r/4Runner • u/sehkoyah • 2h ago
🎙 Discussion Just greased my 5th gen zerks 1st time!
( Apologies in advance for any errors/ typos)
My “new” 2023 TRD ORP has a little less than 15k on it but I was eager to learn how to grease the driveshaft & Spider joints. I’m reasonably mechanically inclined, but if I can do this, ANYONE can. I always learn best kinesthetically ( by doing). I’ve typed up a little of my advice as a newbie for other newbies, hopefully in a way that makes sense.
PRIOR to Greasing: First, I watched a bunch of YouTube tutorials and from different angles to see where the zerks were and how to grease them. Then I decided not to buy a cheap grease gun and I’m very happy with my choice: Lock ‘n’ Lube no.153, pistol grip. $75 on Amazon. There are way cheaper and just as good grease guns, but some require a steeper learning curve than the Lock ‘n’ Lube. I figured with a tool that can rupture under 8000-10000 PSI that I didn’t want to chance it.
GREASE: Then, I bought the correct Grease- NLGI no.2 LITHIUM or LITHIUM-complex. I studied grease types, learning that NLGI no.2 by itself is not an indicator of proper grease. ( neither is color a strict indicator either) for my 5th gen 4Runner, It has to be Lithium or Lithium Complex, NLGI no.2. The manual states that this type can be used on all propeller / shaft/ spider zerks. There is a molybdenum option for this as well but never mix greases without understanding what is correct. Be sure to prime the gun before greasing and mark the gun with the grease type to avoid mixing greases.
If you’ve never done this before: I will start by saying that if this is anyone else’s first time doing this, ( unless your vehicle is lifted at least a couple inches) you might want to hike your vehicle up on some 6x2’s and chock it if you don’t have a ramp.
It’s a TIGHT fit. I am petite, 5’4” and slim, and my 4Runner has standard tires (265’s) and isn’t lifted. I barely fit under there. I did it in my driveway on a large piece of cardboard.
Safety/ prep: Additionally, I wore my shooter’s safety glasses ( mainly because they have bifocals so my 54 yr. Old eyes could see! ) , nitrile gloves, and got some thick paper towels and Fantastic household cleaner to wipe the zerks. You might need a headlamp. I did not because i did it in my driveway in the morning and could see fine.
My 20 year old son got under there with me and immediately located the zerks on the front shaft. Front is easy because you can turn the shaft freely to access the zerks. Clean them with the cloth dampened with the household cleaner- clean side of cloth each time to avoid contamination. Once I did the front, the rear was tricky because I couldn’t rotate the shaft to get to the zerk.
TIP:
Easy way To get access to the rear zerks/ line them up: mark a rear tire at 6 o’clock with some chalk. Start the car and reverse/ or forward it until the chalk mark is at 12 o’clock. This put the zerk EXACTLY where I could access the zerk & grease it!
Another thing, keep track ( unlike me this 1st time ) of where you’ve greased and don’t over grease the OUTSIDE ( visible on the shafts) zerks. The spider/ U/ hidden inside joints can be greased until you hear a crackle.
I attached a photo of the grease gun I purchased. I used VALVOLINE LITHIUM NLGI no.2 (RED) Grease in a 14oz tube.