Thread: Inaccessible grease point on double-cardan joint

Maybe find a solution that makes it easy to remove?

Originally Posted by rick130

It's the centring bearing for a double cardan shaft which is impossible to access from below due to the angle of the shaft.

How much does the angle improve if you roll the front right wheel up a car ramp on its own? Then use a bottle jack to allow the wheel to rotate to align the grease nipple to the best position.

Originally Posted by bee utey

How much does the angle improve if you roll the front right wheel up a car ramp on its own? Then use a bottle jack to allow the wheel to rotate to align the grease nipple to the best position.

Don't know and won't be doing it on the Deefer ever again.

I think I got into it from the side once, but I could be mistaken???
I just remember greasing it before installation and the last time it was done the floor came out as it was easier than dropping the shaft which had happened in the interim.

Originally Posted by bee utey

How much does the angle improve if you roll the front right wheel up a car ramp on its own? Then use a bottle jack to allow the wheel to rotate to align the grease nipple to the best position.

Worth a try, will give it a shot this week.

Ok I tried the front wheel up, no go. Maximum articulation of the right front wheel only gives around 10-15 degrees of movement to the propshaft and only opens the bottom of double-cardan joint by a millimeter or so.
I tried the local Bunnings for the grease gun fitting set, couldn't find it but came away with an air gun set with a nozzle that might work.

Originally Posted by POD

Ok I tried the front wheel up, no go. Maximum articulation of the right front wheel only gives around 10-15 degrees of movement to the propshaft.

Understandable. You need to lift two wheels. If you lift the front left, you also need to lift the rear right. Lift them under the axle. Just far enough to allow the wheel to spin.

Not going to cut it I'm afraid, the front diff would have to go up by more than a foot from resting height to be able to get the supplied tool into the joint, the double cardan is of course the fulcrum point for propshaft movement so large movements at the other end make a very small difference at the joint. A quick look yesterday showed there was no chance of getting at it from the bottom by axle articulation. Back to trying to get a tool in from the top.

Unsure of which type you have - theyre likely to be either the flush type or the button head type.
Mine are the flush type.

Macnaught's needle coupling leaves junk everywhere, I used to use them on my Merc, but now I have these.
MS24203-1 / MS24203-1 FLUSH FITTING NOZZLE, FLUSH FITTING COUPLER

Either way, you can order the bit you need here:
GREASE FITTING COUPLERS | GREASE FITTING COUPLERS, GREASE GUN COUPLERS, ZERK FITTING COUPLERS

See if this is what matches your UJ fitting.
FLUSH TYPE GREASE FITTINGS, FLUSH ZERK FITTINGS, NAS516-1A, NAS516-M1

These are the button head type, which you can easily grease with a special 90º fitting. If you have the button head type.
Button Head Grease Fittings, Button Head Zerk Fittings, Giant Button Head Grease Fittings