Front propeller shaft grease nipple missing

[Ashram]

Hi all, just got the 2007 Hilux back from a service and they reported the "front drive shaft grease nipple" missing. I haven't yet gone under to have a look but I presume it's the front propeller shaft that is missing 1 of it's 3 grease nipples.

2 questions:
A) Is it feasible a grease nipple would go missing, or is the more likely scenario that it wasn't installed when I had the u-joints replaced last?
B) Is it easy enough to replace myself given I'd need to take the propeller shaft out to install a new nipple? I have basic to intermediate mechanical skills. Also does anyone have a good video to help me?

[Rob_Wood]

Could've been either of your "A" options ro something else all together. Not worth dwelling on to be honest.
You can buy replacement grease nipples easily enough and you should be able to put them into the front shaft without too much hassle. I'm not sure why you want to remove the shaft just to put in a nipple? Unless you wanna go to the hassle of pulling it apart to clean, but I'm not sure you'd need to. Once you find which one is missing it should be easy enough to look into the hole and assess whether you need to do anything more than clean around the hole and install the replacement.
My main concern is why didn't the mechanic you're using just replace the missing nipple himself? That to me is nothing less than shoddy workmanship. An absolute lack of pride in ones own work. For a nipple that'll cost 1 or 2 dollars and take 1 to 2 minutes to put in ... Just dodgy ... Unless of course you asked him not to do anything about it?

[Philos]

I'd slide under and tackle that job myself. Give the area a very careful clean (without pushing any crud into the hole where the nipple is fitted) will be the key. I'd also clean out the hole carefully with a cotton bud and once the nipple is screwed in, try and flush out any gunk that might have already gotten into the joint with plenty of grease. I'd go back and re-grease after a week or 2 as well.

Mr Pedantic.

[241steve]

have a look and see if its broken off ? Why couldn't who ever serviced ity deal with it on the day? Anouther useless mechanic why couldn't they get the remaining piece out and screw a new nipple in even easier if the nipple was never there in the first place .

[Gipsy]

X2 it's like going to a tyre shop with a flat tyre and they give you a written report saying the tyre is flat

Very poor workmanship and I would cross them off my list of good mechanics to take my car to.

[Ashram]

The mechanic didn't mention it at all despite going through the report when I collected the vehicle. I noticed it on the report when I had a more thorough look when I got home. The report states exactly "Nipple on front tail shft missing will require removal of front tsilsshft and cross member to fit new part".

I've had a look this morning and it's the grease nipple on the universal joint spider. Can these be fitted without taking the propeller shaft out? It's quite a pokey little space, I'm not sure I could get my fingers in there to seat a nipple without taking the prop shaft out.

I guess the other question is if I were to put another nipple in without removing the shaft how would I make sure it wasn't full of dirt? I can't picture how I would do this without taking apart the universal joint because any dirt would get blown into the caps.

[Gipsy]

Probably not likely to have much dirt because 1 it's in the front under bash plates etc and 2 the shaft rotates thus any dirt etc will be thrown out due to centrifugal force.

If the nipple is completely gone you could put a new nipple in a socket and fit it into the universal, or use long nosed pliers to get the thread started.

[Rob_Wood]

Probably not likely to have much dirt because 1 it's in the front under bash plates etc and 2 the shaft rotates thus any dirt etc will be thrown out due to centrifugal force.

If the nipple is completely gone you could put a new nipple in a socket and fit it into the universal, or use long nosed pliers to get the thread started.

DITTO, you beat me to it Gipsy, you've said everything I was gonna say.
The only one you didn't say is if you have a "little one" who likes helping daddy, then the smaller fingers might make a difference in getting the thread started.

[Gipsy]

The 'little one's might just lose a finger in the process

[Rob_Wood]

The 'little one's might just lose a finger in the process

Ya not supposed to have 4WD engaged & driving while doing the job, besides if they understand what it is to get.a.thread.started,.then they'll be just fine.
After all, daddy is right there under the car with them.

All part of the learning curve.