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How frequently do you kill U-Joints?

colbystephens

colbystephens

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I feel like I burn through u-joints real quick on my drive lines. Not real sure how many I've gone through, so maybe it's not that big of a deal. I don't drive a whole lot. I have to replace the two transfercase-end u-joints on my front drive line. They're COMPLETELY toast. I replaced them 4 years ago. I probably don't even have 5K miles on those particular u-joints, being fronts. Maybe less than 3K. :dunno:

Anyway, how many miles are you getting out of your u-joints?
 
I haven't had to change a driveline U-joint in 8 years now. If you keep going through U-joints then you need to check your angles and adjust appropriately OR grease them more often. It is imperative that you grease a U-joint ANYTIME it has gone through a water crossing.
 
U joints should last a long long time, certainly longer than that.

My old blazer would go through u joints about every year or so, but I wheeled it hard and daily drove it for a long time.

They would just get loose.

Are they exploding or just wearing out?
 
i replace bottom joints every six months or so because the vatozone ones don't have a grease zerk, but they are lifetime warranty so i don't really care.
 
blazinzuk said:
U joints should last a long long time, certainly longer than that.

My old blazer would go through u joints about every year or so, but I wheeled it hard and daily drove it for a long time.

They would just get loose.

Are they exploding or just wearing out?
Click to expand...
wearing out, not exploding.
 
Its a CV driveshaft right?

Possible damaged CV?

You really shouldn't be going through fronts that often.

I only change mine about every 2 years and that is on a heavy long spline driveshaft
 
Well, I'll have to look at that driveshaft when I get it pulled out later this week to see if there's damage. I'll post up some pics. I don't think there's damage to the shaft, probably just poor maintenance of it, I suppose. :dunno:
 
i have to change out my rear pinion joint every couple of years.its the 1310-1350 conversion joint.i dont know why it doesnt last but it gets loose and they are non greasable.i tryed the greasable ones and they dont last either with normal greasings every couple of months.i really need to get the driveshaft replaced with the correct yolks to have a standard 1350.
 
4 years since i got front and rear c.v. shafts. even shortened the front one, then had it repaired after an "incident" and i still have the same joints in them.
 
CherryK5 said:
i replace bottom joints every six months or so because the vatozone ones don't have a grease zerk, but they are lifetime warranty so i don't really care.
Click to expand...

same here, its one way to stick it to autozone, especially after all the $$ I spend there.
 
that's because you have about 80 trucks, so they only get a few miles on them each. :haha:
 
Yeah true but I really have never had to replace one ever on any truck I have ever owned. Put new driveshafts in a few times so that may count :laugh:
 
I just changed mine a couple weeks ago. My blazer isn't lifted but I think it wore out faster because my gas pedal is sticky and I have to push it hard when going from a complete stop. I'm thinking this causes more strain on the rear u-joint going into the rear axle. stock suspension with 33" rubber.
 
On my previous blazer ('80 4"lift 35") I killed serval joints off the rear shaft...:whistle:
I noticed that the little "hubs" of the 1310 yoke which "force" the U-joint caps into place had worn out for some reason....( strap type yoke )
Because of this the U-joint wasn't centerend and it broke again in serveral weeks.:doah:
When I replaced it it was much beter for "longer" periode but still needed a lott off maitance..... (grease, grease, grease):dunno:
 
knock on wood.... But so far I've never killed a driveshaft joint. Current K5 has u-bolt 1410s and 1350 CVs front and rear.
 
5 keys:
-Keep the angles correct. If you can't tell me what the angles in the joints are, they are probably wrong.
-Use heavy-duty joints over 1/2-ton stuff
-Grease often (if greaseable)
-Keep them centered - for some reason the little tabs on yokes tend to open up over time. I have used thin shim stock on old yokes with good results
-Use Spicer
 
CherryK5 said:
i replace bottom joints every six months or so because the vatozone ones don't have a grease zerk, but they are lifetime warranty so i don't really care.
Click to expand...

I prefer not to buy parts at autozone so I don't have to replace them all the time. Would you rather have a warranty, or would you rather have the part work the first time?

Blue85 said:
-Use Spicer
Click to expand...

I only use spicer as well.
 
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