New U Joints Won't Take Grease

[TheLawnRanger]

I replaced the u joints on my truck. They went on pretty easy. I though the project was almost over until I went to grease the u joints before reinstalling the driveshaft. I can't get any of the 3 u joints to take grease. I am also using a new grease gun that has grease coming out but doesn't seem to lock to the zerk. Is there something I need to do to the gun or zerks before pumping the grease?

 

[Pelican]

Get yourself a "Lock and Lube" to fit on your grease gun and no more problems.

 

[clinebarger]

Assuming that your using Neapco or Spicer joints.....It's probably your grease gun!

Is your gun fully bled & primed? I've never needed a locking tip for greasing U-Joints. Could be an issue with you not getting square on the zerk or you have a junk gun/tip?

 

[TheLawnRanger]

Spicer u joints, Performance Tool grease gun

 

[Lubener]

If you can't squarely attach the gun to the zerk,it will never snap on the zerk and you will never get grease in and will squirt all over. Could be a cheap, Chinese made grease gun that will never snap properly on the zerk.

 

[Driz]

Try a flex hose on it. If you can't get straight on the zerk it won't snap down. Sometimes
The straight pipe on most guns won't sometimes let you get the angle you need. They're only a few bucks at any place carrying auto parts.

 

[Hootbro]

Ditto on what others are saying to find a better fitting and/or grease gun to lock on the zerk. Also, I would recommend for first time installed zerks is to get a small pick tool and make sure the little nipple ball can be depressed. I have had new zerks not take grease because the nipple ball was stuck.

 

[TheLawnRanger]

I had a bad coupler on my new grease gun. My neighbor brought his over and it worked fine. The coupler on the neighbor's grease gun went right in the zerks making a popping sound as it went on letting me know it was on good enough. After that, no problem except the u joint with 2 c clips. Grease was not coming out of those rollers until I loosened the vice grips holding them on until I reinstalled the driveshaft.

Thanks to everyone who gave me advice for this project on this and a few other threads. I had a successful test drive earlier this evening.

 

[littleant]

They also make a needle point adaptor that works well when greasing joints when the driveshaft (still in vehicle) does not allow getting square on the zerk fitting. My 02 Jeep is like that on driveshaft and axle shafts.