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U-Joint Qustion - HELP!!!!

reddog64

reddog64

1/2 ton status
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I felt a vibration on my way from work... I havent noticed it before... It's a big truck... they all vibrate a little... but htis rattles my ass in the seat... So I got toa place where i could stop and I got under the truck... OK I sat under it... I felt my back U-Joint by the rear punkin... no signs of problems... No het nothin... cold to the touch... I felt (still the rear drive line) Near the transfer case and blistered my thumb... I touched the part that the u-joint connects together and I now have a blister on my thumb... The area around the shaft on the transfer case isnt warm... the case isnt warm... the rest of the driveline isnt warm... the exhaust isnt near any of these parts... It hurt like hell... the front ones are cool as ice... same as the far rear...but the one near the rear of the transfer case is hot as hell... I had a custom drive shaft made and installed about a month ago... He said my u-joints were in great shape... I'm scared to drive the damn thing... if that joint breaks I'll flip my truck... not good... Is tis hear from a failing u-joint or something else??? Just the joint is hott... nothig else but maybe 2 inches down the shaft from the joint on the drive line...
PLEASE HELP...

Um... yes officer I know it's too big...
 
The u-joint is a goner. It could have been some dirt in one of the caps or not enough grease. If the u-joint is held to the yoke with u-bolts, then overtightening will distort the caps of the u-joints and quickly ruin the u-joint.
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<font color=black>HarryH3 - '75 K5</font color=black>
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://ThunderTruck.ColoradoK5.com>http://ThunderTruck.ColoradoK5.com</A>
 
Sounds like you got it right, dead u-joint. If you don't have a DS loop, be carefull driving it (better to bring the u-joint to it or tow it on a trailer). If the front joint goes, a rear DS can become a pole vault!

Bad Dog

85 K30 CUCV, 350 TBI, TH400, NP205, D60/C14, 4.56
Coming soon: 4" lift, 40" tires, massive cutting, shorter wb and rear overhang.
 
I still have to drive it 15 miles home... can i drop the rear joint... and use the front shaft to get me home... drive it front wheel drive???

Um... yes officer I know it's too big...
 
yes you can pull the rear drive line and drive it home if you have a fixed yoke transfer case if not you can get a plug 4 the rear of the transfer case at the local parts store and then pull your rear drive line and drive home

s.smith 77blazer lookin 4 mud
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You said "area around the shaft" so I assumed slip yoke. A fixed yoke looks just like the yoke on the rear diff except it is on the t-case. The DS will have a slip joint in it if you have a fixed yoke on the t-case. Otherwise, it will be solid.

Bad Dog

85 K30 CUCV, 350 TBI, TH400, NP205, D60/C14, 4.56
Coming soon: 4" lift, 40" tires, massive cutting, shorter wb and rear overhang.
 
Had the same problem myself recently except the U-joint let go, I replaced it with another local product and it lasted 300 miles, I was assured it couldn't happen again that the product was fault, but guess what, no warning and bang.( There are some crap products availiable locally where I am, I am back to using U-joints made in the USA, they last at least 20,000 miles). When the first one let go I was doing 60 mph, I had 2 seconds warning something was wrong (slight vibration) and then all hell broke loose under the truck, the driveshaft punched a 2 inch hole in the floor, my better half was very understanding after I stopped the car and revieved her. I did a roadside fix with a spare (US made) and kept going I wish I had left my spare on the truck and not replaced it.
The second time I was accelerating up to about 25 mph and bang. I was really pissed. The joint was only a week old. That was three months ago (and 3,000 miles), the US made stuff still checks out fine when I do an inspection ( weekly).
I was lucky both times the shaft just smacked the underside of my truck and bounced of the road, it will never get the chance to do so again housed in a tailshaft loop, a device worthy of much consideration if you run a lifted truck, you just never know.
 
I dont want to catapult my truck... Where can I get a driveshaft loop??? I want it like... um... YESTERDAY...

Um... yes officer I know it's too big...
 
I made mine, its fairly straight forward, some 50x50mm boxed steel and some 10mm steel rod to cold form a hoop. Weld it up to suit, add some ears to mount to your chassis, I drilled and bolted mine, and away you go. Costs next to nothing and fits better than any off the shelf product. DIY is the way to go, any excuse to get in the workshop to fab something up will do. Good luck.
 
Hmm, I've seen them for sale but I don't remember where. They are used for any kind of racing so try some HiPo shops. I've made them in the past, not very complicated.

Bad Dog

85 K30 CUCV, 350 TBI, TH400, NP205, D60/C14, 4.56
Coming soon: 4" lift, 40" tires, massive cutting, shorter wb and rear overhang.
 
Summit sells a universal driveshaft loop kit that's NHRA approved. It's pretty cheap. Somewhere around $25.

<font color=black>HarryH3 - '75 K5</font color=black>
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://ThunderTruck.ColoradoK5.com>http://ThunderTruck.ColoradoK5.com</A>
 
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