How to grease the front end of a GM/Chevy HD truck 2011-2024

I greased the truck after our last two trips and about 4,000 miles. My observation is that the boots were all pretty empty and each zerk took about three pumps to see the boots expand a bit. I'm thinking greasing every 5,000 miles sure won't hurt anything.

It took me all of about 5 minutes to grease the truck and no swearing :)
 
I agree. My friend that owns a auto shop told me that if the front ends are regularly greased, they will last almost indefinitely. He also said that most people don't bother to grease the front ends and they wear out fairly quickly, much faster than sealed joint vehicles. Grease zerks are meant to be greased!
Wayne, now that you have the front end taken care of, what will be your oci for the rear end gear oil? When i had a rear end rebuilt, they told me not to tow for 500 miles , and change the diff oil out at 1500.
 
Wayne, now that you have the front end taken care of, what will be your oci for the rear end gear oil? When i had a rear end rebuilt, they told me not to tow for 500 miles , and change the diff oil out at 1500.
I just dumped the factory fill at 8,500 miles and ran HPL's Gear Life 75w-90 for 500 miles, then drained and refilled with the same HPL fluid. Going to sample after 500 miles to establish a baseline. I will then sample at 25,000 miles to see how it's doing. HPL's Gear Life is very robust and should last 100,000 miles, we'll see.
 
I just dumped the factory fill at 8,500 miles and ran HPL's Gear Life 75w-90 for 500 miles, then drained and refilled with the same HPL fluid. Going to sample after 500 miles to establish a baseline. I will then sample at 25,000 miles to see how it's doing. HPL's Gear Life is very robust and should last 100,000 miles, we'll see.
That's pretty thorough. I'll look at their gear oil too. I will probably run their oil as well, their plus oil has 800+ of moly. From what I read , high moly keeps hemi's quiet.

Probably switch to that oil next spring.
 
From what I read , high moly keeps hemi's quiet.
Dave at HPL has explained to me that there are dozens of moly compounds that can be used to formulate lubricants. They will all show on a UOA, but some don't have much affect on wear and are cheap. Others are very expensive and have drastic affects on wear. HPL does use an expensive formula of moly compounds that are highly affective. You should come up here and tour the plant...
 
Dave at HPL has explained to me that there are dozens of moly compounds that can be used to formulate lubricants. They will all show on a UOA, but some don't have much affect on wear and are cheap. Others are very expensive and have drastic affects on wear. HPL does use an expensive formula of moly compounds that are highly affective. You should come up here and tour the plant...
I have chatted with him in private message a few times. Thats how i found out that the premium plus line has like 850ppm, and that oil is PAO heavy , and with esters. I have to explain to my wife why i am going to buy 2 cases of oil @ $95 or so each!
 
I have to explain to my wife why i am going to buy 2 cases of oil @ $95 or so each!
What could possibly go wrong?

I would suggest a UOA after 12 months to check the TBN. I think you'll find this oil is amazingly robust and with the miles you drive, you can probably run it 24 months with no problems. If that's the case, then it makes your $95/case oil very reasonable for great protection.
 
What is the fuel dilution like your trucks?
Mine is the "bad" year and it kills the oil during regen,
 
What is the fuel dilution like your trucks?
Not a problem per the UOA.

 
I agree. My friend that owns a auto shop told me that if the front ends are regularly greased, they will last almost indefinitely. He also said that most people don't bother to grease the front ends and they wear out fairly quickly, much faster than sealed joint vehicles. Grease zerks are meant to be greased!
yeah,,, and you know what is interesting is although your truck is alot newer than my previous Chevy K3500( 2000 MY) the grease fittings all look to be in the same places..

this is the truck I had before my Ram... apparently GM hasn't changed the design of the front end very much..

truck 002.JPG
 
yeah,,, and you know what is interesting is although your truck is alot newer than my previous Chevy K3500( 2000 MY) the grease fittings all look to be in the same places..

this is the truck I had before my Ram... apparently GM hasn't changed the design of the front end very much..
I believe the front ends have been the same for a couple decades.
 
On my 2002 f350 a few of the front end zerk fittings are a bear to get to. I found tools from lock n lube to be the solution.

On if note on my 1998 S10 zr2 has 13 zero fittings, and never did shop find them all, never even close.

Locknlube.com
 
Locknlube.com
I think I'll buy one of those for the farm. I've been greasing farm equipment for 45 years and didn't know anything like that exists. How great would it be to have a grease tip that doesn't come off the zerk?!
 
I think I'll buy one of those for the farm. I've been greasing farm equipment for 45 years and didn't know anything like that exists. How great would it be to have a grease tip that doesn't come off the zerk?!

most grease gun couplers are have adjustable thread and you can adjust it for tightness on a zerk.
 
most grease gun couplers are have adjustable thread and you can adjust it for tightness on a zerk.
I have greased thousands of zerks with probably a couple dozen grease guns and never knew that.... Geez
 
I have greased thousands of zerks with probably a couple dozen grease guns and never knew that.... Geez

we all know different stuff and have backgrounds all over the place... I don't have the IT type background you do...or the electrical background one of these other guys has, but I do have a ton of all around mechanical electrical knowledge on all the dumb stuff that isn't really taught in school. That is what makes this sort of forum great.. we can share it. :)
 
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