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Front driveshaft boot

dyeager535

dyeager535

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Did GM ever use a driveshaft boot on the front? If they didn't, is there a solution known to work with a stock 1/2 ton front shaft?

I'm pretty good with maintenance, but for a rig that sees less than 3000 miles a year, taking the shaft off and getting a face full of powdered rust seems ridiculous. I know it's pretty common for the front shafts to be in terrible condition (at least from other ones I've seen, the lube doesn't stay put very long, and people don't seem to worry about lubing them regularly), and I have to think that much of the problem comes from the "seal" used, if you can call it that.

A driveshaft boot would help, but it doesn't seem like there are many options out there in boot sizes. I suspect shock boots are generally too large in diameter?
 
I bet there is a suitable sized boot available,but not listed for a front drive shaft..one off a rack & pinion maybe,or smaller shocks than the usual monster ones used on lift kits,steering stabilizer,etc..

I cheated yesterday ,I had to replace the u-joint to the front diff on my '82 K2500 yesterday,to my surprise I was able to just pull off the slip yoke without even unscrewing that fine threaded collar thing (that rarely ever comes loose )--then I was able to install the u-joint on the bench,and slide the yoke back on ,being careful to align the match marks I made to keep it phased...

The driveshaft's two CV u-joints are still tight,and only one of them has a grease zerk,the closest one to the T-case didn't and the strange thing is they still have that injection molded plastic crap holding them in,like its original!..the u-joint at the diff end was devoid of any needles,and all 4 caps full of rust,the cross was worn badly enough to let it fall off in a few more miles too..:eek:..

There were NO tell tale "failed u-joint" noises whatsoever at all,and my transfer case powers the front shaft no matter what range I put it in ,the right front axle joint is wasted the same way too,I was surprised it wasn't clanking and rattling around..

Despite me greasing the slip yoke maybe once in the 15 years I've had the truck,it still had plenty of grease in it and that blue plastic coating on the splines was fully intact too...
That was unexpected-!-the slip yoke fit so snug I had to tap it off with a hammer too--most all my other 4x4's had so much slop in the splines you could shake the drive shaft up and down a lot,one in particular I thought I'd strip the splines out,it was so loose,but it never did--it just sounded like a dozer with worn track sprockets in 4wd..

I wanted to try greasing the CV ball socket,but even if I had a needle tip for my grease gun, I doubt I could get the thing in there or succeed at pumping any grease in..I need to buy one of those needle point tips,I couldn't get the grease gun coupler on the front u-joint's fitting ,even with the bolt on the strap removed..I packed the caps with some before I installed it,that will be enough till I get one..
 
The one I picked up is in great shape, I believe it's OEM because it doesn't use nylon on the splines. The donor rig leaked oil right on it, hence why it's in great shape. And if a $10 boot will do a better job at keeping water and dirt off the splines, I'm all for it.

Surprisingly, there are very few driveshaft specific non-CV boots made, at least for "light duty" stuff. There are a lot of CV boots, but the problem there seems to be the inner diameter, and weeding through the thousands of them trying to find the matching diameters. I can't believe if something is out there, that it's not common knowledge.

I have to measure again, I know the rears are "impossible" to find ones for, but perhaps there is something that will fit the front that is ready made.
 
Maybe a trip to the plumbing aisle at a home center might have something you can use,like one of these flex couplings,or flexible rubber/plastic hose like is used on pools,vacuum cleaners,etc..flex coupling.jpg
 
I asked Tom Woods this question because the longer-slip shaft he sent me was popping the boot off. He doesn't know of anything longer with the right diameter. However, what he uses on the XB style is probably perfect for a stock shaft. There is probably also a shock boot that's compatible, but would worry about the durability. First of all, when the shaft is at ride height, the extra length would droop in one direction and then spin off-center as the shaft turns. It might also get pinched when the shaft is fully compressed. Hopefully somebody has some experience.

I should also note that since I reattached my XB boot as far down as it can go and with hose clamps instead of the clamp straps, I've done dunes, rocks, trails, etc and it hasn't pulled off again.
 
Stock m1009 shaft
The guy i got it from has several cucv's and they all have one

0825180920b.jpg
 
FWIW, as mentioned on the forum before, full time slip yoke seldom wear out. Every one I have replaced or worked with on part time trucks, are worn from flexing, not sliding. Going down the road with no load on the shaft, lets it flex at the spline with each bump.
With full time, the spline is under a load and is a lot more rigid.
I use a heavy synthetic grease with moly, and have never seen any rust or dry slip joints.
Of course, that is only useful if your slip joint has a grease fitting.

