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How To Lubricate Your Driveshaft Slip Joint

Loschro50

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Well done !! Thank you. I have a PPE Larger capacity trans pan I need to install. Do you have a DIY video on that install? Thank you
 

Grandaccess

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Only thing I would add is to be as liberal with the LocTite as you were with the grease, otherwise excellent job.
you could use the Red LOL
of if you want to have to melt it out next time use JBWeld :)
 

Friday yet?

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Yeah , i marked it ... and i did it with the tires on the ground so it wasn't even rotated. Not sure how I screwed this one up. First attempt it went in about halfway before I felt it resisting so I thought maybe too much grease so I pulled it back apart . After that each attempt went in less and less , maybe an inch or so and I would have to hammer it back off.
Doing the trans fluid today in just a little while, via the Fitzstick. And, or at least was, doing the slip joint either today or tomorrow depending on when the grease gets here. (What's up with no one having the flipping grease in stock?!) But after reading again about Robert's headaches with this project, I am now chicken. Again. Big chicken. I plan, or planned, on simply dropping the carrier bearing as I do NOT want to remove those bolts on the Tremor driveshaft where it connects to the diff. But I feel in my bones that I'm going to be under the truck and the damn thing won't go back together. In a perfect world I wasn't even going to let it completely slide out. Just a guesstimate of 90% out, add lube and reinsert.

Not happy. Truck needs this badly. Badly. But I just know this project is going to go sideways.
 

NotBudule2

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In a perfect world I wasn't even going to let it completely slide out. Just a guesstimate of 90% out, add lube and reinsert.
Thats what I wish I had done , put a jack under it and slowly let it slide apart, but not all the way...
 


NotBudule2

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And dont let my experience discourage anyone else , I have a knack, almost like a "superpower" sometimes as no mere mortal can accomplish some of the amazing f'ups that I can without really even trying ...
homelander-theboys.gif
 
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Stevedbvik1

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Doing the trans fluid today in just a little while, via the Fitzstick. And, or at least was, doing the slip joint either today or tomorrow depending on when the grease gets here. (What's up with no one having the flipping grease in stock?!) But after reading again about Robert's headaches with this project, I am now chicken. Again. Big chicken. I plan, or planned, on simply dropping the carrier bearing as I do NOT want to remove those bolts on the Tremor driveshaft where it connects to the diff. But I feel in my bones that I'm going to be under the truck and the damn thing won't go back together. In a perfect world I wasn't even going to let it completely slide out. Just a guesstimate of 90% out, add lube and reinsert.

Not happy. Truck needs this badly. Badly. But I just know this project is going to go sideways.
FWIW I removed my driveshaft on my Tremor without any issues. The bolts at the diff come out easy and the Rzeppa joint just needed a few taps to get it out of the pinion flange. Just remember to mark everything before removing stuff.
 

Friday yet?

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FWIW I removed my driveshaft on my Tremor without any issues. The bolts at the diff come out easy and the Rzeppa joint just needed a few taps to get it out of the pinion flange. Just remember to mark everything before removing stuff.
Sounds good. But I'm still 🐔 . Debating it.
 

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Question for the forum. @Stevedbvik1 makes dropping the Tremor driveshaft sound easy. Trying to work up the courage to do so, versus dropping the carrier bearing and trying to lube the joint that way instead. So the question is, do I use lock tight when reinstalling the small bolts holding that Rzeppa joint onto the diff? Also, any of you gurus know the torque spec for those small bolts?

Also, if the 🐔wins out, do I use lock tight on the bolts for the carrier bearing? I'm assuming so. Blue I would think?

Really not liking the idea of this project. Want the results. But not the potential 💩 show.
 

Stevedbvik1

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Question for the forum. @Stevedbvik1 makes dropping the Tremor driveshaft sound easy. Trying to work up the courage to do so, versus dropping the carrier bearing and trying to lube the joint that way instead. So the question is, do I use lock tight when reinstalling the small bolts holding that Rzeppa joint onto the diff? Also, any of you gurus know the torque spec for those small bolts?

