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I need to pull the driveshaft to check the pinion nut and slip joint, and I realized all the driveshaft u joints on my 2002 4WD off-road are original. 240k miles. I changed the carrier bearing ten years back.
Any advice on brand? Dana/Spicer? Moog? Stick to FORD only for rear driveshaft?
I see some options from FVP and GMB on Rock Auto but I don't know those brands and Im not interested in cheap parts.
Apple Ford says they think the three rear driveshaft u-joints are all part # BC3Z-4635-B.
1. The trunnion seals are soft on greaseable u-joints. They don't keep moisture or debris out.
2. Greaseable u-joints are often never......uh.....greased.
3. When they're greased, they are often OVER-GREASED. This unseats the seals and then the "seal" is even less of one and whatever grease is in it will be flung out. After that, unless they're greased every few thousand miles, they will be dry.
4. Non-greaseable ones already lasted 240K and 24 years. Why put in something that will in no way ever last close to that mileage?
Your front axle u-joints also started life as non greaseable units and will suffer the same fate if overgreased. If grease squishes out from under the cap, it's going to like constant attention.
If you have three single cardan joints, they will be 1410s. If you have a double cardan joint, it will contain 1350 u-joints in that unit and 1410s in the other positions. I recommend letting a professional shop do it if the double cardan joint needs u-joints.
^^^This. I have a vibration at around 42mph, caused, I thought, by tires, but after swapping to the medium duty tires/wheels, the vibration is still there. U-joints and carrier bearing appear tight when I shake them, but they may be contributing. The drive shafts themselves may be out of balance - so taking the driveline to a shop at the next convenient time.
Just remember that no matter how good you think your mechanical abilities are, we all need a bit of help at times. Which is why you are here and created this thread...
Just put them back together the way they came apart and it'll be fine.. I use a sharp punch as a scribe. A ball joint c-clamp makes quick work of those. Us an impact to take them apart but not to put them back together... Also use a flat file when you gubber the inside edge of the yoke to u-joint surface.. You'll know what I'm talking about once you start doing the work. Also for SAG go ahead and get a new center support for it... When taking the big nut off to do the center support make sure you index that correctly as well. Cut old center support off is sometimes needed...
Last edited by LEEDSnDeed; May 6, 2026 at 05:23 PM.
This guy let someone who had no business working on vehicles replace his center support.. It had a vibration and was eating u-joints.. 2 other shops beside the one that screwed it up said they had no idea what it could be after replacing some other things that didn't fix the issue...
