Chassis Lubrication and Lube Fittings

Routine Service

You'll have your work cut out for you here...your Jag has a whole slew of lube fittings, but first things first.

Get a grease gun designed for one-handed triggering and a flexible hose. They are easier to use and you'll be glad you did.

Unless you want two grease guns loaded with two types of grease, don't bother buying cheap "chassis grease". Buy premium quality wheel bearing grease for your grease gun. Here's why. Regular chassis grease is OK for ball joints but not at all suitable for u-joints, bearing hubs, etc. Wheel bearing grease, though, works fine for everything, so treat your Jag to the good stuff and make things simpler on yourself.

How often should your Jag be lubed ? Well, most Jag owners (myself included) get a bit compulsive about this and happily perform this task with every oil change. In practice, however, every-other oil change would be fine....assuming you're using the 3000 mile interval.

Ok, so just where are all of those fittings ? Starting at the front you'll probably have a fitting at each ball joint. Truth is, though, some ball joints are sealed and don't have lube fittings so if you don't have a fitting, you've got a sealed joint. No worries, just a bit less work. Ball joints must be lubed with the wheels hanging free. Lube the joints until you feel the grease behind the ball joint boots.....too much and you'll blow the grease out of the boots.

The rear suspension has ten fittings. Four are easily found immediately below the differential housing where the lower arms meet the suspension cage. Two more are at the outboard ends of the lower arms. I give these about 5 grease strokes each. Now, each axle/driveshaft has two fittings for the u-joints. Turn the wheels and, as the axles rotate, you'll see access holes in the bell-shaped joint covers. That's where the fittings are. Lube these gently and stop applying grease when you feel some resistance.

Your driveshaft may or may not have lube fittings. Look for them right at the middle of the joint between the "crosses". The middle u-joint may not be accessible underneath an exhuast heat shield. Simply remove the screws and the shield can be slid aside a bit to reveal the u-joint. Lube these only until some resistance is felt.

Always clean the fittings ("zerk" fittings if you want to be technical) before attaching your grease gun. No sense in forcing dirt into the fittings, right ?

If grease won't move through a fitting it is an easy matter to use some spray solvent to clear the clog, exercising the check ball as you go. If you really want to be mechanically correct, you'll remove the fittings to clean them.

You're almost done, but not quite....also see " Wheel Bearings". More work there !

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