Drive Shaft Center Support Bearing?

[MChildress]

Thanks Elabay I'll look them up.

 

[DPrew]

I'm glad to hear the new trucks have a one piece. Just bought an 09'. My 02' carrier bearing lasted 150K but then I went through probably ten bearings in the next 20K. Finally replaced the entire driveshaft and it fixed the problem. Having close to 1300 ft lbs of torque coming off the crankshaft probably doesn't help.

 

[MMeier]

Been a week and a half...

... any more news from anyone ?

 

[MChildress]

My vibration was getting to where I couldn't go over 65 mph. Pulled mine Thur and took it into Randy's Driveshaft Service 713 672 6344 in Houston. They found slop where the two piece slides together and the rubber in the carrier bearing cracking and stretched out (about 3/8 of slop) all three u-joints appeared to still be tight. This is at 80,000. They are working on building me a 5" aluminum out . 125 wall with two Spicer u-joints. I took it over there in my 95 F350 Powerstroke with with 180,000 on the original drive shaft and u-joints. Makes you scratch your head when looking at a Spicer and AAM products.

 

[MMeier]

My vibration was getting to where I couldn't go over 65 mph. Pulled mine Thur and took it into Randy's Driveshaft Service 713 672 6344 in Houston. They found slop where the two piece slides together and the rubber in the carrier bearing cracking and stretched out (about 3/8 of slop) all three u-joints appeared to still be tight. This is at 80,000. They are working on building me a 5" aluminum out . 125 wall with two Spicer u-joints. I took it over there in my 95 F350 Powerstroke with with 180,000 on the original drive shaft and u-joints. Makes you scratch your head when looking at a Spicer and AAM products.

Did you have any vibration around 40 MPH ? How much is the new shaft going to run ?

 

[LMarler]

Could someone explain how you are feeling the vibration, meaning is coming back thru the tranmission, or thru the floor up into the seat. The reason I ask is I have developed a vibration I can't pin point. I know how u-joint shutter feels and my vibration isn't like that and at higher speeds mostly 60-70 range.

Thanks

Lynn

 

[MMeier]

The one that has me leaning toward the shaft is up through the floor and seats. Also, it comes in around 66 or so and seems to go away about 77. Recently though I had another one come up around 40 or so, also only seems to have about a 5-10 MPH spread where it occurs. Thought it may have been my new wheels and tires slinging a weight or two, but went and had them rebalanced earlier this week and everythintg checked out there and the shake is still there. I know my splines are a bit on the sloppy side, but haven't had a chance to pull the shaft and throughly check the joints themselves.

 

[LMarler]

M Meier, Your post is just about exactly what mine feels like, I will take a second look @ the bearing. I talked with Cline's Driveline in Nashville, TN about a one piece. His is the very same as M Childress quoted, their price is $495. 00. They do a great job!

Thanks

Lynn

 

[MChildress]

At about 10 mph it fills like I have a bent rear rim. At 60 to 65 you can fill it in the floor board and through the seat and the mirrors shake enough its hard to see through them. It has rattled something loose in my front right passenger door that I need to go in and find and tighten up. The u-joints look fine but the play in the two piece drive shaft where they slide together is throwing the shaft out of balance and has wasted the carrier bearing.



I have never owned a truck requiring this much maintenance on stuff that should not be breaking. I am thinking about sending Dodge some more money for the education I have received with this truck.

 

[MMeier]

Got mine in today...

... and seems to have cured most of my problems. Still have something going on somewhere, think its up front with the ball joints being 'loose' . Time to investigate that further.

 

[MChildress]

I got the call today they finished building my new aluminum one piece shaft and I will pick it up tomorrow. I just have my fingers crossed that all the vibration will be gone.

 

[MMeier]

Let us know !!!

 

[LMarler]

I have looked at my bearing, I don't know if it bad or good! " Help me out ole Gods of knowledge". Rubber around bearing is riding toward the bottom, and you can move it with ease up,down and sideways, but I am not going to say it is sloppy movement. I need some guideance, on how to access the condition of the carrier and bearing?

Thanks,

Lynn

 

[MChildress]

Got the drive shaft in and could still feel some vibration but not as bad. Went ahead and replaced the tires and the truck is driving like new again. Oo.

 

[ELABAY]

MChildress, if you dont mind me asking how much did Randy's charge you and who did you deal with. I am probably going to call them tommorrow but the curiosity is killing me. Thanks.

 

[MChildress]

I dealt with Steve and it was a little over $700 (713 672 6344) I measured center to center on the two outside u-joints before taking off and taking them the old shaft. They used the trans slip yoke and diff. flange off the old one.



Brent with Driveshaft Specialist Inc (1 866 455 6622) in San Antonio,Tx is $545 plus shipping for the same shaft using the old trans slip yoke and diff flange.



Figuring the shipping cost sending the parts and shipping back they were within a $100 of each other and I had already dropped the old shaft off at Randy's. I would of killed another day and fuel driving back into Houston to pick it up and if there are any problems Randy's is only 60 miles away. They do have one heck of a driveshaft shop over there.

 

[ELABAY]

$700 is alittle moree than I can swing right now. So it looks like I will be waiting awhile.

 

[MChildress]

Tell me about it $700 on shaft and $1400 on 6 new tires in the same week left my piggy bank pretty dry. I asked Randy's about cutting the Dodge aluminum shaft down and it was almost $200 for welding and balancing so you were right back in the same ball park $600 to $700. I do like they fact we went with the heavy . 125 thickness wall on the 5" shaft all the way through with no reductions in the tube. I could of just replaced the carrier bearing but from what I have read it would not of been long term fix and I would of been replacing it again along with new u-joints pretty quick. So hopefully I am done with it and can now start saving up for the Dyna-Trac kit for the front end.

 

[WTreat]

Greetings all,



I have read this forum with great interest as I am also considering a change in driveshafts. I on the other hand am not changing it due to vibration issues but rather that I am going to be installing a Gear Vendor's unit onto the back of my 05 3500 w/the G-56. I currently have about 70,000 miles on my truck and am the original owner. My daughter tells people that I care more for my truck than I do her at times, which I guess means that I take care of my toys.



The question that I guess I would like to ask is has anyone used one of these one piece shafts behind a Gear Vendor's unit or are you all stock.

 

[WTreat]

MChildress,



What size of spicer u-joints did they put in your one piece driveshaft? How did they meet a spicer u-joint up with and American Axle Diff. Flange?