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Was under my 17 F350 doing an oil change and noticed my front driveshaft was oozing grease through a ruptured cv joint boot. I looked around the internet for the cv joint and actually found one on rockauto but decided that part too will probably fail again.
I ended up getting a Dorman replacement front driveshaft and it has a double u joint cv joint as an OE fix upgrade. I was surprised to see this driveshaft damaged after only 52k miles. Also noticed my cab mount bushings are on their way out! 8 year old truck and it’s falling apart!
You sure that’s not a double cardan u-joint? I’ve never seen a booted CV joint on a Ford Super Duty. Are the joints loose? I’d be surprised to see a front driveshaft failing in 52k miles too since for most of those miles it wasn’t even turning. (Unless you leave the hubs locked all the time)
You sure that’s not a double cardan u-joint? I’ve never seen a booted CV joint on a Ford Super Duty. Are the joints loose? I’d be surprised to see a front driveshaft failing in 52k miles too since for most of those miles it wasn’t even turning. (Unless you leave the hubs locked all the time)
It’s definitely not a double cardan joint. I don’t typically keep my hubs locked unless it winter, and since the truck is mostly hwy driven, the hubs spend most of their time in free. The new Dorman part is a double cardan joint as a fix to the oem cv joint design. Ford was looking to save money, big surprise. LoL
Here are some pics of oem front shaft. CV joint is at the transfercase side of front shaft. Grease boot is ruptured and grease looks milky as if contaminated with water.
It was raining this morning but dry enough now to take a look. Sure enough, there’s a CV joint there. Just hadn’t noticed it tucked up above the cross member and skid plate. Only difference is my CV looks good but the driveshaft is covered in rust.
It was raining this morning but dry enough now to take a look. Sure enough, there’s a CV joint there. Just hadn’t noticed it tucked up above the cross member and skid plate. Only difference is my CV looks good but the driveshaft is covered in rust.
In another two years, keep an eye on it! Mine lasted about 8 years, we get 4 seasons here with hot summers and cold winters. I’m sure that doesn’t help.
I found this thread really interesting. I am currently about 800 miles away from my truck so I can’t dive under it and check my front driveshaft CV joint boot but I will as soon as I get home. Are the u-joints on the Dorman product greasable? I see that the driveshaft slip yoke is.
I found this thread really interesting. I am currently about 800 miles away from my truck so I can’t dive under it and check my front driveshaft CV joint boot but I will as soon as I get home. Are the u-joints on the Dorman product greasable? I see that the driveshaft slip yoke is.
As far as I can see, the u joints aren’t greaseable but are serviceable, not peened but have clips.
That’s probably a good thing for strength not being cross drilled for grease pathways.
Factory shaft front u joint is also non greaseable. I only changed to a double cardan joint shaft because i don’t want to keep changing the cv joint grease boot. Ford really cheapened- out here!
Theres also another outfit in Michigan building a front shaft for our trucks, i believe called “Wellbuilt.” They were actually about $70 cheaper than the Dorman unit. Both are made in USA. So no bad choices imho. I felt that Dorman being a top tier level supplier would have a superior product.
Follow up comparison pic of oem shaft and Dorman replacement. Ford shaft is 100% non greaseable and slip joint dust boot. Dorman shaft has a greaseable slip joint only and no dust boot.
Job isn’t too bad. Only one skid plate to remove so you can gain better access to the front CV joint attach bolts which are a 12 point design and a 6 point 12mm socket fits perfectly. Front driveshaft bolt heads are an 8mm and I used a 1/4 drive to remove them, no heating and or presoaking with penetrating fluid.
Tried installing new shaft and it appears it was built too long fully compressed at the slip joint. So i took it back out and measured against oem unit. Dorman unit is definitely too long and unable to install.
Ford shaft :
extended: 42.25”
retracted: 38.25”
Dorman shaft:
extended: 42.0”
retracted: 39 7/16”
Major bummer. I guess you can never be sure aftermarket parts will fit until you measure!
At 39” the shaft would be bottomed out if it could be installed. So it’s a no go. Not too happy with dorman.
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