HELP! How to change Ujoint in '06 3500?

[rbattelle]

This would likely work if you have access to a welder,

I'm sorry, I assumed, and we all know what that means.

It should not require a background in any kind of engineering to change parts on a truck

Well, that was sort of my point. You're an engineer, which means using your brain to change u-joints should be like taking an elephant gun to a squirrel hunt.

My engineering background allows me to analyze the design knowing what has been done and works well in other vehicles. U-joints have been used for hundreds of years, and there are GOOD designs out there. THIS DESIGN is not one of the GOOD designs, it is a POOR design from the serviceability standpoint.

From a serviceability point of view, you have a point that this assembly is unfortunate.



But without knowing the design parameters involved, how do you know some fresh-out-of-college engineer with no real experience designed it? Not to mention you're assuming he has no experienced supervision checking his designs.



I'm not defending this design, and in principle I agree there are certainly more serviceable ways to go about it. But I hesitate to castigate whomever was responsible without knowing more about his motivations.



Bear in mind, I'm speaking out of ignorance. As I said before, I'm certainly no mechanical engineer.



-Ryan