:l

 

Stupid drive shaft...

 

U joints shot, and the centering ball probably needs done too. Bought the ball kit at oh reallys yesterday. 50 smackers for a ball with needles in it.  Wow...

 

The boot on the joint looks toast too, so she do i get that from? Thinking i should return the ball kit and order online somewhere instead. A new drive shaft is 2x as much than replacing the parts myself.

 

Thoughts?

Got it.....  Yes, there are trucks who use internal and/or external retainer joints and different splines.  I thought you were saying that there was trucks which came from the factory with different brand joints other than Spicer or completely different shaft designs altogether.

 

In respect to that, yes, Dodge is notorious for this "transitional" period whereby it seems it was easier and cheaper to just let the assembly lines use what they had before re-tooling for the different models.....that is as long as they were of the same generation model.

 

For instance, even though disc brakes were introduced in 2001.5, and most "accessory" components like inner fenders, cup holders, hood insulation, etc... were eliminated, you'll see those items still included on a drum brake 2002 truck.  And why even though the CAD front axle was eliminated in the 2002 model, you'll still see many 2001.5's and some 2002's with CAD axles.

I am like KATOOM on that one. I am glad i dont have to have to find parts for all that. The only way to know is to pull it apart and see what you got.  I am one of those 02's with the CAD. I bought it in october of 01 and guess they still had some of those still laying around.