Some post Lifting questions

[Artemis Entreri]

Ok so its obvious im going to have to do some trimming after my 4inches and 35inch tires. Considering im not going to do any major off roading yet, looks like it will just be the front of the fenders that needs the work done to it.

How do most of you do it? Cut off wheel? Id like to start right past the marker light and come down on a rounded line to try and make it look stockish. I know its doubtfull, but noone has say, a template of what they cut out to get their 35s to fit on a 4inch lift?


Now my front ujoint does not fit into my front axle yoke. As it sits in the driveshaft it is looking to be 3 3/16 cap to cap, the space in the yoke seems to be 3 1/4, which gives me an 1/8 of an inch where one cap doesnt sit up against the bump in the yoke that stops it from moving.

Any suggestions where I can find a ujoint that is that size? Cant seem to find anyone local that knows where to begin, and I cant find anyone online that lets me do a search by size. Is there a company I can call that would be smart enough to point me in the correct direction?

Need new clips? for my 14bolt, the c clips(Dont know what they are called) they bolt over the u joint and hold it in. I have a set that came on a ten bolt but the holes are different so I had to put them in a vice and bend them a little to get the holes to line up.

Someone gave me a link to the 14bff ones, I cant seem to find it, anyone know where I can get them? Local places sell one clip for all 73-2007 chevy trucks, not helpfull.


Stick with just those inquaries for now, thanks guys!

 

[scrappyk5]

when it comes to the trimming, I think most people use a cutoff wheel. Just tape off where your cutting and tale your time.

go to parts store and what ever year your 14bff came from ask for those ujoint straps. when I go to the parts store, anything that has to do with my axles, I just say " ujoint straps for a 1983 k30 "

 

[Artemis Entreri]

Is there any way to tell what year my 14bff came out of?
My one local parts place just had generic straps for all chevy trucks 73-07 I think, it seemed really unlikely that they would all be the same size.

 

[manchildau65]

You can look up the stampings on the axle housing itself but they were all basically the same (except for the number of fins cast on the housing for the newer ones). Your yoke is a 1350 which is bigger than the stock u-joint on the driveshaft, you'll have to get a new joint as well as straps (local parts store). Be generic like Scrappyk5 said and use like he suggested '1983 K30'

 

[scrappyk5]

You can look up the stampings on the axle housing itself but they were all basically the same (except for the number of fins cast on the housing for the newer ones). Your yoke is a 1310 which is bigger than the stock u-joint on the driveshaft, you'll have to get a new joint as well as straps (local parts store). Be generic like Scrappyk5 said and use like he suggested '1983 K30'

I use " 1983 k30 ", because thats what year my axles came from. Most likely you can do the same. I am not sure where the numbers are on the actual axle housing, but if you open it up the ring gear will have the year, if its the original ring gear.

 

[Desert Yeti]

Fenders: The front corner is pretty easy to make look really nice and "stock-ish" The back edge of the front fenders is a little tougher to make look nice, but as stated here, use a cutoff wheel and take your time.

The beginning of your query was about the front axle...yes? That u-joint doesn't fit the axle yoke? What front axle is it? If it is (for example) a D44 that's been swapped into a truck that would have been a 10 bolt factory, that might be the problem...?

As for the u-joint straps on the 14b, I don't recommend bending your 10b straps in a vice and using them... the length and shape of those straps is very closely matched to the diameter of u-joint cap they're made to cover and need to bolt nice and flat to the yoke to avoid premature failure of the u-joint and/or a nasty driveline vibration at speed.

I *think* that all the older (pre 88-ish) 14b axles have the same u-joint straps. Just pick a year and ask for them for a K30. Alternatively, if there are any pick-a-part yards in your area, just go pull some junk ones and either use them or, if they fit, take them to the parts store to match up the new ones.

 

[BIGCHEVYTRUCKDRIVER]

Drive line Rear : I went to Kragen Help section and got the driveline straps for GM's and squished them a little in a vise like you said and they fit great probably better than the right ones.

 

[Artemis Entreri]

Its the front axle im having trouble with actually, I got the rear set straight with napa part number 447.

The front is just an 1/8 of an inch longer one way then the other, and I dont know why, or how I can find a ujoint.

 

[pauly383]

I have had a couple factory yokes that seem to have come from the factory with one tab/nub/bump on each end of the yoke not cast correctly .

When I say not "correctly" I mean I have seen factory yokes come into my possesion with one tab/nub/bump skinnier than the other side .

Probably from closer to the end of the production run if they were sand cast .

 

[Big Blzn]

Is it possile that you took the caps off the Ujoint and when you went to put the caps back on one or more of the needle bearings fell to the bottom of the cap and is not allowing it to slide completely back on the joint making it wider than it should be?

 

[Artemis Entreri]

No, I mean the yoke is wider.

 

[scrappyk5]

if you are talking a total of 1/8" , which would mean about 1/16" on each side, I myself wouldnt worry about it. Put the joint in the yoke and put the straps on just hand tighten the bolts. then put the greasgun on it and fill it up. Most likely it will fill the inside of the joint and push the caps out enough to snug it up. Then tighten the straps down.

Question, is this a new ujoint ?