Tell me your u-joint going out story

[Brad S.]

I've got a noise coming through the frame, body etc, like a bearing noise but not all the time.
The noise only starts up from 35 - 55 mph.
Open the window and listen seems like I cant hear any noise that way.(I know wind noise outside)
It doesnt do it at lower speeds.
Seems only to do it when its cold.(drivetrain that is)
When I swerve the noise does not change.
Speeding up or slowing down doesn't seem to change the pitch of the noise.
Pushed the clutch in going highway speed, no change.
Stepped on the brake, a little, going highway speed, nothing
Got under it after the noise and felt the joints & hanger bearing and it was fine not hot, rear end was warm, (normal??)
Seems to come from the drivers side rear area,(could be just where I'm sitting)
I've been under the pickup making sure the joints arent loose, greased em seems like it helps for a while, but then it comes back.
Goes away after a few miles, 3-6.
All the fluids are good, rear end, transfer case, trans, changed the trans oil last Sunday.
Any ideas where to look next or what to look for??? Thanks guys, this one is really starting to bother me.

 

[erikbala]

i neglected mine for a long while, needless to say i lost two within and hour of each other (long story) bad things happen in threes right well i guess my third was the fact that the ground was covered in snow. i only had noise from mine if i had the truck in 4. replacing them is simple, if you are worried about them or just want to dismiss them as the possible issue, i would say at least drop the drive line and inspect the bearings in them, or just replace them. cheap peace of mind! oh and i learned my lesson, they now get greased and checked regularly.

 

[Goofyexponent]

Grease is cheaper than parts.

Mine get a shot of grease once every 2 or 3 weeks. Hwen I was putting on over 100 miles a day, I would grease them once a week...I have only had to replace one rear U joint in 3 years...and all three were in the truck when I bought it used. The only reason I had to replace it was becasue I got the front half of my DS from another truck and the U joint was bad...so I replaced it and left the other two in the original parts of my shaft.

Preventative maitenence......or repairs...either way, you are going under that truck!! lol

 

[Goofyexponent]

Grease is cheaper than parts.

Mine get a shot of grease once every 2 or 3 weeks. Hwen I was putting on over 100 miles a day, I would grease them once a week...I have only had to replace one rear U joint in 3 years...and all three were in the truck when I bought it used. The only reason I had to replace it was becasue I got the front half of my DS from another truck and the U joint was bad...so I replaced it and left the other two in the original parts of my shaft.

Preventative maitenence......or repairs...either way, you are going under that truck!! lol

 

[Eason]

My rear (by the rear axle) started going out when I as towing about 15000 lbs on the gooseneck trailer. I babied it there and back. I traveled about 200 miles knowing it was going out. When I got home and took the u-joint out the needle bearings were nothing but powder. Eason

 

[Brad S.]

Thanks guys, I guess I'm not 100% convinced that it is a u-joint. Could bearings make that coming & going noise??? What kind of noise would a person get if the rear end make if a bearing was going out??
I always thought once a bearing was bad & making noise it always made that noise???? Could the outer bearing, by the wheel be going bad??
I'm hoping that it is a u-joint, easier to replace.

 

[Brad S.]

Thanks guys, I guess I'm not 100% convinced that it is a u-joint. Could bearings make that coming & going noise??? What kind of noise would a person get if the rear end make if a bearing was going out??
I always thought once a bearing was bad & making noise it always made that noise???? Could the outer bearing, by the wheel be going bad??
I'm hoping that it is a u-joint, easier to replace.

Another thing I wanted to add, could the hanger bearing make this kind of noise???
Hanger bearings need to be pressed on, correct???

 

[bayou]

my carrier bearing did exactly what you described.

 

[92F350CC]

I was on my way to a job site to install a countertop, and heard a THUD THUD THUD under the truck and lost speed until I came to a stop, then the thudding stopped as well. The engine was still running, but it would just rev, it wouldn't go. I thought maybe the old ZF-5 had given up the ghost. I get out, look underneath, and lo and behold, the driveshaft was disconnected from the transfer case. (so it had flopped and spun while the truck was still moving), A quick inspection showed that the front u-joint was shot and the yoke had broken as well. I removed the driveshaft, threw it in the bed of the truck, popped it into 4 high and drove on my merry way to the job. Ended up ordering a new yoke and replacing all the u-joints while I had it apart.

 

[typ4]

The way I heard it was these 2 u-joints go to a bar and, one says to the other , man i really got the shaft today.



And they will make a "tink" sound if you listen while taking off, then about 3 days later the needles leave and you get a vib, mine happens to only do it on decel.

 

[Agnem]

I've never had a U-joint noise that wasn't accompanied by a vibration, except for one instance where the u-joint actually squeeked.

 

[snicklas]

I agree with Mel. All the U-Joints I've had fail had a very distinctive squeak associated with it. This was many years ago, and to this day, if I am walking down the street and hear that sound, I know a passing vehicle has a failing U-Joint.

 

[redneckaggie]

I know that when mine started going you could hear a strange noise from under the cab and it was way more noticeable when disengaging the clutch in reverse. few days later the vibration started first only at certain speeds, then only when I was maintaining a speed, then all the time, when I dropped the shaft those bearings were horrible in the back u joint, only could find pieces of two of them.

 

[Brad S.]

Again thanks to everyone this helps hearing other stories. Think what I might do is replace everything, all the u joints & hanger bearing. I'd rather fix stuff when I have the chance, rather after a breakdown. A couple years ago I put in a used transfer case, but did not change any of the u joints.
I was looking up u-joints online and it gave a 4000 lb rear axle spec, when I looked on my door jamb it said 6045lb GAWR, rear. (gross axle weight rating???).
Few years ago I was changing front drivers side u joint and needed the special deep socket for the front hub, I needed the one for 8800 gvwr.?. Will this make any differences on rear u joint selection???

 

[typ4]

do not buy ujoints online, spicer only, all others are well crap. try thislink, 5-178x should be your joint. get the greaseable ones, the life lube dont last , for me anyway.



http://www2.dana.com/pdf/K350-1-DSSP.pdf