Freeing up a drive shaft slip joint

[Tebbsjeep]

After hearing about @SoopaHick's woes, I decided to check out my rear drive shaft's condition. I couldn't get the slip joint to move by hand, but I could pump a bunch of grease into it and it would move slightly. As well as pushed some brown rusty grease mixture out of the splines.

What are my options for reviving the slip joint? I know it should be tight-ish, but I think I should be able to move it by hand.

 

[4x4_Welder]

Disassemble and scotch brite it to clean it up as much as possible, then grease and reassemble. If it's binding now, though, it may continue to bind with a load on it. That can cause a popping sound getting on it or letting off, and can also cause trans/t-case damage.

 

[Hickey]

Make sure your cap and plug are in place. Neither of those were keeping the grease in and debris out on @SoopaHick Jeep, so no matter how much he cleaned and greased it, it would seize up again.

 

[Tebbsjeep]

What really sucks is that this is a relatively new drive shaft from tattons. The jeep sat for a year, and I guess that wasn't good for it. Does the dust cap have to come off in order to split the two pieces?

 

[SoopaHick]

Make sure your cap and plug are in place. Neither of those were keeping the grease in and debris out on @SoopaHick Jeep, so no matter how much he cleaned and greased it, it would seize up again.

Agreed on this. When I replaced all the ujoints and repaired the damage the first time I cleaned the crap out of the slip and it was only good for about 2 or 3 weeks. Then it started making noise again... and the Tcase and more is dead....

You should be able to separate it pretty easily. If your rubber boot is in place you'll have to slide that off.

Glad I could inspire you to give your vehicle attention...?

 

[Tebbsjeep]

How do I get the dust cap off? Does it pry or screw off?

 

[Hickey]

How do I get the dust cap off? Does it pry or screw off?

Some are threaded on, some are snapped on more like a bottle cap.

 

[Tebbsjeep]

So I got the shaft separated tonight just by pumping grease into it. I hate wasting all of that grease, but 5 bucks in grease is a lot cheaper than a new drive shaft. The splines don't look that bad. Only the exposed 1/3 of the splines has any real corrosion.

Is the blue coating on the splines really important to try and keep? Or can I scrub the splines with a brush without much worry? I still need to bathe the other end with brake clean so I can see inside. Once it's all cleaned up I'll coat everything with anti-seize.

 

[I Lean]

The blue coating is plastic, to reduce friction and remove slop. It makes the slip splines last a LOT longer. You should be able to scrub them with solvent and a brush without worry....but I wouldn't take a wire wheel on a grinder to them if it were me.

 

[Tebbsjeep]

So i got everything cleaned up. I also discovered that the weep hole was plugged, and that more than likely caused my issue. If water did get in the slip, then it couldn't get out. Should I use anti seize, or lucas HD green grease on the splines? Which performs better?

 

[I Lean]

I vote grease, since that's what you'll be putting in it later, through the zerk.

 

[Tebbsjeep]

That's what I ended up doing. It's still a little hard to slide it, but it will move by hand now.