Mechanic 0 Parts changer 1

john in la · Oct 7, 2015

We do not have a shop at our local terminal so all emergency work has to be done by a outside shop.

I took my truck in for 2 new u-joints and this is what I got back.
Does anyone other than me see a problem with this $75 a hour job?
I will add more info after some comment.

GarryinNC · Oct 7, 2015

Grease fitting impossible to get a grease gun on? Turned 90 degrees off?
Garry

john *.?-!.* cub owner · Oct 7, 2015

Both impossible to reach grease fitting, and U joint cannot swivel very far due to the bolt on cap.

RogerinIowa · Oct 7, 2015

That is a good idea for a double grease fitting instead of always having to turn the shaft/move the vehicle to get a grease gun on it! Have never seen a fitting like that.

But, yes not a very smart mechanic!

RogerinIowa · Oct 7, 2015

Have never seen retainers like on the red yoke....?

john in la · Oct 7, 2015

Dang that was easy.

The grease fitting is not turned 90 degrees off.
It is pressed into the u-joint by the manufacture and can not be moved.
The entire u-joint is installed 90 degrees off.
In fact both u-joints were installed 90 degrees off.

I took it back to show the shop foreman. He gets the so called mechanic out there cause I was wondering how they greased the joint once installed.

The mechanic told me the he noticed it while installing the joints.
He packed the cups with grease before install so they have grease in them.
The u-joints must be made wrong.

Since we supply the parts and only get labor there I let it go and reported my finding to my boss.
He can now deal with it rather than me telling the mechanic what I think of him.

But I should have asked.
Made wrong????
How is that???
All the cups are the same size so why didn't your dumb a-- turn the whole u-joint 90 degrees when you put it in??

john in la · Oct 7, 2015

Here is another close up picture.

Den N Ms · Oct 7, 2015

Well how is he going to get to put another u joint in that truck if the fitting is turned correctly where it can be greased at PM time.He knows whoever PMs it will not take the time to turn it with a wrench and just skip it. He is not so dumb,next time it goes out the labor rate will be increased to $80.00 - $90.00! Vender Mechanics for you.

JD Seller · Oct 7, 2015

John I bet that that fitting is NOT pressed into the u-joint cross. It is threaded into it. A pressed in fitting would not have a hex made into it. Reach into the fitting with a small wrench and just turn the fitting a little bit tighter to where it lines up so you can grease it.

The mechanic is not a good one. The shop foreman is just about as dumb. They both failed to try to fix the issue.

Here is a picture of the style grease fitting your u-joint has in it.

Den N Ms · Oct 7, 2015

The grease fitting really should be on the other side between the pinion yoke and the drive shaft.

optiman · Oct 7, 2015

Not same thing but went Autozone to buy a shock first gal told me they didn't sell them. What'. Once I helped figure it on the computer I than asked if they were gas filled. Her reply to me was. Sir. I don't think they fill them with gasoline. How pathetic

john in la · Oct 7, 2015

I will try that.
I looked at a new u-joint in our parts trailer and the fitting was in the joint already.
I just assumed it was pressed in like he told me but I guess it could have been pre screwed in by the manufacture.

paul · Oct 7, 2015

Yea. We used to have a good napa store. Now, if the right person is working - and rarely is, great. If not, you won't get what you want. Its just sad.

Never saw a cross that came apart quite like that in the picture, kinda neat you can take it apart without all the beating and pressing and banging I do with the ag stuff.

Paul

4play · Oct 7, 2015

Either way the guy should have noticed that and turned the zerk or the cross to fit properly. My bet is that zerk is screwed in, even if it was pressed in it should still turn. All the press in zerks I have used were barbed instead of threads and didn't have the hex for a wrench but you could still turn them with pliers if needed. Zerks point the the insides on the driveshaft, a lot of times the pinion shaft or yoke nut would be in the way of the zerk

Alan K · Oct 7, 2015

Maybe you can take it back in and say it needs greasing and then watch them do it lol....

Gary from Muleshoe · Oct 8, 2015

Small town mechanics used to be the best. Now days everyone thinks he is a mechanic. I am fortunate to have two guys about 20 miles from me that are awesome mechanics. Straight shooters if you need it they tell ya, never try to scam a customer. One was a chevy mechanic and the other a ford mechanic for many years. They know their stuff and do it right the first time. Very rare these days.

Traditional Farmer · Oct 8, 2015

The obvious answer is 4 sided Idiot proof grease fittings

JF in MI · Oct 8, 2015

Having been a certified mechanic for 26 years and having worked in numerous shops, I spotted the problem right off; You need more reinforcing steel in that garage floor to stop cracks like that.

Steve A W · Oct 8, 2015

If the so called mechanic wasn't smart enough to turn the grease zerk,
was he smart enough to pack the joint with grease without messing up the
pins in the joint?
Just wondering.

Steve A W

john in la · Oct 8, 2015

That's a New Orleans street.
I was looking at the work during my daily run.
Surprised I found a spot with only one little crack.

john in la · Oct 8, 2015

The truck is due a oil change in about 2 weeks.
They will take it to our company shop in Dallas to due the service.
I will just write it up and let them deal with it.

blue924.9 · Oct 8, 2015

i used to be all gung ho on mechanics like that, look things over for every little mistake............ then i started working at a John Deere dealer and making mistakes myself, now i always tell people to be patient, maybe it was his first time doing it or he is just starting, on the other hand maybe he is experienced and got lazy or is really just a bad mechanic. i know this summer when i started at the John Deere dealer i put a new sickle section and guards on a 625 flex bean head. had mechanics check my work when i was done and after about the third time of doing something wrong it was finally good to go. we let the combine run for 30 minutes to make sure nothing would shake loose, double checked all of the bolts again one more time before sending it out.

just last week the boss told me that they got a call on the 625 flex head i worked on, half of the sickle guards came off and the sickly flopped out, boss just told him sorry we had a new guy work on it and we double checked it but must have missed something. luckily the guy was very understanding and after it happened to him it was later found out that the parts guys ordered the wrong bolts and they would eventually work loose

Bob · Oct 8, 2015

<img src = "http://www.ryderfleetproducts.com/images/nprod/785us170_250x.jpg">

A COMMON U-joint nowadays.
Retainers hold cup in and prevent rotation relative to the yoke.

pete 23 · Oct 8, 2015

Some times mistakes are hard to own up to but we all make them. In my old age, I find myself "selfcorrecting" a lot. I worked with a few guys who "never" made a mistake, but most of them got fired.

Owen Aaland · Oct 10, 2015

The zerk is probably screwed in about as far as it will go. Since the bearing cups had to be removed to install the cross into the red yoke the mechanic simply installed the cross 90° from how it should be installed. As far as installing the zerk toward the front of the back I just install them so the zerk has the most room to get at with a grease gun.

Mechanic 0 Parts changer 1

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads