I started getting the dreaded driveline vibration in my truck recently. Slid under it on a creeper and found I had 2 U-joints about ready to give up. I also had both output seals leaking on the transfer case so it was time to get to work. In the past I have known people who were capable of replacing thier own U-joints but were afraid of the CV joint, so; I thought I'd share how its done and may help someone out on here. Its not that big of a deal. If you don't know when your CV was replaced last, I would replace it. They aren't that expensive ( mine was $46) and most are usually worn out since most folks don't even know that you can grease them. (Not easily done, but worth the effort) Heres the new parts I bought. I am not associated with Federated Auto Parts, thats just who gives me the best deal on this type of parts.


I'm not sure if they used the CV joint on anything but the short wheelbase 4x4's because thats all Ive ever owned but here goes.............

Obviously you start by removing the driveshaft.
This shows the front yoke:


And the rear yoke:

Driveline removed:

Start by Noting which direction all of the grease fittings are pointing. Make a diagram if you need to. It's important to get them back in the same postiton as they were. Then you can begin removing the retaining rings. I like to use needle nose vise grips for this. Ive got the driveshaft sitting in the vise for support. DO NOT clamp the driveshaft tube in a vise, you will damage it!!!!:

This picture is out of sequence, but shows how you drive the bearing caps out of the yoke. You want to support the yoke on the vise so that the lower cap will clear the jaws on the vise when you start to drive the entire u-joint and both caps out. This procedure will be the same for all u-joints. I used a Large bolt for a punch just because it was a nice length to use due to the height of my vise. Again, DO NOT clamp the tube in the vise at any point. Some times its nice to have a helper hold the other end of the shaft just to keep it from getting away from you.

This shows how you will support the yoke while knocking the u-joints out. Also, the joint will only go down so far, then the cross will hit the yoke. Once you reach this point, clamp the cap in the joint and lightly tap upwards on the yoke and the cap will come out of the bore.


I started with the rear u-joint in the CV. After you get the first cap out, turn the shaft over and tap the cross and remaining cap back out the other direction. When you get the cross out you will have this:

Then remove the other U-joint from the CV in the same manner as the last one:

Once the forward U-joint is out you can remove the CV:

Once you have all that apart remove the remaining cross from the driveshaft yoke and shine up all the bores with some emery cloth. It s also a good time to look over the little CV joint stub on the end of the driveshaft. Look for excessive wear. You don't want anything that you can snag your fingernail on.

I like to paint the inside of the bores with some anti-seize before putting the new joints in. Makes things go back together a lot easier:

Now install the rearmost u-joint on the driveshaft. Note direction of your grease fitting.

I like to add a little extra grease to the caps before installing them. Just a little extra insurance that the needle bearings dont get out of place. Dont use too much, just enough to help keep them in place:


Then the caps, grease fitting and retaining rings:


Then the CV double yoke:

Then its caps and retaining rings:

I like to double check that the retaining rings are seated in their grooves like they should be. I use a punch and hammer to tap them in. First down, then in:


Now put your new small CV yoke in place. It has needle bearings in the bore so be sure you get it on the stub without disturbing them. Again a little extra grease helps. Remember where this grease fitting is.

Then the U-joint. It takes a bit of juggling to get it all in there but it will go. Just take your time:

Install the caps and retaining rings in the double CV yoke then youll have to pry the smaller CV yoke one way to get the first cap back in there:

Seat the first cap down against the tang in the yoke and pry the small CV yoke the other direction to get the last cap in. It will just clear the tang, but it will fit:

It may take a small tap from a hammer to get it fully seated:

Im sure that when you installed the grease fittings, You noticed they werent a regular zerk. Here's why these usually never get greased. You need a needle greaser to get to them. Mine is a Lincoln brand but Harbor Freight probably has them too:

Even with the right tool these things are a pain to grease. I usually drop the front of the driveline out of the truck and jack up a rear tire to do it. That way you can flop the joint around and turn it to get the best access to the grease fittings. But since you already have the shaft out, now is the time to do it. Grease both joints and the CV using the needle tool I have shown.
I don't do it everytime I service the truck, but at least do it twice a year. Lubrication is the key to making any U-joint or CV joint last.

