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Dodgedogjb
Dodge Dakota
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2/04/2002
20:32:36
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 Subject: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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I have a 99 Dakota ClubCab with 50K miles on it. About once a year it develops a noise in the drive train that gets worse with time and temperature. The dealer used to fix it every time by "Lubing the rear double cross joint" as they put it. I assume this means the U-Joint on the driveline??? Does anyone know if this involves removing the U-Joints and pulling them apart to get grease inside to the needle bearings or is there a spray (Like TriFlow) that I can use lube it while its on the truck? I'm not sure that a spary will get past the bearing seals???
The noise, if anyone is interested, happens when the truck is warmed up and traveling between 10 and 24 miles an hour. Outside those speeds I don't hear it. How to describe it??? Ummm...king of goes wah-wah-wah. The pitch and interval increase and decrease with speed. Noise occurs even with engine off. Its not the brakes I don't think because it has the same pitch regardless of brake pressure. All the suspension pieces are torqued and lubed so I don't think its that either.
Thanks
Joel
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bigdakota87
Dodge Dakota
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2/04/2002
22:41:10
|  RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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there should be a little screw somewhere in the cross section of the U-joint. get some U-joint lube from ur local auto store, unscrew the screw, squeeze in the lube until it starts to ooze out the little screw hole. Thats when you know its packed good. then just put the screw back, and you should be done.
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dodgedogjb
Dodge Dakota
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2/05/2002
01:16:47
| RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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Thanks...I'll look for it. My Chiltons manual didn't say anything about that and I don't recall seeing it when I was under there but I didn't know to look for it so it very well may be there. Thats will be much easier then removing the driveline....thanks.
Joel
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bernd
*GenIII*
2/05/2002
01:54:10
| RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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Some come with Zerk fittings and others are "Non-Serviceable" (aka: no zerk-fittings). Standard bearing grease is all that's required for them (no such thing as U-Joint grease...it's just bearing grease). Look inbetween the points of the u-joint and if you see a small "nipple" (aka: zerk fitting), that's where the greas gun is attached to.
1997 Dodge Dakota SLT - V6
Supercharged/Intercooled @ 10# w/Nitrous
14.55 @ 96.01mph
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bernd
*GenIII*
2/05/2002
02:14:07
| RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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Oops...minor correction: U-joint grease is a relabeled bearing grease.
1997 Dodge Dakota SLT - V6
Supercharged/Intercooled @ 10# w/Nitrous
14.55 @ 96.01mph
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Dodgedogjb
Dodge Dakota
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2/05/2002
03:12:37
| RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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I didn't see a Zerk Fitting anywhere near the U-Joints. The Chilton pictures look exactly like my U-Joint and they show a bearing cap on each end of the plus sign looking piece that each U connects to. I don't think there were any screws to allow grease in either. I'm afraid that I may have to take the U-Joint apart which entails popping the bearing end caps off and putting grease in them that way. I'm gonna do it tomorrow so I'll let you guys know.
Joel
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Steve H.
Dodge Dakota
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2/05/2002
12:50:23
| RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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I personally would replace the u-joint with a greasable kind. If I am going to all the labor trouble to pull the u-joint(s) out then I am going to replace it/them. Then you will have new u-joint(s) NOT old 50,000 mile u-joint(s) with new grease. Discount Auto, Pep Boys, Napa, etc. all carry them.
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Dodgedogjb
Dodge Dakota
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2/05/2002
18:24:53
| RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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Excellent suggestion. I just purchashed the replacement parts and am getting ready to do it. I was under the impression these parts were much more expensive but I got two for $30 and they are greasable so hopefully I won't have to take the driveline off again in the future.
Thanks again.
Joel
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Nick
Dodge Dakota
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2/05/2002
21:33:00
| RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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Good luck with your problem. I have the same truck as you and also had the same problems. I couldn't locate an aftermarket u-joint for my application. They dont have fittings on the factory u-joints. When I tried to get one from the dealer they were back ordered at about ten different dealers because the service tech. said that this year (99) has a lot of problems with u-joints. I tried to rig an aftermarket one on and it caused a terrible vibration. I ended up getting one from a dealer for around $50. YA FOR A FU_KEN U-JOINT. They're on CRACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have a five speed with the 9.25" rear end. I guess this set-up wasn't that common which is probably why I couldn't find one!! U-Joints AND I DONT GET ALONG
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Dodgedogjb
Dodge Dakota
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2/05/2002
21:56:25
| RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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Really...you couldn't find U-Joints. I called three places and they all had them. Thats odd. The thing that I find really funny is that the dealer has greased the original un-greasable ones twice before when the truck was under warrenty. That would mean taking them off and pushing grease in and then putting them back together. Seems to me that Dodge would be smart to put the greasable ones on just to save themselves the time and money.
