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4wd help needed!

colbystephens said:
I still think it's worth checking the trans mount. In 2High it would still make the noise for me simply by virtue of the fact that the hubs were still locked. If it's still making your noise with hubs unlocked, then you can probably completely disregard this post. :)
Click to expand...

I will definitely still check everything over tonight, before tearing the front apart.

Thanks!
 
Fordum said:
As far as the Spicers are concerned, not a clue. Spicer is a big brand, and they make thousands of different parts.
Its not impossible that they make both grease and non-grease models.

As for install tips, if I was standing there, I'm sure I could give a few, but the basics are fairly simple, and any tips would be hard to explain.
The bearings should not fall out on the ground if the cup is well greased. Of course, if drop it, all bets are off.

Where you are most likely to have bearing misplacement problems, is during the install if you are driving the cap in.
Then, what usually happens is that one of the rollers falls over and gets under the end of the cross.
If the cross end has a grease groove as many of them do, and the roller gets in it, the joint will usually go together just fine, but be just a fraction too long for the clips to fit.
Problem is, that can happen without the roller being displaced if the yoke is bent slightly, so you can never be sure until you pull the joint back apart.

A vise will help if you have the shaft out, letting you press the caps in slowly and gently without pounding.

They make various U-joint install tools. They range from cheap to reasonable to HOLY CR*P! in price.
Buying one is a very subjective choice. Today, I personally would not. Because I have not installed a U-joint in any of my vehicles in 10 years. A combination of lower water levels, better roads, and a friend who has a shop and will do them for the price of the joint has made my needs change.

But, when I was changing them two or three times a hunting season, I would have paid big bucks for one.
Not because I needed one, you do them that often and you get pretty good, but it would have made life so much easier.

Like that special tool I have for removing factory spring type hose clamps. I just feel good every time I use it, remembering fights with vise grips.

Even today, if I could be sure I would have the shaft out of the truck and access to a vise, I might not buy a tool.
But, the ones that make it much easier to do them under the truck are worth it.

Getting back to the Spicer question, just look in the box, and follow any instructions is my best advice.
Or go to the spicer website and look up that model and see what they say about grease and install.
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I have a big ball joint clamp tool thing from HF that would probably work great. Or, great excuse to buy a good vice. We shall see. Really Don't want to use the hammer method again.
 
dhcomp said:
I have a big ball joint clamp tool thing from HF that would probably work great. Or, great excuse to buy a good vice. We shall see. Really Don't want to use the hammer method again.
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I use the hammer method to get the old joints out, because its fast and I don't care if the cap flies off and spills bearings everywhere. Putting them in my Harbor Freight press works great, and I already had it for ball joints.
 
If you have the one I think you have, this might help.

http://www.stu-offroad.com/misc/hfreight-1.htm

Also, you might want to download these two .PDF files and read them over.

http://www2.dana.com/pdf/DSSM-0100.pdf

http://www2.dana.com/pdf/DSSM-3264.pdf

I think the second one might be more to the point. Lots of extraneous information there, but they cover remove, install, and maintenance of U-joints really well. In a lab type setting of course.

And BTW, Spicer makes both grease and nongrease joints, so you will just have to look at what you get.
They have a ton of information on the Spicer site, along with part numbers and measurements.
If you have grease type joints, and would like to change over to lifetime greased ones, you can look up the correct numbers there.
 
So, I test drove some more. Makes noise with hubs locked in 2wd, but also with hubs unlocked in 4 wd. Which, means it makes the noise with no stress on axle shaft u joints.

Makes me think driveshaft. Check it out, it's flopping a good amount at the slip section.

Pull it out to inspect. Upper Cv section

How should this cv section behave if ok? When out of the truck, should it go limp, and flex freely? Or should it snap back and forth from one side ( snap motion, not noise)? This one snaps back and forth.

Kinds lost guys. Tips appreciated!
 
Chances are the CV needs rebuilt. There is a little nub type pilot shaft that sticks out and marries into a ball socket. If the nub is damaged that part of the CV yoke if you want to call it that will have to be replaced. If it's still good then it's just a matter of rebuild kit. I had my driveline guy do one for me, with rebuild kit, new u-joints and balanced for 125.00.
 
I'll get my shaft looked at.

Decided to poke around, and make sure everything else was good.

Look what I found....
nanepeze.jpg


Award goes out to Colby.

You may choose your choice of cold frosty beverage on Saturday night at the Santa pub crawl.

Going to get the dshaft checked out tmr, but think this bad trans mount will be a big part of it.

That, and my trans crossmember was loose too....

Thanks guys!
 
dhcomp said:
I'll get my shaft looked at.

Decided to poke around, and make sure everything else was good.

