U-Joint Problems

[MTucker]

I had a sqeek backing up on my 03 with 48k on it, pulled the shaft and the rear was bad ,took it in to napa they rplaced both joints for 88$ the front was on the way out too. new ones have grease fittings.

 

[Ftuttle]

you described EXACTLY what was happening w/ mine @ 35K - replaced the center rear u-joint under warranty (vibration starting @ 65 on up - going constant velocity).



-frank

 

[JHardwick]

How much are you guys paying for these 351's? I guess the 15$ ujoint days are over :-laf



I'm at 72,000 miles and my rear joints are going out again. They have been replaced twice under warranty, so I know the drill. Anyway, NAPA had no listing above '02, but quoted me $34 and change per joint for the 351, and had to order them. Sounds steep, but if they have a zerk, and will last the 70,000 miles that 3 sets of factory stuff made it, I'll be happy.



BTW, Blakers, I got a needle fitting in there and made them last another month ... ... ... . gettin a little skeered now :-laf

 

[Blakers]

How much are you guys paying for these 351's? I guess the 15$ ujoint days are over :-laf

... Anyway, NAPA had no listing above '02, but quoted me $34 and change per joint for the 351, and had to order them. Sounds steep, but if they have a zerk, and will last the 70,000 miles that 3 sets of factory stuff made it, I'll be happy.



BTW, Blakers, I got a needle fitting in there and made them last another month ... ... ... . gettin a little skeered now :-laf

I think that's about what I paid. Thirty-something.



I ended up cutting the joint in half with a torch and then tapping the caps in. Probably could have pressed it out, but it was so tight that I didn't want to risk distorting the yokes. We've done it before and it works well.



Blake

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

Update: rear u-joint gone at 43K.

 

[Jeremiah]

Ol'Trail Dog, what is that weather strip TSB you mentioned awhile back and which veh is it on?

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

Jeremiah,



If your go to www.dodgeram.org and look at the TSB link and DR2004. You will find this:



http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2004/23-008-04.htm



Along with other TSBs. Opps. . edit it was on the 04.

 

[Blakers]

Update: rear u-joint gone at 43K.

Yea... you did pretty good.



Blake

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

I suppose I should have added the first one in the first half of the rear driveshaft went at 38K.



Also did a little math. Cost me $70 bucks to drive to BZ and back (not counting the little necessities like expresso, rolls, and the rueben sando at Ernies in West Yellowstone), plus the $100 deductible.



Perhaps, I should have changed it my self, right here. Some of us are a little slow on the uptake.



Has any of you folks who put the 1/2" shim under the carrier experienced further u-joint failures???

 

[Cattletrkr]

Has any of you folks who put the 1/2" shim under the carrier experienced further u-joint failures???

All of my ujoint probs were long after adding the shim. The shudder I had was cured when the faulty stock joint (center of three) was replaced at 55K. Now at almost 65K there is still a little shudder, but nowheres near what I had when new.



As far as I'm concerned, DC should replace the ujoints first, then screw around with shims. Woulda saved me a few 60mi trips to the dealer.

 

[Blakers]

I suppose I should have added the first one in the first half of the rear driveshaft went at 38K.



Also did a little math. Cost me $70 bucks to drive to BZ and back (not counting the little necessities like expresso, rolls, and the rueben sando at Ernies in West Yellowstone), plus the $100 deductible.

Yes, I would recommend that everyone change theirs out themselves and go with the better greasable joint. I had the dealer change my first one out under warrantee, but then had to do it myself anyway after another 20,000 miles. The stock joints are under greased and I don't think most dealers know how to add more grease to them when they put them in.



The sooner you do your front axle joints, the easier it will be too. Everything up there rusts and gets tough to get apart. Those Mexicans don't believe in paint under the truck.