I am going to take my 4Runner for an oil change, and noticed that on the coupon, it says "Lube the chassis."

Just curious as to what this procedure exactly refers to? I feel like a super noob asking this...

 

It used to mean shoot some grease in all the nipples on the suspension and driveline. Now most vehicles have everything sealed so there's not much to lube. On 4Runners the driveshafts still have greaseable U-joints.

 

Yep, the driveshafts, did mine last night. Gave'em a few squirts of mobil1 syn grease.

 

Oh, so just shooting some grease into the zerk's, right? For some reason, I just thought they were greasing the frame, so I was kind of confused.

 

I like that Toyota gave us that little card in the sunvisor with the DS lube points. The oil change people always look at me funny when I hand it to them....

 

I was confused by that at first before I started working on my own cars.

 

They Stick a grease gun on the fittings, 3rd Gen 4runners have 8 Fittings on the drive shaft and they aren't too difficult to grease. I Do my own Oil Changes, I don't trust any of them, I work at an Oil Change Place (Just for the money I hate the job, mainly because of the idiots that seem to work in that part of to auto industry) So most of them don't even know about Zerk's on the Drive Shaft, they just check for Grease fittings in the front suspension.

 

Does a 2007 tacoma have zerks to lube?

 

I've also heard of people spraying down their chassis with oil to prevent rust. Don't know if that has anything to do with "lubing the chassis". Never actually did it myself.

 

where are the zerk fittings (places to lube) on a Gen1 1985 4Runner?

 

They are listed in the '85 FSM, search for a copy on-line os see below:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/FSM.shtml

Basically they are on the front and rear drive shafts, fittings at each joint and slip yoke on each shaft.

 

here's a link to the thread which includes the replica of the visor card for most IFS trucks.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...r-card-235736/

it's also a good idea to add some grease to the turn stops which are responsible for that scary creaking sound some of our trucks make when performing a full-lock turn.

add to that list, some lithium white spray to the door check rods...

...and some dry graphite lube to the key cylinders...

 

This made me lqtm.

I pictured in my head some guy in coveralls under a car with a tub of grease rubbing it on the frame rails by hand.


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I will have to consult and reference my own '85 FSM when I get home this evening, but just to be sure I'm on the right track, exactly how many fittings should I be looking for?

 

At least one per joint (unless they are sealed) and one at the slip yoke. The CV joint up front usually has at least two. All depends on if it is the original joints or has been replaced.