2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Driveshafts and u joints ?

[Turbo Terry]

I have a 1999 24v used but not abused with just about 100 k on it. I roll around underneath on the creeper and look and wiggle the driveshaft tight as heck but what am i missing? give me your thoughts Thanks

 

[DCreed]

not sure what youre asking , Terry.

 

[Turbo Terry]

Sorry how do I know when my u joints are bad i guess is the question

 

[DCreed]

noise, vibration, gooey from grease leaking, with truck chocked in neutral, rotate driveshaft and wiggle.

 

[WilsonF]

Make sure the transmission is in neutral and E brake is off. Then if you try to rotate the drive shaft back and forth look for slop in the U joints.

Floyd

 

[steved]

My dad has 280k on his 99 truck... he has replaced ONE ujoint... he has owned it since new. The 2nd gen dana/spicer stuff is leaps and bounds better than the AAM of the 3rd gens.

If they feel tight, keep driving.

 

[Turbo Terry]

I guess how thats how I was taught to check the driveline. Thanks for the responces.

 

[Grizzly]

My dad has 280k on his 99 truck... he has replaced ONE ujoint... he has owned it since new. The 2nd gen dana/spicer stuff is leaps and bounds better than the AAM of the 3rd gens.



If they feel tight, keep driving.

I'm not at all convinced that the Dana is better then AAM.

 

[steved]

280k on his and 201k on mine without any diff/driveshaft/mystery vibrations, and I have 168k on my 04. 5 with a incurable pinion seal leak, ujoints (ALL) that failed before 75k, and 70mph vibrations that required $1800 to mask (not fix)...



I would rather have a dana...

 

[Curious Dave]

Wiggling the shaft will tell you there is slop. It won't tell you 100% that they are bad. Mine weren't loose and they were definitely bad. I knew they were bad by the sound while I was driving. It sounded like there was a coffee can of bolts underneath my truck. I took it in and the joints werebad enough they were talking about using a torch to get them out. A little dry. Not spot one of grease anywhere.

 

[Dodoro]

My front driveshaft was making a grinding / crunching noise as i coasted down a slight grade. It was the u - joint at the transfer case output shaft.



I pulled it out and sure enough one caps ate all the needle bearings



Dave's driveshaft in Nashville TN could not beleve I had 200,750 miles and the 1/2 inch nub ( WHAT EVER THAT THING IS IN THE MIDDLE Of THE CARRIER SUPPORT BEARING IS) had no sign of wear.



3 new u joints installed was $220

 

[Turbo Terry]

How funny. I guess thats why I,m thinking about them.

 

[DIESELWRKS]

u-joints

I replaced all of my u-joints when I bought the truck at 90k they seemed okay but I wanted to make sure. I used all dana joints except the front double card joints I used super joints. to my experience all things fail, fail more if you use/abuse harder than most make sure you do maintnance on reg basis. so far almost 60km on these and no problems even with the truck lifted 6inches. my 04. 5 dodge brand new both fron joint and all ball-joints failed at 20k miles from factory. so who knows what went on there. I have been lucky so far with my 02 due to checking and maintnance. usually if you catch a u-joint in time it normaly doesnt do any hard damage. usually just replace the joint before it can do real damage. that is why they are there. I at one time did alot of short hot shoting with a gooseneck. but when I lifted the truck I stopped using my turnover ball. truck is to tall. a perfect b/m turnover going to waste. I can say I had to use a japan u-joint once to get me home and it was on the front diff and it got me home but it was hotter than normal and it spun out alot of its grease. so I wont use that type again. .



hope you can diagnos you joints and it comes out good.



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