 

I also had both transfer case output seals leaking on my truck, so no time like the present (since the rear shaft is already out)
The procedure for both front and rear is basically the same although the front is a bit tougher to get to because of the crossmember. Of course you have to disconnect the driveshaft from the yoke on the transfer case before you can get to the nut that holds the yoke on. I was able to do the front seal without completely removing the shaft Just disconnected the shaft from the yoke. Just move the shaft out of your way. The pics shown are for the rear seal just because it was easier to get pics. After the shaft is out of the way, remove the nut that holds the yoke on. An impact wrench definitely helps here. If you don't have one, Put the truck in gear, the transfer in 4x4 and set the park brake. This will keep the yokes from spinning while you are loosening and retightening the nuts. Mine was 1 1/8" on the rear and 1 1/4" on the front. Heres the old leaky seal after the yoke was slid off. Yoke should slide right off after the nut and washer are removed.

Pry the old seal out. Just dont get your bar in so deep that you score the bore when you are prying:


Clean up the bore with some emery cloth. Double check the fit of the new seal. Slide it over the yoke to check ID and hold it up to the bore on the transfer to check the OD.
Also look over your yoke to make sure it does'nt have a groove in it from the old seal. If you can snag your fingernail on it, it's worn too deep. Mine wasn't. If it does, you have a couple of options.
You can go purchase the correct speedi sleeve, Or you can drive the seal in a bit deeper than the old one was to get the lip to ride on a different area of the yoke. You have to be careful doing this, that you dont get the seal in too deep. You dont want it hitting the bearing, or being in so deep that you miss the yoke entirely.


Heres my handy, dandy homemade seal installer. Its nothing more than the (almost) correct diameter of pipe with a piece of flat bar tacked to the top. It's nothing fancy, but has been used to install a bunch of seals on a bunch of different stuff. I have several sizes I have made up over the years.

I usually smear a dab of good quality silicone sealant around the OD of the new seal. Its just a little extra insurance that it wont leak due to a worn or beat up bore. Notice I said "good quality" that doesnt mean Home Depots best bathtub silicone.............It wont work, it needs to be automotive gasket quality to resist the oil. I have seen people use bathtub caulk and wonder why stuff leaks.........You can also use good old #2 Permatex or Aircraft Peramatex. That's what we used to use before silicone..............I guess that's giving away how old I am isnt it??????
Set the seal in the bore squarely and set the seal driver against the seal and TAP it in. You dont need to wail on it!!!!!!! I have found that a larger hammer with LIGHT taps works better than wailing on it with a small hammer. The heavier hammer doesnt bounce and will work much better. Watch it as you drive it in and if its not going square, tap the high side and see if it goes in. If not try to pull it back out and square it up again. Just get it square with the first tap and you should have no problems. Here's the new seal.

I always use some grease or oil on the yoke before sliding it back on. It will help to keep from cutting the new seal when you slide it back on the splines. Here I used engine assembly lube.

I like to use a dab of the same "good quality" silicone under the washer that goes on the yoke. This and some loctite on the threads will prevent oil from seeping past the splines and out around the yoke.


Put the nut back on, tighten the yoke up, reinstall the driveshaft and youre done!!!!!!! Don't forget to check the oil level in the transfer, if its been leaking, its probably low.
Hope this can help someone out.................

BTW..........Total cost of 3 U-joints, 1 CV small yoke, and 2 seals for the transfer...............$106..........gotta love old trucks!!!!!!!!Same thing for a new one would have probably been $300

 

This is great...awesome step by step...should help out quite a few weekend wrenchers.

 

I've been wrenching all my life.............25 years of it for a living and still doing it. I like helping people out who want to learn and there are a lot of them on this forum......Thats why I love FTE.........Hell I've even learned from it.........just trying to give it back ya know?

 

^^^I understand completely. I'm no professional mechanic, but I've dabbled over the last 10 years and it seems to come relatively naturally, and I do enjoy it. Probably the thing that gives me the most enjoyment is helping someone with something they don't know how to do and they all of a sudden get that 'Ah-ha' look on their face. I've been on vehicle forums for quite a while, and posts like yours always seem to be the best. It's one thing to write out a process, but it's another thing being able to sit down, and feel confident that you're doing the right thing because the accompanying pictures look exactly like what you have in front of you. So kudos once again for a great write-up.

