Propeller Shaft Grease?

[ARCHINSTL]

OK - I know ths is going to come across as Granpaw Tom worrying about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin (or alternately, making a mountain out of a molehill), but...
Last year I installed a reman prop shaft from Powertrain Industries (which has performed flawlessly). It has rebuildable U-joints with Zerk fittings. The contact there told me to regrease them every couple of thousand miles, and that time has come.
Now, I've not had a DD car with Zerks for, Oh, maybe nearly 40 years or so*. So I bought a nice mini-gun from AZ that comes with a tube of (Chinese) "Multipurpose Grease" that makes no reference to moly or lithium content. Heck, I don't even know if such greases even existed 40 years ago; we always used "chassis lube."
So I go online for propeller shaft grease recommendations and find references to "only use grease with moly" and "only use grease with lithium" and "only use grease that is EP-approved." The PI contact today told me to use "All purp grease."
So, while your snickering is acceptable - suggestions?

OT, but I just discovered that the grease that is OK for drum brake hubs is not OK for disc brake hubs - same caveat for EP grease.
Tom M.

* For those with long memories - the Singer Roadster I had with its 34 (!) Zerks, despite being owned for 40 years, was not a DD - and was in fact a Garage Queen for many of its final years.

[Highlander]

Tom- I always use the EP moly grease in my U-Joints and steering knuckles etc. I like it because I know that the moly will help reduce the sliding friction of the parts even under high loads (thus the EP-Extreme Pressure)- Just a personal preference. and yes, there are different greases for drum vs disc brakes- the discs transfer a LOT more heat into the hubs than the drums ever did. For the front wheel bearings on my plow truck, I use EP synthetic grease because it doesn't wash out like dino grease, and it's slipperier at low temps. YMMV

[splatterdog]

The mini gun will limit your choices, unless you go thru the effort to repack small tubes from large tubes. Moly would be a good choice. I like Mobil1 synthetic myself. Amsoil looks like they have some better greases too.

[ARCHINSTL]

Well, since I can't find EP grease save in big tubs (and big $), I guess I will go with either Mobil 1 (300°) or Green Grease Hi-Temp (500°) or Lucas X-tra Heavy Duty (374°. It looks like all are compatible with disc brakes, too. Green Grease does come in the 3 oz. size as well.
I thought of taking back the mini gun, but it IS convenient and the prop shaft is the only thing I have that uses Zerks.
Thanks, guys.
Tom M.

[4wdchico]

Tom, the odds are above 90% certainty that the grease in your u-joints is lithium based. I use StaLube Moly-Graphite lithium based grease in almost all possible greased applications, even on bikes. Good stuff & reasonably priced.

As you may know, mixing grease base chemistry can cause a total lube failure. Just to be sure, I'd contact the driveshaft vendor and make sure.

[ARCHINSTL]

OK - I will call the CA home of Powertrain Industries (instead of the Springfield MO office) tomorrow, present my options, and ask.
Tom M.

[ARCHINSTL]

I talked to the Powertrain peeps in its home of CA. I was told any of the above would be OK for the shaft's U-joints. Basically, he said that just about any grease nowadays is SO much better than the stuff of yore that it matters not. He did say to stay away from lithium, if possible...? ? ?
So, I will go with Green Grease as it is available in the 3 oz. tube.
Tom M.

[4wdchico]

I talked to the Powertrain peeps in its home of CA. I was told any of the above would be OK for the shaft's U-joints. Basically, he said that just about any grease nowadays is SO much better than the stuff of yore that it matters not. He did say to stay away from lithium, if possible...? ? ?
So, I will go with Green Grease as it is available in the 3 oz. tube.
Tom M.

Hmm, the lithium grease they were warning you away from was most likely the old fashioned "white lithium" grease. The grease standard I am referring to is NLGI #2 lithium complex grease. Very nearly the universal standard for high temp EP applications including disc brakes. Sorry, I suppose that I was not being specific enough.

[splatterdog]

That green grease looks interesting. The one thing I don't like is the way it is presented. "as seen on TV" usually makes me suspicious. Their infomercial looking website doesn't help either.

Mobil1 may not be the best, but I quit trying new greases when boat trailer bearings quit going bad for me. My snowmobile trailer from 1997 does boat trailer duty in the summer. The EZ lube hubs on it sure help because they can be repacked without disassembly, but I haven't even looked at the original bearings yet. I check for play and give them a spin by hand once a year and listen for noise, still like new. My older boat trailer got new bearings every year and I tried a few different greases with no luck. That green grease sounds tenacious enough to deal with marine enviroment.

As far a staying put, I'd like to see both green and M1 in this test. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqvq5IHjHTg I would guess M1 wouldn't do as well. Must be the polymeric part that adds cling.

[celtglen]

Hello....

Speaking of that propeller shaft...maybe it is also what I need?

The U joint on the end of the intermediate shaft (power steering), where it connects to the Rack and Pinion unit--is a little loose. That is to say that it takes a little more than a nano second for it to engage the rack and pinion to turn the wheels.

Now my Tercel does NOT have the easily replaceable slide on and off u-joints...argh. So I am left having to replace the whole damned thing...sigh. OR I could find another shaft that fits that also has the replaceable u-joint feature (?)

Would the place you got your rebuilt shaft be a resource for me?

BTW the alignment I just had was very good...the alignment was NOT far out of alignment so there are no real problems.

Thanks

[ARCHINSTL]

celtglen - check the OE and AM Parts Forum; I posted a thread with info and a link to the Powertrain Industries site there.
So far, so good, on the shaft.
Tom M.
EDIT Ooops - another "Ready, Fire, Aim" moment for me...I just noticed you were referring to the steering column. I have no help there. Do a Search for info on that - there are some threads addressing that problem.

[Petros]

celtglen,

the steering shaft u-joint is easy to remove, you remove the pinch bolts (all the way) and the joint assembly will slide up and down on the splines to allow it come out. But finding the small u-joint might be a problem (and a machine shop will need to replace the actual join), I just get the assembly at wrecking yards when I find a good one. Replacement drive shaft u-joint can be purchased, but they have to have a machine shop swap them out for you, or as Tom did, just replaced the whole driveshaft with a rebuilt one.

You might also check for wear or slop in the rack, usually the u-joint has to be pretty bad before you notice it in the steering.