drive shaft
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2006
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drive shaft
When I give my truck gas I get a little clunk and sometimes when I let off it clunks again. I suspect the u-joints are to blame, what do you guys think? What needs to be replaced and how hard is it?
thanks
thanks
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,246
Likes: 2
From: Hawkeye Country
I just did u-joints in my 86, to cure the symptoms you described. It was no big deal, 4 bolts to unloosen on the rear end, and slide the front slip yoke out of the tranny, took a whole 5 minutes to remove the shaft from the truck.
Removing the u-joints from the shaft was a pain, I ended up using a crappy socket as a press, I put the drive shaft in my vice and used the socket to push the u-joint out of one side. I removed the cap from the now free side, and i pressed out the other side. before I forget there are snap rings that hold the u-joints in, they're easily removed with a small pick and a flat bladed screwdriver
Installing the new u-joint was as simply as reversing the removal process, I pushed one side of the u-joint in by hand, and installed the new snap ring. I had to use my "press" to push the other side in far enough so the snap ring would seat in the grove.
The new u-joints should come with grease in them, but it never hurts to add more. I reinstalled my drive shaft and greased the new u-joints until the grease spewed out of them.
Removing the u-joints from the shaft was a pain, I ended up using a crappy socket as a press, I put the drive shaft in my vice and used the socket to push the u-joint out of one side. I removed the cap from the now free side, and i pressed out the other side. before I forget there are snap rings that hold the u-joints in, they're easily removed with a small pick and a flat bladed screwdriver
Installing the new u-joint was as simply as reversing the removal process, I pushed one side of the u-joint in by hand, and installed the new snap ring. I had to use my "press" to push the other side in far enough so the snap ring would seat in the grove.
The new u-joints should come with grease in them, but it never hurts to add more. I reinstalled my drive shaft and greased the new u-joints until the grease spewed out of them.
Postmaster
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,854
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I put in new joints with zerk fittings so i could always keep them lubed. I have one though that the grease gun won't fit onto the fitting, I have the joint flipped around the wrong way. I'll just leave it until it goes out in 2027.
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,997
Likes: 2,743
From: Virginia
Just a little tidbit of info. The offroad guys don't like the u-joints with grease fittings. The grease passageways make them weak. I would personally prefer them myself, and I got one at Napa before that was some super-duper u-joint that had the grease fitting on the outside of one of the bearing cups.