 

great detailed photos and writeup have you driven the truck yet to see if the vibration is gone? will this be the same process on a 71 f250 4x4 crew cab short bed? i haven't replaced my u joints before and was thinking of doing this before i got it on the road. what kind of silicone did you end up using for the transfer case seal on the OD and washer?

 

I'm not too knowledgable on the bumpsides. Does it have the CV joint? If so, it may not be exactly the same but should be similar. And U-joints them selves would be similar as well. I used Permatex Ultra Gray silicone, just because it was an open tube I had around. Any name brand automotive silicone for gaskets will work. They do make an automotive silicone for door seals, windshield gaskets etc. but do not use it. It is not oil resistant.

 

Hello. Brand new member here.
That was a great post.
Last time I was home, the drive shaft vibration had increased to the point that I need to do something about it.
I thought while I was sitting day dreaming about my next R&R that I could order the parts up and have them waiting on me when I get home in a couple of months.
The opening picture clearly shows the part numbers. But I could only find a couple of those numbers. I spent a lot of time at different web sites, but the more I studied the more confused I got. I never found a cross reference chart. All or most of the vendors seem to use different numbers . I noticed your "Federated" parts were in "Precision" boxes. It all makes me feel pretty stupid. I know there is only a couple of different U-joints on my truck, but I sure don't get that impression when I tried to order.
My truck is a 79 F150 short wheelbase 4wd.
Any help will be appreciated, otherwise I will wait til I am home and spend a day or two running back and forth to the parts store. Probably not a big thing, but I really don't get much time at home any more and would prefer not to spend my time locating parts.
Any help would be appreciated.
Again great "how-to" article

Dan Jones
North GA

 

First off, I'm going to hijack my own thread.....LOL................are you military or a contractor working in Iraq? I spent 5 years over there as a contractor............
OK on to your question.............I purchased them from a Federated auto parts retailer. Precision is the name brand of the U-joints. I just had them look them up by application and thats what I got is what you see in the pics. There are 4 boxes in the pics. The one on top (the more square looking box) is the small CV yoke. The two boxes with the same # are for the CV joint Ujoints and the lone box is for the rear Ujoint. I also did the front driveshaft this past weekend but dont have the part numbers handy. I f you want me to see if I can dig them up I will, I still have the receipt. If you have a good old fashioned parts house near your home that you can deal with either via phone or via internet while youre overseas, they should have no problem coming up with the right parts so that you have them on your next R&R. They should be able to cross the part numbers in the post over to whatever brand they sell................. BTW...........The damn R&R's never come soon enough or last long enough do they???????

 

>No. As in this case, I spend too much time trying to pre-plan everything perfectly and it never goes according to plan.
Again, great write up. I will put it to good use, eventually.

Dan Jones

I notice in the preview that I have manged to mess up the formatting of this post.
Sorry

 

I spent Mar. 04- Mar 06 in Mosul, came home for 6 or 7 months then Dec 06 to April 08 At Victory. Then june 08 till July 09 at FOB Shield which was downtown Baghdad. I was vehicle maintenance what do you do?

 

I am a AutoCad designer working for KBR at F2-Parker. Spent about a week at Shield making a layout of their dfac. Spent more time waiting for a Helo ride than I did taking dimensions.. Hard for me to accept that we had to wait 3 days for a ride for an 11 mile trip. But there are different rules over here.

 

I worked the first 2 years for LSI, 4 months for KBR (at Parker as a generator mechanic)then got a job with Parsons and transfered to them in country did 18 months with them came home for a while then my last year with Dyncorp as a FSR on the new MRAP's. So is Shield still open? I thought they had closed it down about the time I left. Getting in and out of Shield for R&R was interesting............and I was meeting my wife in Alaska.............had a time frame to deal with so it was kinda intense...........but I made it on time............LOL Hell we might even know each other if we saw each other....................

 

REALLY great write up here man. It'll definitley help out some FTE'rs round here, especially me!

 

This is going to be helpful! After reading this, it makes me realize that this might be one reason why my truck shakes at cruising. This write up is definitely helpful. Can you post a list of tools that you used to do this? Besides the needle greaser, was there anything else that wasn't shown in the walk through and pics? How long would such a job take? A couple hours, a day or a weekend?

Thanks for the help!