Front drive shaft double cardan joint

[hex0rz]

Style, not brand...

 

For the 1994-1998 model years, all factory front CV shafts use a 1-9/32" fine spline stub and yoke with a Detroit Universal 7290 u-joint. The slip Joint is shielded by QK3078 Boot. 1999 are goofy years, so goofy that my 1999 and 2000 Dodge Parts books do not even list the front driveshaft parts! You may find some real early 1999 trucks with the 7290 series slip yoke. However, Most 1999 Driveshafts still have the 29 based on 30 fine spline slip stub, but use a Spicer 1330 series slip yoke with a conversion joint that attaches to a 7290 series front pinion yoke. Late production 1999 shafts may have a coarse, 16 spline, 1330 series slip joint with the 1330 x 7290 conversion u-joint. Real early 2000 trucks may still use the conversion joint and/or fine spline slip yoke, but most, if not all will use a 16 spline 1330 slip yoke with a straight 1330 u-joint. Given the age of this era of Dodge trucks, it is not unusual to find non-standard components. A great many of these trucks have had the original slip joint replaced with 1-3/8" diameter 16 spline aftermarket parts

 

http://www.quad4x4.com/catalog/category/dodge94-02frontdriveshaft2500-3500#cat_1419

[KATOOM]

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.

[dripley]

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.