drive shaft u-joints maintenance

[Monty_CZ]

Hello, my drive shafts u-joints on my robin hood 2b failed after 3k kilometers after rebuilding them (rebuild was done at the end of the March). They said, that they wasn't lubricated. I did not know that it was necessary to lubricate them. How often should I do it? They said once a year, but mine failed after 6 months. Or is it possible that I have too much power for this driveshaft? Robin hood 2b, Zetec 170HP 210Nm

[Grim]

driveshaft CV joints should be packed with plenty of molybdenum disulphide grease. As long as the boot does not fail and the grease leak out, they should not require further maintenance.

Edited October 17, 2019 by Grim

[Monty_CZ]

well, they said that they were dry and it was the reason why they failed. There are traces of grease, bud not that much: 

 

[brumster]

Driveshaft or propshaft? I am guessing from the video you mean propshaft (from gearbox to differential)?

If so, I would only think these need lubricating once a year, if that...

[Monty_CZ]

oh my mistake. Of course it is propshaft. Well it lasted only 6 months, so maybe once a year it is not enough.

[brumster]

I am going to go out on a limb and suggest there's probably a varying degree of quality in terms of UJs and propshafts. Depends where the propshaft came from, but maybe it was made "to a budget" (not saying by you, just whoever supplied it)? Or it may be you was just unlucky with this one (it can happen, you just get a "bad one")... annoying though. I have a spare prop from Robin Hood somewhere, not sure it's right length, but given your location it's hardly an easy "pop over and collect"

[Monty_CZ]

it's not necessary. I've picked it up repaired at the local cardan specialist today. Tomorrow I am going to install it, so no problem.  They did all the work now and also 6 months ago. But this time they installed different type of the U joints. Or I think that because the nipple for adding grease is completely different.

All I wanted to know if anyone had same problems, and also to know how often should I grease the u-joints and what type of grease should I use.

[brumster]

Cool, glad you got it sorted. I think normally I'd say once every 12 months was fine but maybe in light of your experiences you might want to do it every 6 months

[Leslie Walters]

I would have to agree with brumster in my experience these joints do vary greatly in quality, remember when greasing the grease is only added through the "cross" of the joint and will follow the line of least resistance so don't be shy and keep firing it in there!

[Pintogogo]

Bit of a longshot …. but are the grease nipples a standard size thread

[blue]

In all my years as a technician I’ve never bought a prop shaft that came packed with grease UNLESS the supplier stated so. That’s new or rebuilt maybe the supplier forgot to tell you it needed Doing before fitting.