How many pumps of grease should use for my joints and fittings? People keep telling me just give it a few, but the previous owner could have never done this so it could need a lot. Can i use too much?

 

Number of pumps is a variable depending on the fitting, how much grease it holds, and your pump itself.

As to whether you can "over grease" a bearing: in general more bearings fail because of over greasing than under greasing (my opinion). For instance, I have roller bearing flange bearings on my Hydro system. The hydro has been on 24/7 for 31 years. It goes through the bearings on the pelton wheel, about one set per year. If I overgrease, they can go out in 3 months, as opposed to 12 months. I suspect the same applies to driveshafts... of course it would take years instead of months.

The other side of the argument is that the instructions that come with my '94 4Runner say to regrease the driveshaft etc after everytime they see water. I see water every time I drive mine (a ford across a 2ft deep creek). I do not regrease but once a year, regardless of that advice. And I've never lost a u-joint, except for an Rx7 at 160K. Probably was undergreased, as that thing is so reliable I tend to neglect it.

For my own vehicles, I stop at three, or if resistance increases.

I'd like to hear others opinion/experience as well.

 

u joints slip joint:pump it until grease come out. Ball joints pump it until the boot starts to swell. there is no set # of pumps. anyways that is what I have always done.

 

Yes you can use too much. The boots on my IFS were dry rotted and I used too many pumps and a hole burst in the side of the boot.

Rob

 

pump it till it squirts

keep a little pressure on w/a finger till the boots feel firm

 

For fitting without boots, If theres grease coming out theres no dirt going in.

 

On my 94 pickup, I pump 'til the old stuff starts to squirt out, then wipe off the excess. If you let the excess nasty, black grease fling all over your undercarriage, then you're going to smell it. It isn't a bad odor, nearly worth bottling and using in the house, kinda like burnt rubber air freshener, ahh- garage scents. I can't remember where I read that you should pump until the old stuff comes out, but my truck ain't complaining about lube, dude. The ball joints like stated earlier are supposed to fill, but my truck has the greaseless front end and all that requires pumping every several thousand miles is the driveshaft zirks, or cardian joints or whatever. Just pump and wipe