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Old 03-26-2005, 10:17 AM
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Symptoms of Bad U-joints?

Hi Folks,

I'm sure this has been covered many times, but my searches for (+u-joints +replacing) gives me hundreds of unrelated threads. Hmm...

Anyway, I recently lifted my 2002 F250 PS with a 3.5" spring-hanger kit, and now I'm starting to regret the decision. I love the look of the 315 R/75 tires, and the stiffer ride of the dual Bilsteins in front, but nagging ride issues persist.

After solving my "drive-away shudder" problem by shimming the carrier bearing, the truck was smooth at all speeds, but only for a short time. Then, I began noticing vibrations at speeds above 45 mph. I suspect it's drive-line related because it only happens under power, it still coasts smoothly. I had the tires rebalanced, anyway, just to rule out the easy fix.

Now, I'm thinking u-joints, but before I jack the truck up and start shaking parts, I wanted to see if you guys felt I'm on the right track. I'm a "shade-tree mechanic" at best, but I figure I can handle u-joints.

Any tips, or alternative ideas will be most appreciated.

Matt