U-joints gone again!

[E7mack96]

on the way home from work, the U-joint went out again. Its the one at the rear end.



The last one had one end broke off.



This is not good. My 2001 had 60K+ on it and never had a driveline prob.



This thing has right at 43,000 and is broke again :{

 

[sag2]

Have you thought about how much torque you have going through it? I'm sure those joints are made by Spicer or Dana or some other reputable company. If they were junk, they would go out on every truck.

 

[JHardwick]

been there done that



in 63,000 miles i've had a total of 7 u-joints replaced under warranty

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Don't you think it's about time you looked for the root cause? Lift kit can exacerbate the problem, for example. Also consider out-of-round saddle in the companion flange, out of balance or out of square shaft, incorrectly phased shafts, or that one shaft, etc.

 

[JHardwick]

Don't you think it's about time you looked for the root cause? Lift kit can exacerbate the problem, for example. Also consider out-of-round saddle in the companion flange, out of balance or out of square shaft, incorrectly phased shafts, or that one shaft, etc.

I've been there and done that! All joints have been in the rear shaft with the exception of one front axle joint.



I've got no lift kit.



Rear driveshaft was completely replaced once. Local driveline company said it couldn't be balanced.



TSB said carrier need repositioned 1/2" to the passenger side, but not covered under warranty ... ... . I did that myself instead of paying $40.



You tell me

 

[E7mack96]

Well, on mine, the lift and everything regarding rear driveline is stock. I told them about all the play in the carrier bearing last time. They said it was ok. Hopefully, they can figure this one out right.



for the record, the last u-joint was installed on 11/18/2004 at 40,508 miles. This one lasted about 30 days and 2500 miles.

 

[E7mack96]

Update

Well, the dealer said the middle u-joint broke this time. They fixed it and then tried to charge me a $100. 00 deductable again.



I threw such a fit that they didn't charge a deductable, and - to boot- replaced my alternator bracket for free. (originally stated that i would have to pay labor since i'm over 36,000)



Anyways, the dealer (Colerain Dodge) did the right thing.



I still am not sure that it is fixed right. Something is tearing up the u-joints.

 

[abdiver]

Perhaps it the "Edge EZ on level 5"

 

[E7mack96]

you are funny.



My last ram had a whole lot more power, and never lost and driveline parts in 70,000 miles.



also, I'm not side-stepping the clutch and launching at the red-lights.



I just think that the u-joints are weak for this app.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

The minimum-wage taco-bender U-joint assembler in that south-of-the-border manufacturing plant probably is using the grease for that taco, instead of putting it IN the U-joints!



120,000 RV towing miles on the U-joints on my Banks equipped and tweaked '91 - still had the original joints when I sold it after buying the '02 - IT now has 35,000 miles, and NO U-joint problems with lots of towing miles, and with the mods/power listed below...



And no one would listen when early on I griped about DC's switch in driveline components, and rushed to buy the '02 while they were still available - and yes, my VP-44 and LP are just fine TOO, thank you!



SOMETIMES "progress" *AIN'T*!

 

[Jefff929]

Don't you think it's about time you looked for the root cause? Lift kit can exacerbate the problem, for example. Also consider out-of-round saddle in the companion flange, out of balance or out of square shaft, incorrectly phased shafts, or that one shaft, etc.

It has been a long time since I did this type of work... if your angle is not right you will have this happen again. Try a specialty shop, F L Snyder & Son in Albany, OR is a shop that will work on anything from cars to big rigs. They repaired my alignment issues when the dealer and a tire shop seemed to be less than able.

 

[DPKetchum]

The service writer I deal with the other day said that a MEMO from D. C. came by him to make sure all replaced u'joints had the CAPS removed and a little GREASE put in them. I assume a VENDOR problem with little or no lube. Of couse if you get a whole shaft already assembled it would make sense that it would or could be as dry of lube as the one that failed.

 

[BHolm]

How about some components that we can grease ourselves? I think it is absurd that you can't grease the balljoints and u-joints on these trucks. Guess what is failing... balljoints and u-joints



Does anybody know of an aftermarket vendor that could supply these products for us? I would think that they could make a killing considering the number of problems I read about. My '03 dually needed balljoints at 70k and now neeeds a u-joint at 79k miles. Considering the work it does I am not terribly dissappointed but I KNOW that if I could grease these parts myself at regular intervals that they would certainly last longer.



I am getting sick of this notion that the less service a vehicle needs the better. Hey DC, I really don't mind taking care of it myself

 

[DPKetchum]

Would have done US and Them a favor!

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

For my non-greasable suspension joints, I use a grease injection needle (sold by NAPA and others) that attaches to my grease gun, and simply inject grease directly into those joints thru their rubber boots. Those boots as delivered from the factory LOOKED totally empty of lube when I bought the truck, and dern certain was NOT gonna try for 100,000 miles on them in that apparent condition!



I also grease the center support bearing and inner driveshaft splines that way, but no way I can see to inject grease into the U-joints, as mine seem to use a rather hard plastic seal I can't pierce with my needle. Guess I'll just hafta keep my fingers crossed, and hope that Taiwan or Mexican worker did his job right...

 

[bzingre]

U-Joints Too

I just had mine done at James O'neal in Bremen, Ga. Great service dept. Small shop, and a lot of Cummins powered trucks. 53,000 on the U-Joints. I'm not too impressed since I'm 90% highway miles with no load. I have an EZ but I never use the power. Shocking to me the ball joints are OK... knock on wood.

 

[WyattEarp]

working on 97000 miles and no problems from the U-joints. . but for a heavy truck, there sure is a need for grease fittings. . mine has a total of 3...

 

[DPKetchum]

There coming through with little or no grease in them! If just replacing the joints with factory units tell them or someone to pull caps and add some lube. Vendor problem or so I was told at a D. C. dealer. Apprently replacements are dry also!

 

[Big MAK]

58,000 miles; only about 18,000 with power mods. Towing about 1/3 of those 58,000 miles. Still stock u-joints; no play.

 

[GerryDrake]

Grease injection needles

For those looking for the needles with zerk fittings on them, $5. 99 for a pair of them at the local NAPA store...



Part # is 700-1193. .