driveshaft nipples/zerks/titties

[hedz]

are the nipples i see on the different sections of my driveshaft at the yolks (mine has 3 yolks?, two with ubolts keeping them together) grease fittings(zerks, tits what have you) for my grease gun?

[blumule]

o yea! grease em up baby.

[Donnie]

YES, just grease them with a HAND gun. Only till you feel resistance, too much pressure & you will pop the seals & then you will grease the bottom of your truck, Like blowing the bags on ball joints. A little goes a long way......Donnie

[robroy]

Good evening Hedz,

Just like BluMule and Donnie have said, indeed those are grease fittings.

While replacing the drive shaft in #50 I learned a little about u-joints. One thing that might interest you to know is that new u-joints come in two styles: completely sealed, and with grease fittings. The maintenance-free (no grease fittings) u-joints still last a really long time, and the surprising thing I learned is that all other factors being equal, the maintenance-free variety tend to be stronger.

This may have been a myth, yet I heard from multiple sources, including the drive shaft shop that made my new drive shaft. The holes drilled in u-joints that have grease fittings actually decrease the u-joint's strength. Maybe the difference isn't much; I'm not sure. But it's another thing to consider if you wind up replacing them some day.

Robroy

[fordman]

that may not be a myth. racers use the sealed u joints for racing. dail ydrivers dont need as much strenght so a greable zirt is what is used so the u joint can be maintained.