lubricate drive shaft on 1500?

[Shawn Burns]

I've dealt with the transmission clunk and forward lurch when the truck downshift from 2 to 1 since I bought it. It has certianly gotten much better with a hemifever trans tune. I still do feel like the drive train could be smoother on downshifts. Does anyone know if we can lubricate our drive shafts? I did a google search and all the videos that I find are for 2500 and 3500 RAMs.

I own a 16 1500 Rebel with 60k miles. I've done several drain and fills with maxlife and I have a PPE transmission pan already installed.

 

[Atcer2018]

Do you notice a distinctive “clunk” coming to a stop or a clunk on acceleration from a stop. I have that issue on a 2018 and it’s the front U joint and spline needing grease. Seems the grease gets old and hardens leaving play in the joint. There is a YouTube video titled “how to repair your drive shaft clunking noise” by McGo101 that may be helpful to watch. When searching for the vid the creator uses drive shaft not driveshaft in the title wording. May be worth your time.

 

[Curmudgeon]

Do you notice a distinctive “clunk” coming to a stop or a clunk on acceleration from a stop. I have that issue on a 2018 and it’s the front U joint and spline needing grease. Seems the grease gets old and hardens leaving play in the joint. There is a YouTube video titled “how to repair your drive shaft clunking noise” by McGo101 that may be helpful to watch. When searching for the vid the creator uses drive shaft not driveshaft in the title wording. May be worth your time.

I don't have a noise (yet) but I do have the clunk at stop. I can feel it but no noise. I'll be looking into this, thanks.

Hoping I can find the grease point on my 2014 1500 Laramie.

 

[turkeybird56]

There are no grease points on the U joints/spline on 1500's. If U want to grease, you would have to pull the shaft. This is IMHO only. I cannot remember the last time I saw grease jerks on universals and greased them, maybe the early 70's.

How To Repair Your Drive Shaft Clunking Noise

Hey guys. this is one of my first vids ever shot and posted so my apologies for the bad angles and editing. My pick up had a clunking after coming to a compl...

www.youtube.com

Clunking Rear Drive Shaft on Ram 1500 | Update of original video : https://youtu.be/kSI203fmGqY

Update: clunking rear driveshaft on ram 1500Hey, guys just did a follow-up on my clunking rear driveshaft repair from about a year ago. So far so good!. Orig...

www.youtube.com

 

[Curmudgeon]

There are no grease points on the U joints/spline on 1500's. If U want to grease, you would have to pull the shaft. This is IMHO only. I cannot remember the last time I saw grease jerks on universals and greased them, maybe the early 70's.

How To Repair Your Drive Shaft Clunking Noise

Hey guys. this is one of my first vids ever shot and posted so my apologies for the bad angles and editing. My pick up had a clunking after coming to a compl...

www.youtube.com

Clunking Rear Drive Shaft on Ram 1500 | Update of original video : https://youtu.be/kSI203fmGqY

Update: clunking rear driveshaft on ram 1500Hey, guys just did a follow-up on my clunking rear driveshaft repair from about a year ago. So far so good!. Orig...

www.youtube.com

Thanks, I'll check those links/vids.
My last vehicle with grease fittings just about everywhere was a 2006 Toyota Tacoma 4wd. And not needles but actual zerks/nipples.

 

[turkeybird56]

YUP...Personally, I would rather have grease points on frame and tie rods, and and etc and have to grease every oil change than this forever BS.

 

[BLUKTY2]

YUP...Personally, I would rather have grease points on frame and tie rods, and and etc and have to grease every oil change than this forever BS.

With you 100%. Lifetime lube=short lifetime.

 

[Shawn Burns]

Do you notice a distinctive “clunk” coming to a stop or a clunk on acceleration from a stop. I have that issue on a 2018 and it’s the front U joint and spline needing grease. Seems the grease gets old and hardens leaving play in the joint. There is a YouTube video titled “how to repair your drive shaft clunking noise” by McGo101 that may be helpful to watch. When searching for the vid the creator uses drive shaft not driveshaft in the title wording. May be worth your time.

I watched the video and his follow up. That looks like what I am looking for. I will try that during my next oil change to see if it makes a difference.

 

[GTyankee]

I think, only the 4 wheel drive Ram have 1 hard to lube ZERK fitting on the front shaft

GREASING Driveshaft RAM 4th Gen

Should have made this video a long time ago. When I bought my truck in 2012 my dealer service writer didn't even know about this, when he asked the mechanics...

www.youtube.com

 

[Shawn Burns]

I think, only the 4 wheel drive Ram have 1 hard to lube ZERK fitting on the front shaft

GREASING Driveshaft RAM 4th Gen

Should have made this video a long time ago. When I bought my truck in 2012 my dealer service writer didn't even know about this, when he asked the mechanics...

www.youtube.com

that was the first video that I watched. It clearly shows a 2500 cummins truck that he is working on. Does anyone know for sure if the 1500 has a zerk fitting on the front driveshaft?

 

[Atcer2018]

that was the first video that I watched. It clearly shows a 2500 cummins truck that he is working on. Does anyone know for sure if the 1500 has a zerk fitting on the front driveshaft?

My 2018 1500 does not have a zerk on any part of the driveshaft.

 

[turkeybird56]

No, it is for 2500...

 

[06 Dodge]

that was the first video that I watched. It clearly shows a 2500 cummins truck that he is working on. Does anyone know for sure if the 1500 has a zerk fitting on the front driveshaft?

If it has one the factory should have put a decal on Radiator support ( my 2006 2500 had a decal about it ) and I think its also listed in the owners manual about it possibly having one...

 

[EdGs]

I called my local dealer for a price on the OE u-joints on the driveshaft - $140 each x 3.

 

[Hydrasport23]

The driveshaft splines on the 1500 with 8 speed can be lubed. Set the parking brake and pull the rear u-joint at the differential. Remove or cut the rear clamp on the accordion boot that covers the driveshaft splines. Pull the rear section of the driveshaft out of the boot. You may want to mark the two driveshaft pieces before pulling them apart so you can put the splines back into the original position and that also helps align the rear u-joint when it's time to reassemble. I used a Teflon gel on the splines but you can use whatever you think is best, maybe a moly lube. You can either let the rear of the accordion boot slide on the driveshaft or clamp with a high quality wire tie.

 

[Marshall]

I am clueless when it comes to anything but posting pictures.
I watch Rainman Ray' a fellow from Florida, great funny mechanic, **** poor welder thou.
He did the center slip joint on a 2015 1/2t Hope it works for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tU2My2CXgg

PS looks like I figured it out, there are a couple ads at the start
H said wire the boot, or just let slip, that will let dirt in I would think, Hi grade zip tie's???
I would think you should be able to buy those band clamps, But us old farmers use wire for most stuff, out in the field, hammer , wire, pliers= toolbox.

A PS, Ray used a tube of blue spline grease , it was a Ford product. the customer said it would thump when coming to a stop , the grease fixed it.