The application of grease not only keeps parts lubricated, it also helps keep out and flush out contaminants and moisture.
There are more than 40 lubrication points on a commercial truck chassis, each with different requirements, but CITGO Senior Lubes Product Specialist Steven Bowels says non-sealed U-joints are among the most neglected lube points on the tractor.
“They get a lot of contamination – water, road dirt, salt – the seals are susceptible to failure, which allows grease to escape and contaminants to get in, and they are sometimes overlooked when the truck is in for service,” he says.
“Because they’re under the hood,” adds ExxonMobil CVL Applications Engineer Paul Cigala. “Most shops still have pits where the guy is doing service from underneath and may not pop the hood.”
Cigala says any lubrication points the mechanic can to get from underneath the truck and trailer seem to get the required attention.
“It’s that stuff that is above the tires or under the hood that seem to be the areas that are most frequently missed,” he says.
