Spike, the thread you linked was regarding a TW shaft. From the pictures in that thread, the TW shafts have a service port on the centering ball. The Precision 617 ball has no service port. The only way to grease it, would be to insert a needle between the dust shield and the ball itself, and I don't see how that method is going to get grease inside or behind the ball, where it needs to be. Ideas?

Since I cannot find a picture of the Precision 617 ball anywhere online, not even on the Federal Mogul website, I will try to take a picture of one myself at the local parts store, so you can see my dilemma.

 

Gotcha, I mis understood what you were saying and I assumed that all centering ***** would be the same, my mistake.

 

Here are some pictures I took of the Precision 617 centering ball used in my shaft rebuild. There are a few indentations in the metal ring surrounding the ball, so I could get grease in between the ball and the ring, and there is on the side opposite the spring, an opening which has grease in it from the factory, but I believe this opening is inaccessible once the ball is installed in the shaft, or is it?

 

I have a 2001 d2 with 103,000 on it, just dropped the driveshaft last monday and took it to the best driveline shop in the area, finally got a call Friday telling me that they replaced all 3 u-joints but the centering ball was in perfect shape.... I told them to put a new centering ball in when I dropped the shaft off, should I be worried...?

 

When you dropped it off, did you tell them to replace the u-joints and the centering ball? If so, I wouldn't be worried. I would just tell them to replace the centering ball like you asked them to. Explain to them how, when the front drive shaft fails, it can potentially require a new transmission. Ask them if they are that comfortable with their "perfect shape" description of the centering ball, and if their not changing the ball causes the shaft to fail...are they going to pay for the transmisison?

 

Make them replace the centering ball, why go through all that trouble just to do a half assed job?

 

I trust this place, they have been around the local area for 3 generations of family still own and operating it. I think if i had a problem down the road, they would take care of me, especially in writing that they determined the CB in fine shape after I had told them to replace it along with the 3 u-joints... My 03 will be getting a rebuild shortly and I will make certain the CB gets changed in it. thanks for the help