I have only owned my '99 4Runner (SR5,V6,4WD) for two months or so... I am still just getting used to it and learning how to do basic things on it.
I was lubricating the chassis today and I have a question that hopefully one of you more experienced people can answer...
When pumping grease into the fitting on the propeller shaft sliding yoke I expected to keep pushing grease in until it starts coming out from the seal between the inner and outer part (that's how it used to be on the Jeep I had before getting the 4runner). This never happened... On the rear sliding yoke I put 150 squeezes of the grease gun, and on the front one I put 100 squeezes. It seemed like too much, yet no grease came out around the seal. The inner and outer parts of the sliding yoke did separate slightly though, like if pressure was building inside them and pushing them apart.
Did I put way too much grease in? Am I in danger of damaging something from the pressure I created inside the sliding yoke and all the grease? What's a better way to do it and how do I know when to stop?
Any advise will be very appreciated!

 

I think if you do a search on slip yokes or slip joints there was a great thread on this and someone did the same as you.

 

Wow 100-150. I did mine this weekend and gave it 5 shots per fitting. Cant imaging giving it 150. How many grease tubes did you use :pat:

 

I have the small grease gun (the 3oz cartridges) and it took me between 1.5 and 2 cartridges to do all the grease fittings (I found 8 of them) on the driveshaft.
Is that how many fittings you found on yours, or is there some that I missed?
Is it really bad I put so much grease in the slip yokes? If so, how do I get the excess out before it has done some damage?

 

I'm no mechanic but for what its worth, I grease mine the same way on my 90 4Runner; pump grease into the rear propeller till it starts to move. Since doing that every oil change, going into reverse is much easier and shifting is smoother. Only downside I've found is the underside in that area is covered with the grease that slings out.

 

I did the same thing to my 97 a couple months ago. I used Mobile 1 synthetic grease and pumped quite a bit more into that joint than all the others. It even pushed the joint out a little before grease came out of it. I think that's normal.

 

Along those lines...I have an '03 Prerunner (2wd w/rear locker) and I haven't, as yet, got a service manual. But the owners maint manual states that on all prerunners and 4wds that every 10k or so that the propellor shaft must be retorqued. OK, what/where is it and what would be the torque specs ??
Thnx.
Is the 'propeller shaft' code for something else ?

 

call me stupid but I don't understand how lubing your slip yoke will cause your manual tranny to shift easier.

 

no one ? see my post above

 

there's 4 bolts on each end of the driveshaft that connect the flanges to the companion flanges of the tranny in the front and the diff in the rear. the torque on my '98 for those is 53 ft-lb. I don't know what it is for the 4th gen though.

 

I would also suggest cleaning the slip joint section of the drive shaft well and wiping a thin layer of grease onto it at each grease job. My back shaft wasn't bad but the slip area on my front shaft was getting rusty. I polished it up with emery cloth and wiped grease on it and the rust has not come back.

 

this is a given but I'll point it out anyway, make sure you mark the slip yoke and the shaft and flanges so you can line everything up again if you do this.

 

I've read somewhere that to much grease in the slip yoke will blow the seals under load (articulation) I don't believe this is the case-maybe under extreme conditions ..I've been greasing mine till I see a slight movement in the shaft-every couple of months or so for 98K miles-no probs yet.

And welcome to the board!