[Jaggu]

A word of caution, while greasing ensure use proper grade grease. Dont go for that dark, thick stuff some service stations use. They are of very cheap grade, ideally get a grease gun and some good kgms of proper Gulf white grease or the likes.

[Samurai]

If I get a grease gun myself, I need to know where to apply it. Looks like I need one more underbody photography session.

BTW, I think here they only use that dark thick stuff.

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by Samurai

What are the underbody parts that are greased after wash and why?

I do not know all of them. But, your washing carried off grease on any open joint such as where your leaf springs are connected to the frame. These need to be greased continually. How often? I dunno. I do it about every 3000k-5000k depending where I have been, e.g. desert=more often. But it is cheap to do and greatly prolongs the life of the joints. You have ridden in MUVs and rough taxis and heard the infernal squeaks and groans upon every little bump? If you do not grease it, you get to listen to a lot of that. You are going to listen to some of it anyway, probably. That's a jeep!

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

There are different grades of grease. Bearing grease is used to - well - grease bearings. This is what you will want if you want to lubricate bearings near the wheel of the axle / differential housing. This is higher grade, and will cost more.

Forgot the name for other cheaper thing. Of course, that too is XYZ grease. That is what they apply to leafs and such parts, or to parts which which require frequent greasing. There will be greasewalas at truck parking points. Can be identified by a grease gun (rather a barrell) of approx 20KG capacity with tubes and a pump up and down type lever on teh top they lug around. Just look around the highway or in fuel stations which are frequented by truckers. Even bus stands will have them. They will know where to apply the grease. :-) Get this done from a couple of different places and next time, you will know where to apply.

Basically - the fuel pump bearings,
- the 8 stirrups of spring leaf assembly, (grease is applied between the leafs only to minimise the friction and is forgotten till the next time the leafs are dismantled).
- drive shafts / joints (look out for two Y(okes) with the open end of the Y at 180 deg to each other).
-Steering rod connectors ("tie-rod ends").

At all points, supposed to be greased, you will find grease nipples - usually tightened with a 10 size spanner and a "ballooning ball" type end with a hole. The hole acts as a filter to keep out dirt and helps the grease gun to squeese in the grease.

That said, I do not think you need to grease too frequently - may be every 1000 Kms or so.

And a piece of advice - Do your 2nd leafs have a big look at the extremeties? The leaf assembly connects to the stirrup through the hole on the top most "main leaf". What happens if the main leaf snaps? The entire housing / axle is separated from the chassis, and vehicle becomes undrievable. In order to minimise this, the 2nd leaf - has a big loop at the extremeties, so that even if the main leaf breaks, entire leaf assembly is not separated from the chassis. (err.. I did not do a blow up of your pics - a good zoom would show it.

Edit:- the more expensive bearing grease would be difficult to "shoot" through a grease gun.

Using grease guns is a very dirty job. You need to suck in the grease into the gun and then close it and clean the outside before applying the grease at required places. Grease guns come in several varieties and sizes. Half KG or one ones can be used by simply pressing the body after holding the "needle" at the point to be greased. Some guns have a pumping mechanism. (think of a "holi water" - not "holy water" syringe with a pumping mechanism).

I recommending ones with 2 KG capacity, a long "needle", a sucking lever at the other end (like they have in baygon / filint spraying guns, AND a pumping lever on the side.

[gotzuk]

This is what i use..
a stewart warner alemite grease gun..
standard issue on willys mb/ ford gpw from may 1944..
and still working cheers:

[Jaggu]

@backseat driver: You get diff grades of grease yes, and i was not referring to thinner bearing grease for the jeep. But proper branded grease which is grease more than a mix of grease, oil and what not.

@samu: dont get confused with applying grease between spring plates, that usually is done when plates are dismantled. More important are the stirup thingies that backseat driver is referring to.

