91 XJ: front driveshaft double-cardan lubrication

Bill, the thing is, I've never even been able to see that grease fitting (for the ball), no matter how much I rotate the front driveshaft. Does the ball and spring put pressure on the spider? Is this how it stops the double-cardan joint from wobbling?

The thing is Bill, with the double-cardan joint installed, I can't even see that zerk fitting (for the double-cardan joint ball). The skid plate that holds up the xfer case is right there in the way, but even then the zerk fitting is covered by the knuckle of the spider.

Does the double-cardan joint ball and spring assembly put pressure on the spider to prevent wobbling?

Thanks for all your responses and advice too Bill. I really appreciate it. Were you a mechanic in a previous life (maybe after you were in the army)? What unit were you in when you were in the army?

I'm not as talented as Bill. I find I have to detach the front shaft from the transfer case to get the grease needle to the socket ball.

Steve

L.W.(ßill) Hughes III wrote:

More precisely, in the differential, the 'spider' is comprised of the two 'spider gears' and the 'spider cross shaft' that pins them to the case. The other two gears, the ones on each side connected to the ends of the axles, are called 'side gears' or 'end gears'. The 'spider' gets its name from the way it can crawl around on a side gear just like an arachnid doing a 180 degree turn.

Steve

L.W.(ßill) Hughes III wrote:

Bill, I noticed your Chevron station was near (or on) Foothill Blvd. Is that the Foothill Blvd. that runs thru Sylmar, Sun Valley and near Mt. Baldy? Why did you give up on your Chevron station? It looks like your station was a full-serve. I always thought there was a lot of money to be made in automobile service?

Was that pic of the Pomona dragstrip? I think that's the only dragstrip left in Southern California now.

The Jacket was from Pomona fair grounds, where they hold the> Winternationals now. The picture was taken in my front yard, when I was> home on ARMY leave '64 to give me something to carry with me, to show my> buddies, while the showed pictures of their girl.> God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O> mailto: snipped-for-privacy@aol.com

If the tcase was set to N or 2HI, you will be able to turn the front driveshaft, but in 4HI or 4LO, the front will not turn because the rear will have it locked up.

The double cardan is a kind of universal joint, it is not a ball joint.

Yes. The spring presses on the inside of that ball, and this keeps the joints lined up.

I thought you started your military with some guy named Washington. He made it onto the dollar bill, you are still a nobody ... How'd that happen?

Bill's station was in Vista, CA, not Pomona.