Back in the day, there was always the oil change with lube. On my last oil change with my ‘18 F350 6.7 (10 k miles), I asked the service writer about the lube, and he said there wasn’t one necessary?

 

Greasing the zerks is a scheduled maintenance item at 10K miles. There are only two on SRW trucks ... one on each front axle shaft U-joint.

 

thank you. Is this in the Ford manual and if so can you direct me to where? I totally trust your judgement but want to show it to the service writer besides just some random guy on the internet. Thanks again.

 

I asked the service adviser the same thing when I had my truck in the shop on Wed for "The Works" service, and was told the same thing...nope. So I'll just throw the grease gun on the front shaft u-joints myself.

 

It's on page 570 of my 2017 OM, and I found myself to be a little off. I greased mine at 10K miles, but that didn't occur until after the first 18 months.

Every 15000 miles (24000 km) or 12 months (whichever comes first)
Inspect front axle and U-joints. Lubricate if equipped with grease fittings (Four-wheel drive vehicles).

 

While I’m not there yet, My service manager said I had none— not that it wasn’t due.
So obviously, I need to stay on top of the manual and keep them informed. Thanks very much for your time on this issue.
edit— well it’s not page 570 of the 2018, that a sync 3 voice command issue. Page 585 on the ‘18 manual

 

I just lubed my front U-joints.
Spec calls out Grease, Chassis, XG-11. I believe this is a high temp grease for the proximity to front brakes.
I recently bought a tube from Ford dealer parts dept. $31.00. There may be a more reasonable substitute but I was at the dealer anyway.

 

Is your truck 2wd or 4wd? Because depending on your answer, he is right.

 

My F350 is 4wd. Most are, aren’t they?

 

I would guesstimate that most of the individual owner trucks here are 4WD. OTOH, the fleet vehicles may be mostly 2WD, and I'd also guess most of them don't frequent this forum.

 

when I first got my 2006 F350, I asked the dealer if there were zerks on the truck; was told no. Asked a service manager at another dealer the same question when it was in for service one time; he also said there were no zerks

Maybe four or so years later had the oil changed at Valvoline and when they were reviewing the work they did, they said the zerks were greased. I had them show me where they were.

After that I always greased them when I switched my summer and winter tires.

 

Just can get any high temperature grease, lithium complex base or any complex grease should be less than $5.00 at Wally's or any parts store.

 

So there’s not any zerk fittings on the axle then

 

not on the axle itself. They’re inside the ujoint on each front wheel. Gets packed with grime, so you have to turn the joint by hand and dig around with your finger to find the zerks

 

Driveshaft U-joints had a 1000 mile lubrication interval for years (500 in "severe service"); are they that much better now? Maybe...

Trivia: "Zerks" are named after the inventor, Oscar U. Zerk.