Spicer Driveshafts Service Manual - Manual (Page 12)

9
Lubrication Procedures
Spicer Life Series™ Lubrication
ALWAYS use support straps to prevent the driveshaft from
falling out of the vehicle. Failure to use a support straps
can cause damage to the driveshaft or result in property
damage, serious personal injury or death.
DO NOT attach the support straps to fuel lines, oil lines,
brake lines, or wiring. DO NOT entangle fuel lines, oil
lines, brake lines or wiring in the support straps.
Lack of proper lubrication is one of the most common causes
of universal joint and slip member problems. When properly
applied, relubable Spicer Life Series™ universal joints which
are adequately relubricated at recommended intervals will
meet or exceed vehicle operation requirements.
Note: Spicer Life Series™ replacement universal joint kits
contain only enough grease to provide needle roller
bearing protection during storage. It is therefore neces-
sary to completely lubricate each replacement kit prior
to assembly into yokes.
Note: There are numerous instances when special lubrication
is required by vehicle specifications or customer
request. The lubrication recommendations listed in this
manual are prescribed by Spicer Driveshft Division engi-
neering. Any alternate lubricants, or lubrication proce-
dures, are the responsibility of the user.
Inadequate relubrication intervals and failure to properly lubri-
cate the universal joints will cause universal joint failures.
Proper relubrication flushes the universal joints, thus remov-
ing abrasive contaminants from the bearings. Relubable slip
members must also be adequately relubricated to prevent slip
member failure.
Inadequate relubrication can cause driveline failure which
can result in separation of the driveline from the vehicle.
Recommended Lubricants for Relubable
Universal Joints and Slip Members
Standard Application
Spicer recommends that the following requirements be met
for any lubricant that will be used to service most vehicular,
industrial and all auxiliary driveshaft applications.
Note: Refer to Dana information bulletin number J3295 for
additional grease specification guidelines.
Failure to use Dana recommended grease specification
may cause premature component wear and void warranty
coverage.
• Use a good quality E.P. (extreme pressure) grease
• Timkin Test Load – 50 lbs/23Kg minimum
• Meeting N.L.G.I. (National Lubricating Grease Insti-
tute), E.P., Grade 2 specifications
• Grease must have an operating range of +325ºF to -
10ºF (+163ºC to -23ºC)
Consult your local lubricant source for greases that meet
these specifications.
Incompatible lubricants/greases which are applied to uni-
versal joints and/or slip members, can result in failure of
the driveline and can result in separation of the driveline
from the vehicle.
Grease Compatibility
When greases made from different thickeners are mixed, the
mixture may result in lower service performance or physical
properties than either of the original component products.
This reduction in lubricant performance is called incompatibil-
ity. It may show up in any of several areas, such as:
1. Lower heat resistance;
2. Change in consistency, usually softening; or
3. Decrease in shear stability.
Mixtures which show none of these changes are considered
compatible. Incompatibility is not always caused by the thick-
ener, since each of the greases in the mixture is a complete
package—thickener, fluid, and additives.
Sometimes the thickener of one grease is incompatible with
the fluid or the additives present in the second grease. If the
mixture proves to be significantly softer, less shear stable, or
less heat resistant than the original grease, the mixture shall
be deemed incompatible.
WARNING
WARNING
CAUTION
WARNING