I am totally confused !!!!!!!!!!!

I have completely rebuilt the front axle and brakes on my 1986 ford F-150 4X4.

All I need to do is put the front drive shaft back in place.

I was sold spicer u-joints 5-1204X (diff end) and 5-1203X ( transfer case end).

The only difference seems to be that the 1204 has 1.062 on both ends and the 1203 has 1.062 on one end and 1.125 on the other.

I pushed the both in to the joints and went to install the shaft.

The 1.125 end will not seat into the diff and the 1.062 end falls into the transfer case end ( seats but will not does not touch the sides ).

I thought maybe I got the needs wrong ... switched them ... same problem but at opposite ends.

I confirmed these parts numbers on the Spicer site. I also called the local parts shop. They would sell me u-joints with the same dimensions.

So what the heck is going on?????

I pulled the old one out of the trash. They were different joints (different manufactures and I could not tell what caps came off what body) but most importantly, ALL ends were 1.062 diameter!!!

So what do I do?

I can just change out the one that had 1.125 ends for one with 1.062 ends so at least they seat but they will be loose on the sides ( maybe this is OK )?

I could try to "force" the 1.125 ends in ... don't know if I can but I could try ... still the other end will seat but not touch the sides).

I am just lost ...any suggestions?

Mike

 

Get your old ones out and organize them so they fit correctly. Then take them to the store and tell them to give you joints like that. A place like Napa may be the better store to go to for something like this. Most of the time the guy behind the counter will whip out the calipers and figure out what you have.

These trucks are old, things get changed out, so sometimes things like this happen. They make all different kinds of joints, so you can get them, it just may take some head scratching to get it right.

 

Long story short, I took a good look at the diff yoke.

I noticed that the holes are oval ... they seem to have been "drawn" into the area where the cap sits.

Took my dremel tool and cleaned up the deformed area.

Now the 1 1/8 cap fits!

Just turns out the guy who had the truck before me put on the wrong u-joint and that deformed the yoke so that the correct one would not fit.

Mike

 

My first reaction would be to replace that part. At least recheck it, and listen/feel real good for any new vibrations.

Good luck with it.

 

NO! Not in this case. Where he says above "the 1.062 end falls into the transfer case end ( seats but will not does not touch the sides )", that means that a PO replaced the U-joints with the wrong ones. The caps should fit snugly into the caps. It's possible to put a 1.062" cap into a 1.125" yoke, but it will only touch in two places instead of being cradled all the way around. Makes it really easy to deform the cap by over-tightening the U-bolts along with other issues.

But it sounds like he figured out how to make the right caps fit anyway.

 

I took a minimal off ( didn't want to change the shape of the yoke ), just the deformed area and the 1.125's that go into the diff end fit tight.

I took a wire brush and "really" cleaned the yoke ... I thought it was clean but there may have been something I missed holding off it from seating ( the truck has been oil sprayed every year for years and years ( previous owner ... but it is 29 years oil in VT with a sold frame ) ... there is lots of "crap" stuck to the bottom of that truck. I really thought it bottomed but maybe it was not quite seated.

The 1.062 now seat great also.

Just as a side note ...when I went on Dennysdriveshaft.com, it said putting 1.062's instead of 1.125's is a common mistake for Ford owners.

Anyway, everything seems right now .... after 4 weeks on blocks, tomorrow will be the test drive ... crossing fingers.

Thanks again .... Mike