Well if you really can't fnd U-Joints call Baxter Auto Parts in WA state and they will probably ship them to you if you can't find them locally.
Anyway...noise gone....problem solved...thanks fellas.
Joel
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kevster
Dodge Dakota
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2/06/2002
21:32:15
| RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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The Dealer was just blowing smoke, they just shot some WD-40 in that area and called it good, nobody is going too press off a u-joint, pull out the needle bearings and repack em, put it back together and re-press U-joint on driveline, takes to much time and not worth it, Install new u-joints, you will be happy you did, and make sure the new ones are the heavy duty.
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Dodgedogjb
Dodge Dakota
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2/06/2002
23:00:23
| RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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I tried the WD-40 trick as a quick fix...didn't help a bit...the bearing seal kept it out. All I know is they fixed it twice and it lasted about a year each time. The new ones are heavy duty and greasable so I think a quick spuirt now and then wil be more than sufficient.
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Muzzy
Dodge Dakota
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2/07/2002
02:20:58
| RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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Are you sure your U-joints don't have "flush-type" fittings on them? Mopar for years has used Spicer U-joints which are some of the best in the industry. My 2001 doesn't have enough miles on it for me to check it yet, but my 91' has flush-type grease fittings. They look like a tiny bolt heads that have the center caved in. It looks nothing like a Zerk fitting. It is located on the body of the joint in between the caps. You may have to turn your driveshaft to see it or clean dirt and grime. Here is a link to the tool you would need to grease it:
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/product4510.html
You can buy them usually at the local Autozone or like store for about $4.
Do not spray your U-joints with wd40. WD40 is not a high speed/pressure lubricant like bearing grease. It will wash away what grease you have and dry up at speed. It's not pretty when a drive shaft lets loose.
I grease my drive shafts once a year. Clean off excess from the ouside and be careful not to put so much grease that is breaks the seal. Once you break the seals, you will have to grease them more often. I hope this help ya'll
-Muzzy
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Dodgedogjb
Dodge Dakota
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2/08/2002
16:47:01
| RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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I sprayed the WD-40 on the U-Joints to clean off the grime so I could get a good look at them before I went throught the trouble of removing them only to find out they were greasable. But even after removing them and thoroughly cleaning them, it is clear that there is no way to grease the stock ones I had without removing them from the vehicle and pulling each bearing end cap off and putting grease in with your finger.
Joel
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Muzzy
Dodge Dakota
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2/08/2002
22:02:33
| RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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That's disappointing. It seems Mopar is getting cheap with their parts. If anyone finds a good quality greasable U-joint, let us all know. I will see if I can find a Spicer catalog. Even if they don't list one for our application, you can get them by measurement. That's one way I have found to get a lot of performance parts not typically made for Mopar. Like bearings, bolts, pistons, rods..etc.
-Muzzy
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Bobby Daniel
Dodge Dakota
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7/26/2002
23:00:17
| RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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Where are are the greasing lube points that I need to hit at each oil change? I don't want to miss any. THanks, Bob 98 DAK 3.9 5 speed
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Dr. D
Dodge Dakota
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7/27/2002
10:07:39
| RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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Concering u-joints :
Go to NAPA and buy them ... manufactured by Spicer!
The discount parts stores do sell a cheaper version and for some reason I have found them more difficult to install and more prone to give you trouble.
Dr. D
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sandman
Dodge Dakota
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7/28/2002
10:54:23
|  RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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Try to use either a good moly grease or Krytex CV joint grease. I always use moly. I usualy get 12 years off a set of ujoints and have never had a OEM wheel Bearing fail!!! I have one the has 16 year old bearing still going strong. Every 24,000 or if I submerg the front end while 4 wheeling I re-pack. The first 10 year I repacked them ever 12,000 miles or once a year as it got older I started to get lazy.
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sandman
Dodge Dakota
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7/28/2002
10:55:17
| RE: Greasing U-Joint Bearings...HOW?
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Try to use either a good moly grease or Krytex CV joint grease. I always use moly. I usualy get 12 years off a set of ujoints and have never had a OEM wheel Bearing fail!!! I have one the has 16 year old bearing still going strong. Every 24,000 or if I submerg the front end while 4 wheeling I re-pack. The first 10 year I repacked them ever 12,000 miles or once a year as it got older I started to get lazy.
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