pasted below, guess i need to scroll a bit more to learn some about where i was at. Anyway thx for helping me out here, no fan of 'life time lube' bits and pieces but guess that is what we've got until it seizes and needs replacement. https://www.tundras.com/threads/lubricate-propeller-shaft-4wd.111055/

 

I think the U-joints without the zerks will last several hundred thousand miles with normal use in mild climates. YMMV with severe use or salt

 

Wow, no grease fittings and reading this thread confirmed it.

I'm disappointed with Toyota, so many things done right with the 2019-2021 and with the 2022+ fiesco no thanks.

But...... No grease fittings.....? Huh? ...... No transmission cooler.... Head scratcher!

I'm a Land Cruiser guy and a maintenance nut, I feel incomplete without greasing the drive shaft after an oil change but.....

Kinda makes me rethinking selling the 2007 4.7 tundra, such a great truck for years but we needed more for our new Jayco trailer.

 

Most people can get 150k+ miles out of u-joints. Some people never change them ever

If you're super paranoid, you can get spicer u-joints for about $40 a piece. All of the popular chain autoparts store let you rent a tool for free (deposit needed) to make swapping them easy. I can swap out a set in about 45 minutes from when I park my truck