Help! U-Joint/Drive Shaft Issues

[joslukas]

On Friday my drive shaft failed at the rear yoke. I have been reading through hundreds of posts looking for information on a vendor to provide a replacement driveshaft. What is becoming apparent is that '03 trucks seem to have an unusually high rate of U-joint failures. The failure I experienced was clearly metal fatigue as the U-joint was vibrating/grinding through the cap until it failed at the driveshaft yoke. My belief is that many of the U-joint problems are caused by a poor quality drive shaft. This is just my theory so you can ignore it if you wish.



What I am looking for is advice on who to go to for a custom driveshaft (I also need a new pinion yoke as the vibration caused some damage there as well). I cannot seem to find a custom driveshaft maker that includes any information on our trucks. Has anyone had a custom driveshaft built for their 3G trucks?? Or does anyone have experience with these outfits:



http://www.thrashdriveshaft.com

http://www.dennysdriveshaft.com

http://www.iedls.com



These were the only driveshaft makers that I could find with my websearches so far.



Thanks for the help!! JOE

 

[MMeier]

Where are you located?

 

[CHubbard]

Local Spicer wareshouse/shop built me a drive shaft

The rear drive shaft tube on my truck was damaged by a repair shop while replacing the rear u-joint. A local Spicer business cut the damaged tube out, welded in another, pressed in new spicer joints with zerk u-joints, and balanced it. This shop also had yokes in inventory. It is in Bloomington, IN. The driveshaft is a single piece shaft.

 

[Hoefler]

You should be able to find a drive line shop in any far sized city. Call the local truck shops, and ask them who they use.

 

[rjohnson916]

I don't mean this to get on you, but according to you're sig are you not asking a little more duty out of you're shaft than waht it was factory spec'd for?



-Ryan

 

[jwilliams3]

These driveshafts and yokes are actually pretty tough tigers. The U joints fail from lack of lubrication.

 

[joslukas]

Clarification on Drive Shaft Question

To clarify, I live in eastern WA nowhere near a metro area. I am looking for a bolt-in custom driveshaft to replace the POS OEM unit that failed. I am hoping to have one shipped to me and was also hoping for some information from this group.

 

[jwilliams3]

Lukas,

Same things gonna happen again unless you get greasable U joints dont matter which driveshaft you get.

 

[JCasper]

I am in the middle of replacing U-Joints right now. I bought some from NAPA and I am not too happy with them. I need my truck tomorrow so I am going to replace just the bad one tonight. I will probably then get some Spicers to replace them with later.



Call Six States Distributors in Portland, OR and see if they can help.



(800) 547-7024

 

[joslukas]

My internet has been down but I wanted to close this thread. I used Driveshaft Specialists, Inc. of San Antonio, TX to get a new custom driveshaft. For $392 they provided a 4" driveshaft (upgrade from 3. 5" OEM), Spicer U-joints, a new pinion yoke and balancing of the entire assembly (with my slip yoke that I shipped to them). Install took 5 minutes and my truck now drives smoother than ever before. I believe it was money well spent.

 

[steved]

My internet has been down but I wanted to close this thread. I used Driveshaft Specialists, Inc. of San Antonio, TX to get a new custom driveshaft. For $392 they provided a 4" driveshaft (upgrade from 3. 5" OEM), Spicer U-joints, a new pinion yoke and balancing of the entire assembly (with my slip yoke that I shipped to them). Install took 5 minutes and my truck now drives smoother than ever before. I believe it was money well spent.

The shop that replaced the joints in my rear driveshaft found the rear shaft was well out of balance.



steved