If you're going to the time to remove those u-joints you may consider just putting new ones in. That is a lot of work, at least for my truck as I also have a driveshaft support bearing. My transmission is a manual and have 3 of those u-joints.
f350 cab and chassis Ujoints
- Thread starter Duke57
- Start date
Do you have an automatic or a manual transmission?
rreegg
Full Access Member
It's manual. Replaced the rear driveshaft u-joint and pinion seal recently-ish but decided it was too much work to do the others.
Do you have 3 u-joints and a driveshaft support bearing?
rreegg
Full Access Member
Yeah believe so. The support bearing seems like more work than the u-joints
If it was me, I would not re-grease. I have to go through the process of lowering the shaft support and removing my u-joints to replace my bad ones. Now the next ones will have a normal grease fitting so I can grease them every so many months. Maybe every 6 months or whatever. I drive everyday with my truck running service calls. If you drop all of that on your truck, well, you may consider just replacing all 3 u-joints with new ones with a grease fittings. If you can afford it. I was told that the automatic transmissions don't use a center support bearing and has only 2 u-joints, that is why I asked what type of transmission you had.
I always do everything at once.
I took my driveshaft to a shop on Monday. I now have a vendetta against those people. I already put a new carrier bearing and 3 u joints in, one is a little tight, but still smooth. They took the bracket off my carrier bearing, waited for me to call them, then told me it’d be $1240 to replace the new U joints, carrier bearing, slip joint, and labor. I basically told them to go to hell. They aren’t open until Monday, and I need the truck that day, so you betcha I’ll be the first ‘customer’ (more like pissed human) in the building.
Nobody seems to care these days. Fricken ****** me off…
I do it every oil change, 60 hours. I idle my truck a lot (sometimes all day, by mistake) so I don’t think lack of grease is my issue… as frequent as I drive this truck.
Not a bad change having to drive the Dodge, it is a far more refined truck, runs very smooth, drives very smooth, except for steering, which is equally sloppy.
But, less room, much thirstier, and slightly slower acceleration. But, better at handling interstate highways…
80 in my Dodge is far more pleasant than 80 mph in my Ford
But, less room, much thirstier, and slightly slower acceleration. But, better at handling interstate highways…
80 in my Dodge is far more pleasant than 80 mph in my Ford
I had my driveline custom built for $500.. Which included new carrier and 3 u joints... Scandalous those guys are.
Jesus Freak
Full Access Member
That's about what I paid to have mine done on the dually, as well as they balanced it and made it longer. I was going from a C6w/gear vendor to a ZF5.
When I replaced my driveshaft support bearing it was 100 times easier and faster that the u-joint replacement. I was surprised. And pleased.
"Everything at once" is what i was taught whe i started in automotive 25 years ago. Thats whats best for the business - often not so for the customer.
I've become very good at troubleshooting over the years, and now only replace the truly defective part(s). I also dont work in automotive any more, and only look after my own vehicles. Those extra visits under the truck actually pay off long-term because you see things and catch stuff early.
Very well put. When I crawl under my truck, for whatever reason, I do a visual scan of everything. I noticed things that needed attention the last time I threw a piece of cardboard under the truck and slid under it. A lot of those were items I made a mental note of, that would need attention in the future, but due to time or financial constraints, I dropped noted items one notch down on the immediate scale to future. So now I'm under the truck again, I am performing service on the future items that have moved up to the immediate scale. So I usually visit Oil Burners when the list of IDI priorities have shifted around or work slowed and can tackle other to do's.