On the rear slip on my '79 F150, despite regular greasings it would have wear problems about every 30K or so. No up and down slop. Instead, since my rear suspension was fairly strong, and I normally ran with little weight in the back, it would wear a "step" in the splines, letting it twist a tiny amount under load. When I pulled up to a stop, the rear axle would want to move forward slightly on the suspension. But the driveshaft splines would be twisted in that step and would not slide, thus loading up the drivetrain.
As soon as I let my foot off the brake, the shaft would relax, untwist, and slip suddenly.
Felt like I got hit in the rear end.
A couple of shots of grease would help, but not fix it.
When it got bad enough for me to worry about the bearings in the transfer case and rear end, I would take it to my driveshaft guy, and he would cut it out and weld in a new spline and balance the shaft.
Third time I took it there, we got to thinking. The shaft had different joints on the ends.
The rear yoke was built into the spline.
He got a different spline and yoke that would fit the top end, and changed the rear yoke also. That moved the spline to the top next to the transfer case instead of down at the rear end.
That was all it took. Getting it up away from the mud and water kept it cleaner and I never had to rebuild it again.
A boot might have helped in that case also, but I never tried it.
As for a boot, I don't see why a length of inner tube or other soft rubber sleeve would not work. Extend the slip out as far as it should normally go, clamp the rubber at that point with the sleeve fully extended, and then see what happens when you collapse it.
If there is too much travel, the rubber is going to bunch up and eventually tear. Mostly trial and error.
I would not use a hose clamp to hold the rubber. Especially on a rear shaft. The screw part would throw it out of balance. Putting the screws on each end on opposite sides would help though. Instead I would use a made wire clamp with a Clamp It tool or a home made version of it.
I bought one several years ago, and it has helped me a couple of times. The clamp it makes is fairly even all the way around with no heavy spots.
Here is how it works.
This is where they sell them.
https://clamptitetools.com/
But there are cheaper versions, and there are lots of instructions online to make your own.
 
I hose clamped a shock boot I had kicking around to the front shaft and it's worked awesome for many years.
 
You could use a FWD CV boot clamp ,the type you wind up with a key,like opening a sardine can,they dont weigh much...

On a front drive shaft I doubt hose clamps would affect the balance much,since it revolves slowly,and your not going 65 mph in 4wd ..you could offset the clamp heads 180 degrees to help cancel out any imbalance..

One important thing I've noted--if the flat freeze plug thing at the end of the yoke goes missing,then a lot more dirt and water can get in the splines and wear them out..
I've had a few rear shafts like Fordum described,that had the "CLUNK" when you let off the brakes.."white lead" was the fix GM said to use,too bad I never heard of it before,and neither did anyone I asked where to buy some!..I used hi temp wheel bearing grease,it lasted about a month,then the clunk returned..

Since the front shaft in my pickup always gets power,I guess that may account for the splines staying in good condition,ditto for the two CV u-joints--it has the flat freeze plug intact in the slip yoke also..someone replaced the u-joint at the diff I just had to replace sometime in the past--it had a grease fitting plug in one of the u-joint caps..too bad I never saw it and put a fitting in and greased it the past 15 years..:blush:..
 
black dawg said:
I have been using trimmed up shock boots but clamped on with heavy zip ties.
Click to expand...

Are the diameters close? Not all shock boots are the same are they?

Inner tube idea is a good one.

Since the CUCV's are bastards, and I'm not overly familiar with K30's anyway, are the front shafts different between one tons and the 1/2 and 3/4 tons? I can see the CUCV's using as many similar parts as possible.

I took a look at the 1 ton shaft I have, and it too has the worthless dust cap on it, just like the 1/2 ton shaft. But I want to think there is a groove machined into the yoke end that appeared to be for clamping a boot in place, I didn't think to compare both of them.
 
I haven't had trouble getting any of the boots to fit good, all have seemed to be very similar in size. I usually cut them so they are slightly stretched when installed, if left longer, they sag in the middle.

I do have several original shafts that do have oem boots on them. All from 1/2 and 3/4 burbs. Not sure why some got them and some didn't.
 
You can buy boots from Denny's: http://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/c853_boots_for_spline_and_slip_driveshafts.html.
Lawnmower parts might also work, like Snapper #7075115YP (1.75", 9" long).
Crown Automotive makes a line of driveshaft boots available on Amazon, but their listings don't show dimensions, only Jeeps they fit.
Best I can find is the GM part number is 7845127, but it's been discontinued.
 
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