I would suggest buying a good quality grease gun and a barrel of grease next time around when you goto mangalore. Your local guy can help you with the greasing part then. Or you have to get ready to crawl underneath and get your hands dirty.

Greasing at 2000 kms/3months (since you wont be running her much) is a good idea. Immediate effect will be smoother steering and suspension. Also buy some spare nipples to replace, if any of them are chocked/broken etc.

[madbullram]

Sam: How did you spend on coating and what brand? Can you post more details on that? I am planning to get Wruth coating for my jeep. Any suggestion

[kuttapan]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

There are different grades of grease. Bearing grease is used to - well - grease bearings. This is what you will want if you want to lubricate bearings near the wheel of the axle / differential housing. This is higher grade, and will cost more.

Forgot the name for other cheaper thing. Of course, that too is XYZ grease.

Would that be chasis grease?

[headers]

Originally Posted by kuttapan

Would that be chasis grease?

Any general purpose grease would do for the jeep. Remember that the jeep is a low cost low maintenance vehicle. We often need to grease the nipples to keep it going smooth.

Also, not all the grease packed in the joints is going to stay there, it is open to environment [read as sand water etc..] and hence the life of the lubricant is also limited.

[gotzuk]

attached is a scan of the lubrication chart from
the cj manual which tells you all the places which
need lubrication and what you need to lubricate them.
cheers

[Samurai]

gotzuk, you just handed me a treasure map.

This is just too good, I am taking a printout right away.

Originally Posted by headers

Any general purpose grease would do for the jeep. Remember that the jeep is a low cost low maintenance vehicle.

I think you are right, this Jeep until before the previous owner was used basically for utlitity purposes by a plumber and similar sort. I don't think they used any premium stuff any time, the basic cheap grease must have been used all the time. Not sure whether I need to start pampering now.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

kuttapan - yes. It is chassis grease. Thanks for reminding.

Like lubricating oil (engine oil), brand does make a significant difference in quality. We always used castrol/crb, but those vehicles were heavy vehicles. I guess that light weight jeeps can make do with lesser greases.

gotzuk - wow!!

[headers]

Originally Posted by Samurai

I don't think they used any premium stuff any time, the basic cheap grease must have been used all the time. Not sure whether I need to start pampering now.

Samurai, the effect of pampering a jeep is not all that great. At the end of the day, whether you use a molybdenum based grease [the costliest ones] or just a regular local grease will not make a huge difference. What makes the difference will be the frequency at which one washes the vehicles and greases the joints.

Ofcourse, thats entirely my POV.

[gotzuk]

Originally Posted by headers

At the end of the day, whether you use a molybdenum based grease [the costliest ones] or just a regular local grease will not make a huge difference. What makes the difference will be the frequency at which one washes the vehicles and greases the joints.

Ofcourse, thats entirely my POV.

i concur with you here, headers..
no point putting in expensive grease since the frequency of regreasing
is high. use correct specification grease, buy it in a bulk pack (it works
out slightly cheaper that ways) and carry it to the workshop where it is
to be greased. that ways you are assured that what goes inside the
joints is fresh, correct grease and not recycled crap, which in my opinion
can cause more harm than good.
another point to note is that high pressure hydraulic grease guns should
not be used to grease the universal joints as it can cause damage. manual
lever type grease guns are best for that job.
cheers

[Jaggu]

i wouldnt agree on the above by headers (lol gotzuk overtook me and posted my exact thoughts), it surely will give you longer life for mechanical parts if you use good quality lubricants like grease. Am not saying you go buy the costliest silicon lubricant, but yes a decent CRB or Gulf grease which will cost 30-40 Rs more for a barrel of 10 kg Yes frequency do matter and ideally lubricate often, since you wont be using her much.

If you really ask me its a good weekend exercise, once in a while, if you are a DYI kinds.

OT: Saw a low bonnet gem of a jeep parked in friends apartment, it had all bells and whistles including jerry can as posted by V16 in his thread. He has no clue whose jeep is it :(