2019 OR Propeller Shaft: No Zerks for DIY Lubrication?

Read that around the 2017 Tacomas, Toyota for some reason did away with zerk fittings for consumers to DIY their own lubrication jobs. Instead they went with sealed u joints.

I haven’t gotten under my 19 to see and confirm yet. I’m expecting none as well on front and rears. I will this weekend.

Can someone confirm on a 2019 OR?

Also, if theres no zerks, than is there a way to do this myself or is it a dealership thing...

How do the Toyota techs lube a sealed u joint to lube it. They wouldn’t replace the whole thing. .. I’m just trying to make sense of it.

I hate going to the dealership and try to DIY as much as possible. It will be disappointing if this is solely a dealership only type of maintenance.


Thanks.

 

Toyota shifted to sealed units. They actually last longer and I haven't replaced one yet.

Your ball joints, tie rods and control arms all don't have zerk fittings either, they will last 20+ years as well.

Don't worry.

 

@crazyfingers told me that 2017+ do not come with zerks on the rear driveshaft ujoints. If you really need them, buy some greasable ujoints and rebuild your driveshaft with them.

 

They are supposed to be lubed for life but you can replace your u joints with ones that have zerk fittings.

 

not sure about that. Ball joints dont last that long

 

Thats interesting. Thanks. Wonder why starting at the 15k mileage maintenance list it says “lubricate propeller shaft”.. Maybe it’s a generic listing that the techs dont even bother with especially since its sealed.

 

They can last that long, like anything it varies. I assure you there's lots of Tacomas on original ball joints.

 

100% its old literature. I still check for zerks but even tundras don't have them anymore.

 

Awesome. Thanks for the insight again. I guess it is a good thing after all for it to be sealed now.

 

I used to be the same mentality and promoted Moog parts with zerk fittings for ball joints etc.

But I'm further in my career and dead set against them. Moog also now offers with and without for most of their products now.

 

Great. These Toyota engineers decided to go with sealed for a reason I’m sure. One less thing to worry about being on top of.

 

The big thing that you want to get good at is adjusting the drums during tire rotations. Dealers tend to skimp on it.

Also I suggest cross diagonal tire rotations with tacomas.

 

My lower ball joint boots are already split

 

The Front Driveshaft still had them until recently but yeah probably just an oversight or generic listing.

 

Far as I know my 2019 DCLB OR has zerks.
Or at least the service Dept took pictures of someone else's to show that they added grease to mine.... And said it was a pita to get around my skidplate.

I haven't gone up in there to check yet. Might also be a LB/SB thing.

Tldr: How many or where they are I don't know, but I think there's some.

 

I haven't been able to find a single zerk on my 2020, I wonder if the long beds have them.
In my opinion manufacturers getting rid of zerks is just them idiot proofing the vehicles; I can't speak to automotive specifically, but in industry the majority of our bearing failures come from over greasing, using incompatible greases, or contamination(not cleaning the fitting off or using old dirty grease guns) and not from under-greasing.

The majority of people including techs don't understand that all grease isn't created equal, there seems to be a misconception that if it's thick and slippery then its better than nothing.

 

OP, if 4x4, you should have two on the front driveshaft. Just crawled under my '19 OR DCSB as I'm approaching 30k and spotted both. Looks like the dealer did hit em at 15k.

 

2018 OR double cab long bed has 1 single zerk at the very front of the prop shaft

 

Front or rear prop shaft?
Rear prop shaft zerks were phased out within a year of 3rd gen introduction. Front driveshaft zerks were retained for a 2-3 years, iirc.
Only 4wd models ever had them...
Did you buy your truck used?

 

Front. Yeah, used 2018 off road