Front drive shaft double cardan joint

[hex0rz]

: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?

[TFaoro]

Honestly, I would take it to a driveline shop. Between 2 U joints and the centering ball I bet your shaft will be out of balance

[hex0rz]

...man, you always have bad news for me.

[Royal Squire]

You could rebuild it yourself and then have driveline shop check balance, give you a chance to get your hands dirty and maybe hit your thumb with a hammer or something 

[TFaoro]

13 hours ago, hex0rz said:

...man, you always have bad news for me.

 have you ever done one of those?? They're MISERABLE!

[hex0rz]

No, actually. But i like getting frustrated, wasting my time, hurting myself and squeezing in a curse word or two. :D

 

Local shop said they put the shaft on a lathe and use a dial indicator to"balance" the shaft..

[Russ Roth]

If you are anywhere near Portland I highly recommend Six States @ 60th and Columbia.  Ken in the driveline shop will do you right.

 

RR

[TFaoro]

5 hours ago, hex0rz said:

No, actually. But i like getting frustrated, wasting my time, hurting myself and squeezing in a curse word or two. :D

 

Local shop said they put the shaft on a lathe and use a dial indicator to"balance" the shaft..

I don't think that's true balancing.... from the sounds of it that just makes sure the shaft is straight, but I could be wrong!

[KATOOM]

Driveline shops need to make a living too.....  Just take it to them and get it done right the first time.

[hex0rz]

#^$*%×!

 

I think spending money unnecessarily is in my future...

 

Repair or replace?

Edited July 23, 2016 by hex0rz

[hex0rz]

Upon further research, looks like it is repairable. I'm going to take a whack at it tomorrow. It's not like I've got anything to lose if it don't work!

 

All i have been using is a BFH, and a 13/16 socket to remove the u joints and some wood as a cradle. Lo and behold it wasn't the cardan joint that gave me much of the problem. 

 

It was the lone freaking u joint that gave me the problems!

 

Out of the three joints, only one seemed slightly viable. The center ball was in good shape, but the dust seal is toasted.

Edited July 23, 2016 by hex0rz

[01cummins4ever]

8 hours ago, hex0rz said:

#^$*%×!

 

I think spending money unnecessarily is in my future...

 

Repair or replace?

Replace, if trying to weld it the u joint won't fit properly due to warping ang not a true fit

[angus]

59 minutes ago, 01cummins4ever said:

Replace, if trying to weld it the u joint won't fit properly due to warping ang not a true fit

Unless your a machinist.. Or know a good one? I would not even consider it.     I have repaired stuff like that on a bush hog, but that's a little different.

[KATOOM]

9 hours ago, hex0rz said:

Upon further research, looks like it is repairable. I'm going to take a whack at it tomorrow. It's not like I've got anything to lose if it don't work!

 

All i have been using is a BFH, and a 13/16 socket to remove the u joints and some wood as a cradle. Lo and behold it wasn't the cardan joint that gave me much of the problem. 

 

It was the lone freaking u joint that gave me the problems!

 

Out of the three joints, only one seemed slightly viable. The center ball was in good shape, but the dust seal is toasted.

 

I had a DC joint bust apart while on the highway in an older truck.  It knocked out the exhaust, bent the frame, and made a nice noggin on the cab floor.  All in about 2 seconds.

[hex0rz]

I put the Driveshaft off, but not anymore. i went to a local wrecker and picked up a replacement shaft. same price as a new slip yoke. so i errored on the side of caution and decided to put on the new parts i bought for the first Driveshaft. 

 

The slip yoke joint was easy. then things got harder. took some time for the first joint on the double cardan, but the last one took me hours. i tried everything i could think of top remove it. If i had a cutting torch i would have burned it out. 

 

Eventually it came out with the bfh and chisel with heat and some curse words. wish i would have had a press!

 

I boogered up one side and had to clean it up with the dremel. then i went into seat the u joint. that's when i found out the groove for the clip is messed up the clip won't seat well...

 

I have the other double cardan yoke section from my older shaft but worry it will cause a balance problem. true??

 

Otherwise i was wondering if i could tack weld the clip in the groove?

 

Thoughts...

[KATOOM]

On 7/22/2016 at 9:20 PM, KATOOM said:

Driveline shops need to make a living too.....  Just take it to them and get it done right the first time.

 

This is what I said before.....and I'll continue to say it.  Take it to a driveline shop and have it done right.

Edited November 14, 2016 by KATOOM

[hex0rz]

I can't believe this....

 

Went to go put on the shaft on the truck, then when i went to bolt up the slip yoke, the caps were too small!!!

 

Measured the hole and the caps and they're a 1/16" difference. WTF...

 

I tack welded the two clips also. i can't just always go out and pay a shop to do things for me. sometimes you have to make due with what you have. risky, sure...

 

I don't count on them coming out anytime soon either. 

Edited November 14, 2016 by hex0rz

[hex0rz]

Just in case anybody was unaware of it, turns out there is multiple styles of u joints that are used on the slip yoke to pinion. 

 

It doesn't even matter about the year, it is more about where the truck came from and on what day, lol. 

[KATOOM]

4 hours ago, hex0rz said:

Just in case anybody was unaware of it, turns out there is multiple styles of u joints that are used on the slip yoke to pinion. 

 

It doesn't even matter about the year, it is more about where the truck came from and on what day, lol. 

 

Interesting.....  Can you elaborate on what you found out?

 

Personally, I have yet to see a 2nd gen Dodge Cummins come factory with anything other than Spicer joints.  Series size will be dependent on what tonnage truck model and potentially year though.

[dripley]

I just went thru shopping for u joints for the rear drive shaft and the part look up tool showed the same joints no matter the configuration of the truck. Did not look up the front though. I did see Spicer written on the center yoke and the ujoints have SPR, I beleive, cast into them. I am thinking all Spicer on the rear.