Prop Greasing Tips.

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C

Citizen Kane

Well-Known Member
Posts
323
Location
Hampshire
When I grease my UJ's I always find it next to impossible to get a good purge on all four of the bearings, invariably the grease takes the path of least resistance and at best I can get two of the four done. I brought an air powered gun in the hope that it may be able to force it through the more stubborn bearings with its increased flow, this has helped a little but I'm still not happy that all bearings are getting their fair share. I've had the props off over the Christmas period and up on the bench, if I use clamps to force the UJ over to the sides that are flowing well I can encourage one of the others to flow but I'm always left with one that's not getting its fair share, short of stripping the UJ's does anyone have a cunning technique to ensure all four bearings get purged and greased.
 
Leave it and just replace them more often? On the 110 (daily drive) a uj Probabaly has a life expectancy of 18months despite being greased regularly, but they are cheap and easy to replace and if done properly and regularly a uj swap only takes about half an hour including removal/refit of the prop.
 
Some years ago I bought a UJ that had little plastic valves in each cap. The idea was that as each cap filled the valve would shut and divert grease to the next cap. It did last longer than other UJ's but I can not remember what the make was nor have I come across them again. It could be that being twice the price of standard ones they just did not sell.
 
tottot said:
Some years ago I bought a UJ that had little plastic valves in each cap. The idea was that as each cap filled the valve would shut and divert grease to the next cap. It did last longer than other UJ's but I can not remember what the make was nor have I come across them again. It could be that being twice the price of standard ones they just did not sell.
Click to expand...

Sounds interesting, I've had a search around but cant find anything similar.
windy81 said:
use the chainsaw bar greaser, much easier
Click to expand...

I've no idea what a chainsaw bar greaser is, could you explain how would this help please.
 
I just assume it never goes to all of them, but once some it centrifugal effect should get some where its needed. Never really sure it makes much difference.
 
Has anyone else found that some of them can be impossible to get the grease gun fitting onto the nipple when the UJ is fitted?

I have to unbolt one of mine (front, gearbox output end) to be able to swivel the UJ far enough to get the grease fitting onto it.
 
Webley1991 said:
Has anyone else found that some of them can be impossible to get the grease gun fitting onto the nipple when the UJ is fitted?

I have to unbolt one of mine (front, gearbox output end) to be able to swivel the UJ far enough to get the grease fitting onto it.
Click to expand...

I have found the same issue particularly with cheap mass produced grease guns and cheap nipples.

Better quality grease gun and new nipples sorted it for me.

My preference is a solid pipe rather than a rubber connector pipe.

I use a wanner hand grease gun
 
I replaced the grease gun fitting with a better quality type and that didn't help.

I use a pistol grip grese gun with a flexible hose so I can hold the fitting in place with one hand and operate the gun with the other.

The way that particular UJ is cast makes it impossible to get a good angle for the fitting.

I recently saw a drive shaft from another non Land Rover vehicle where the yokes were purposely cast with clearance for the grease nipple.

If I ever have to replace that UJ I will grind some of the irregular casting off.
 
Webley1991 said:
Has anyone else found that some of them can be impossible to get the grease gun fitting onto the nipple when the UJ is fitted?

I have to unbolt one of mine (front, gearbox output end) to be able to swivel the UJ far enough to get the grease fitting onto it.
Click to expand...
You need an old fashioned plunger grease guns for such nipples. I bought one purely for the ins I cannot get a conventional one onto. They work by being held against the nipple rather than going over it. They are fairly cheap and hard work as an only grease gun but do the job well enough for those:

upload_2020-1-1_18-49-43.jpeg
 
freelance said:
Little and often
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+1 - Little and often is the way - I do ours every 3 months ...

In getting on for half a million miles, and over 50 years in LR's we have never replaced a UJ of our own - some of the ones I have replaced historically have been quite hilarious - fitting a new UJ has increased the value of the vehicle by 50% given the complete lack of routine maintenance :rolleyes:

I'd also recommend using better grease than LM - I use Castrol Pyroplex Red.
 
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