U-joint exploded and left me stranded
- Thread starter Daniel.Lee
- Start date
OP
So... I just noticed something. If you see the attached photo my driveshaft yoke on the transfer case end is not aligned with the driveshaft yoke on the rear diff side.... I think I remember seeing a video once talking about the harmonic motion of a driveshaft at an angle and a misalignment of the yokes causes extreme vibration. Is this right or nahh?
OP
Where? I just went back through the thread and didn't find anything from him mentioning that.
He had mentioned the rear pinion angle being too high.... but not anything about the orientation of the driveshaft yoke's with respect to eachother.
I think those are synonymous, granted maybe an implication than a direct comment. A yoke being too high or low would imply the thing at the end (DS in this case) is also off alignment.
My apologies, I replied too fast. You are correct, they are out of phase with each other. You will need to pull the slip yoke off, turn it one spline and see if it lines up. If it does not, then the tube is twisted and needs to be fixed.
If one spline doesn't do it, then turn it almost 180 and try again. Some are keyed so they will only go on one way and that means it does need to be fixed if it is keyed.
No, he's right, they should be in line with each other. I read his post wrong and thought he was talking about the pinion being too high which it is.
Just to be clear, this guy had no vibes, blew a joint and now he has vibes.
What does the pinion angle have to do with that?
Wasn't it was running fine with the pinion angle just how it is?
I'd hate to waste this guys time jumping to conclusions.
What does the pinion angle have to do with that?
Wasn't it was running fine with the pinion angle just how it is?
I'd hate to waste this guys time jumping to conclusions.
OP
OP
W
Well, I always had a LITTLE vibration. I just chalked it up to "Issa Jeep thing". However, the vibrations have gotten much worse after the destroyed u-joint was replaced. I mean, I can't even hear my own thoughts over the vibrations I feel between 30-45ish mph......
Well, I always had a LITTLE vibration. I just chalked it up to "Issa Jeep thing". However, the vibrations have gotten much worse after the destroyed u-joint was replaced. I mean, I can't even hear my own thoughts over the vibrations I feel between 30-45ish mph......
Vibrations can't just be lived with, you have to track the cause down and fix it. Vibrations will eventually take out u-joints, bearings, seals, etc.
Vibrations are not normal or acceptable at any level on a Jeep or any other vehicle for that matter. Any vibration indicates a problem.
Vibrations are not normal or acceptable at any level on a Jeep or any other vehicle for that matter. Any vibration indicates a problem.
OP
Roger that. I'll definitely have to adjust the slip yoke, replace the rear pinion yoke, and install the non-greasable Spice u-joint and see how the ride is.
Looking at the picture of it, it appears to have run out of lubrication, powdered the needle bearings or seized them up and then the heat melted the end of the pins to the point they were finally able to leave the restraint of the cap. Based purely on how the joint looks. The increasing vibration tells us the joint was dying from extra slop in the caps.
OP
Yeah this is what I think too and there is STILL slop in the caps even with the replacement u-joint...
So going back to my original question that no one's really answered yet... How often do rear pinion yokes fall out of spec? The only explanation I have for the slop in the new u-joint caps is that the rear pinion yoke has "spread out", meaning, the dimension of the two locations (where the rear pinion yoke interfaces to the two arms of the u-joint) has somehow increased, leading to the slop.
Just to make sure I am understanding.
You run a 1350 DC shaft on the rear and then a 1330 RC shaft on the front axle? I've not had clearance issues with the large driveshaft I have on my front axle but have always worried about it. When I had my shaft built I got some bad advice from a vendor who gave me the wrong measurement instructions and also had me upgrade to 1350 for my front shaft.
We only run two Double Cardan joints. We only run 1 size on the front, 1310. In the back, we run either 1310 or 1350 Double Cardan joints. If we blow up too many 1310 H bars in the Double Cardan, we switch to 1350. At the front pinion, we run mostly 1310 or a conversion joint. In the back we run 1310, 1350, or maybe a 1330 to get slightly less beef than a 1350. We want the pinion joint to break first if possible. Much cheaper repair if it doesn't blow up the tube from slinging around.