Look what I found....
nanepeze.jpg


Award goes out to Colby.

You may choose your choice of cold frosty beverage on Saturday night at the Santa pub crawl.

Going to get the dshaft checked out tmr, but think this bad trans mount will be a big part of it.

That, and my trans crossmember was loose too....

Thanks guys!
Click to expand...

When are you coming to town? I'm working as a bar tender at a company event all Saturday night.
 
You aren't afraid to use good stuff, sounds like a good time to go with poly trans/engine mounts. :)

My experience with aftermarket rubber mounts (Anchor brand) is that they are garbage. The rubber cracks and tears with very little wear, when the factory rubber mounts tend to last decades if not exposed to a bunch of oil. Typical overseas rubber product.
 
Here's how I learned about my bad transmission mount problem:

When I lifted my truck, the front driveline was hitting my crossmember on acceleration or up-hill climbs. I figured it was just related to my lift, so I clearanced my crossmember. Then, when I was on my second time through the Rubicon, I started getting the banging noise again really bad. I had really torn the transmission mount apart coming down Cadillac Hill (don't know how, or why there). Fortunately, I was able to limp the truck to Rubicon Springs camp where the guy had a generator and a 4.5" angle grinder so I could cut out more of my crossmember, and then ratchet strap my transmission in place as tight as possible to prevent any more clunking.

So, I band aided the problem for a long time. Then I had a real problem on the 'Con, and had to bandaid it even more... :D
 
dyeager535 said:
You aren't afraid to use good stuff, sounds like a good time to go with poly trans/engine mounts. :)

My experience with aftermarket rubber mounts (Anchor brand) is that they are garbage. The rubber cracks and tears with very little wear, when the factory rubber mounts tend to last decades if not exposed to a bunch of oil. Typical overseas rubber product.
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When i did the motor, i did rubber mounts. Anchor brand i think. And thats what i just picked up for the trans.

In the interest of time, i'll stick with these, but will put the poly ones on the list when these fail.

I picked up the trans mount this morning, and the gf is dropping my driveshaft at a shop in livermore to be evaluated. Hopefully, between the possible shaft issues, trans mount, and ujoints if i still need them, i'll be ready to rock this weekend. We shall see.

Any chance the trans mount and loose crossmember caused all my noises? We shall see.

Thanks guys!
 
I recall my crossmember causing some noise issues when the bolts came loose.

Probably came loose in my case from bad trans mounts, ever since the poly went in I've not had to retighten it. Prior to that, for as little as it was driven, it was always coming loose.

I'd swap them out and see if the noise goes away. With a bad trans mount, perhaps the case moves around enough that it is contacting the crossmember.
 
So, the shop i was taking the shaft to doesn't do shafts anymore.

Rather than send the GF to San Leandro today, I decided to throw the trans mount in tonight, and see what it sounds like. Not a big deal to pull the shaft and have it dropped off tomorrow if i am still having issues.

Fingers crossed!
 
Those shafts are pretty failure prone apparently, I guess its just because people never lube them?

Would be nice to solve it completely with just a mount.

Dad's front shaft is *garbage*, but haven't noticed any specific noise that can be attributed to that. Buddy has destroyed two of them as well (due to wear) and hasn't mentioned anything about noise prior to them completely failing.
 
dyeager535 said:
Those shafts are pretty failure prone apparently, I guess its just because people never lube them?

Would be nice to solve it completely with just a mount.

Dad's front shaft is *garbage*, but haven't noticed any specific noise that can be attributed to that. Buddy has destroyed two of them as well (due to wear) and hasn't mentioned anything about noise prior to them completely failing.
Click to expand...


Yep. Where does the double cardigan joint get lubed?

I'll lube the slip part of the shaft. All my ujoints are sealed otherwise.
 
To grease the cardan ball you need a rubber needle tip grease fitting. There is a hole in the side of the socket frame. That grease hole has a spring loaded "door" so you need to push the needle tip hard against the hole while you pump the grease. Clean it first of course. If you have your shaft out you should be able to rotate it around on the bench and see that hole. Everyone I've had I could grease that way. Of course, that doesn't mean they're all made that way but mine were. It always seemed more important to grease that than the u-joints themselves. I'm going to look at one I have in the garage and try and get pictures.
 
I *think* the tightness you're noticing in the joint is a good thing. If I recall right, my brand new drive line did that, and when I asked about it, I learned that it is supposed to be that way.
 
colbystephens said:
I *think* the tightness you're noticing in the joint is a good thing. If I recall right, my brand new drive line did that, and when I asked about it, I learned that it is supposed to be that way.
Click to expand...


Spoke with a driveshaft shop. Apparently some are preloaded, and some aren't. If mine is tight like that, it is supposed to be like that.

Thanks!
 
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