WOOO HOO! I Broke a U joint!

[Darrin Tosh]

Why the "WOO HOO" Part,.? Because I did it .5 miles from my home, and it didn't happen on the Rally Trip!

It was the rear one, the second one that I broke this year. I just remove the driveshaft, lock in the front hubs, stick it in 4x4, and go front whee drive.

My question is,.. do they make a Heavy Duty u Joint for these trucks? The last one came from Napa. Any suggestions?

tomorrow I am going to bring the driveshaft to have it balanced and ask them about a HD U joint as well.

Thanks,..

 

[93turbo_animal]

wow glad you made it that far home probably woundn't have if we had gotten to go racin

 

[Metalmacguyver]

A non greaseable Joint will be stronger as it wont have a 5/16 diameter hole drilled through it.

If you like your grease fittings, try drilling out all 4 caps and putting zerks in each of them.

 

[sle2115]

Try a precision super strength ujoint. They have a much smaller cross drilling so they are still greasable, but they hold up well and they still have a needle type grease zerk. I've used them for quite a few years with very good luck.

 

[dukedrummer89]

Try a precision super strength ujoint. They have a much smaller cross drilling so they are still greasable, but they hold up well and they still have a needle type grease zerk. I've used them for quite a few years with very good luck.

i have broke a couple of those, but everything I run has pretty steep driveline angles... Id go with spicer, never had a problem with them

 

[tenlug]

Spicer.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

It was the rear one, the second one that I broke this year. I just remove the driveshaft, lock in the front hubs, stick it in 4x4, and go front whee drive.

My first question would be "why are they breaking ??"

ALL OF MY U-JOINTS ARE Dana-Spicer Brand.

I have the huge Dodge/Cummins U-joint first behind the Getrag transmission, then the standard Ford joint at the carrier-bearing (which I shouldn't say so, but is the original 1985 one), then last in line at the rear-end is the weird two-sided Ford stock joint.

I never did quite understand Fords reasoning for those two odd U-joints at each end of the shafts, while using a normal one at the carrier.

That all being said, I load HEAVY and haul HARD and I have NEVER had a U-joint failure on my Ford, NEVER (although I could have one tomorrow).


Were I you, I would investigate what is causing the U-joints to fail.


Also, I would never trade the ability to grease for a little strength, as a dry joint is going to fail for sure.



Are you running a two-piece rear shaft with carrier ??

 

[Metalmacguyver]

Dont go buy a joint because of the brand. Do a little research. Cold forged joints are stronger, as are joints that are not cross drilled.

Example.

The front end of my ranger has the D35 TTB. stock joints are spicer 5-297s. I broke a couple of those. Since upgrading to Spicer 5-760s, identical in fit and dimension, I have broken only shafts.

The 297 is a hot forged non greaseable joint, the 760 is cold forged non greaseable.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

One other thing. (so long as you have a Dana rear)

It is possible to swap the rear-end yoke for one from a Dodge/Cummins that has the same rear-end; the Dodge/Cummins U-joints are a bunch bigger.

Also, grab the Dodge drive-shafts; you will have to lengthen or shorten them, but they will have the big yokes.

If you have Dodge/Cummins yoke at the transfer-case, you can go with the big joints all the way.

 

[6.9poweredscout]

Spicers, i'll admit on the 250 i used the cheaper autozone ones because i was broke and wated to drive it. but on all my harvesters they get only spicers, anything else breaks in NO time.

-Jon

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

I also thought of another, but you probably already know all about this.

When installing U-joints that have an Alemite located in the cross, always install the joint such that the Alemite is always under torque compression, as in the forward motion of the truck is squeezing against the Alemite, instead of pulling it apart; it is surprising how much installing them 90* off from proper position can weaken them.

 

[6.9poweredscout]

I also thought of another, but you probably already know all about this.

When installing U-joints that have an Alemite located in the cross, always install the joint such that the Alemite is always under torque compression, as in the forward motion of the truck is squeezing against the Alemite, instead of pulling it apart; it is surprising how much installing them 90* off from proper position can weaken them.

not to sound dumb, but what's an alemite?

-Jon ;p

 

[dukedrummer89]

tomorrow I am going to bring the driveshaft to have it balanced and ask them about a HD U joint as well.

Thanks,..

Might as well get some 1480s and new shafts & yokes... never have a problem again

 

[suv7734]

I also thought of another, but you probably already know all about this.

When installing U-joints that have an Alemite located in the cross, always install the joint such that the Alemite is always under torque compression, as in the forward motion of the truck is squeezing against the Alemite, instead of pulling it apart; it is surprising how much installing them 90* off from proper position can weaken them.

X2

 

[Fordsandguns]

not to sound dumb, but what's an alemite?

-Jon ;p

x2 ?