Also, if the 🐔wins out, do I use lock tight on the bolts for the carrier bearing? I'm assuming so. Blue I would think?

Really not liking the idea of this project. Want the results. But not the potential 💩 show.
35 ft lbs
Clean threads on bolts and use blue loctite
 

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35 ft lbs
Clean threads on bolts and use blue loctite
Thanks!

You may have talked me into just unbolting the shaft at the diff... as I should for this job. If it was simply a 4 bolt u-joint set up I'd not even be hesitating. But I just do not like the look/idea of unbolting that Rzeppa contraption.

Got to go walk my dog and do some more thinking/fretting on this project.
 

Stevedbvik1

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Thanks!

You may have talked me into just unbolting the shaft at the diff... as I should for this job. If it was simply a 4 bolt u-joint set up I'd not even be hesitating. But I just do not like the look/idea of unbolting that Rzeppa contraption.

Got to go walk my dog and do some more thinking/fretting on this project.
Here’s from the shop manual

IMG_3093.webp


IMG_3092.webp
 

Friday yet?

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I am operating on the incentive program. Want to drive your truck to work tomorrow? Well, put it back together!

So far, not too bad. And very little grease on slip joint. Assuming I get it back together, between the trans fluid yesterday and new grease on the slip joint today, I’m figuring it’ll be putting out @530HP at the wheels. :rockon:

Update. Mind telling me why neither O’Reilly’s, Autozone nor Advanced Auto have the flipping clamps?!?!?!?! For now wire ties it is. WTF?! Just lost an hour for nothing.

Final update. Truck is back together. Unfortunately with wire ties instead of the metal crimp clamps. Not going to drop the driveshaft again simply to install the proper metal clamps. So I ordered some Thomas & Betts wire ties. I'll change the cheap/typical/junk ties I just put on it on next weekend to the T&B ties. Those should hold up for quite some time. If/when I ever have to lube the slip joint again I'll order the crimp type clamps ahead of time.

Folks on here often comment about the lack of grease when they take the slip joint apart. Well I'm adding to those comments. With the extremely "low to the point of almost none" level of grease on my truck no wonder it was often bumping and jerking when stopping and/or when starting off. Low speed in rush hour had gotten pretty frustating. But some of that was the transmission as well and again, I fixed that yesterday with the fresh fluid and addition of Lubeguard.

Took a test drive just a bit ago once I got the driveshaft reinstalled. Between the trans fluid partial change yesterday and the slip joint lube today, it is honestly like driving a completely different truck. Seriously folks. No exaggeration. I'm stunned at how smooth it is now. On the test drive I was trying to induce the "hit in the rear" while coming to a stop due to the slip joint. Nope! All smooth.
S M O O T H. Let me be clear, SMOOTH.

For those of you who may be 🐔 to do the slip joint on the Tremor due to the weird piece at the differential, don't be. It really wasn't that bad. Granted at my age getting under and out from under the truck 6348 times was getting old. And probably not pretty to watch if I'm honest. And I'll feel a bit of it tomorrow. No doubt someone who's done it prior, or is younger... or both, you could have done it much faster. It took me 4 1/2 hours total. However, in my defense right after I got started I realized my torque wrench would not go down to 35#'s. So I had to go buy a new torque wrench. Deduct 30 minutes. Then when almost finished I realized I did not have any crimp type clamps that were large enough. So, that was the trip to O'Reilly's, Autozone and Advance Auto. Completely wasted trip. But all told that ate an hour. So, in reality, I did it in three hours. Which means many of you guys are probably looking at 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Score me at 3. I'm ok with that.

Really wish I had to make a road trip tomorrow. The drivetrain on this thing is as smooth as it can possible be now. Would love to go put 400 miles or so on it just to enjoy how great it is running.
image.webp
 
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