Wear on collar of u-joint ears

Schwifty Rich

Schwifty Rich

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 21, 2018
Messages
224
Location
St. Louis, MO, USA
Today I noticed some unusual wear on my driver side hub. The u joint seems to be running on the collar during turns I thinking. I haven’t ripped anything apart...Yet, but I’m wondering if it’s simply a u joint issue or something more.
I have been rolling around without a front drive shaft for a short while as I’m rebuilding the centering ball part of the drive shaft. So maybe it’s less stable without that in place?

I replaced my ball joints earlier last year but those were fully seated so I don’t think that could have effected it too much but I don’t know

Also I’m thinking my axle may not be perfectly centered and angled from when I tinkered with the bump stops and tried my hand at squaring the axle to the frame. Definitely learned my lesson about if it’s not broke, don’t fix it on that one.
Without further ado here are some pics of the wear!

71311E4D-DD37-4A17-9343-B024A5280BAC.jpeg


498A7FAA-00A9-484E-85B2-6C14A15ECFC6.jpeg

Any ideas on what I may need to consider or where to begin before I start ripping apart my daily driver?
Many thanks!
 
Schwifty Rich said:
Today I noticed some unusual wear on my driver side hub. The u joint seems to be running on the collar during turns I thinking. I haven’t ripped anything apart...Yet, but I’m wondering if it’s simply a u joint issue or something more.
I have been rolling around without a front drive shaft for a short while as I’m rebuilding the centering ball part of the drive shaft. So maybe it’s less stable without that in place?

I replaced my ball joints earlier last year but those were fully seated so I don’t think that could have effected it too much but I don’t know

Also I’m thinking my axle may not be perfectly centered and angled from when I tinkered with the bump stops and tried my hand at squaring the axle to the frame. Definitely learned my lesson about if it’s not broke, don’t fix it on that one.
Without further ado here are some pics of the wear!

View attachment 186416

View attachment 186417
Any ideas on what I may need to consider or where to begin before I start ripping apart my daily driver?
Many thanks!
Click to expand...
Axle is off center most likely and allowing the steering to turn one way further than the other but likely not the obvious way. The stops only limit one direction. Left side limits how how far it turns to the right and vice versa.

If it is off center, it can turn further one way than the other and that binding is likely happening on the back side, not the front side.
 
I had the same issue. Aftermarket Ten Factory axles, stock axles didn't do it. Housing is centered with adjustable TB. I had the choice of grinding out the shaft for clearance, or adding washers to the steering stops to limit travel. I added two washers, no more binding.
 
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mrblaine said:
Axle is off center most likely and allowing the steering to turn one way further than the other but likely not the obvious way. The stops only limit one direction. Left side limits how how far it turns to the right and vice versa.

If it is off center, it can turn further one way than the other and that binding is likely happening on the back side, not the front side.
Click to expand...
I have not touched my turning/steering stops so that would be interesting if they were the culprit.
the only stops I touched were bump stops in the form of hockey pucks and in doing so started playing with my control arms like abig dummy.

sounds like the solution would be trying to get the axle centered better rather than play with the steering stops right?

How do you mean not in the obvious way?
 
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Schwifty Rich said:
I have not touched my turning/steering stops so that would be interesting if they were the culprit.
the only stops I touched were bump stops in the form of hockey pucks and in doing so started playing with my control arms like abig dummy.

sounds like the solution would be trying to get the axle centered better rather than play with the steering stops right?

How do you mean not in the obvious way?
Click to expand...
It isn't obvious that you can overtravel the steering one direction due to the axle being off center.
 
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I had to clearance one of my new Revolution shafts with a grinder because it would bind about 6 degrees before the other one did. It would have otherwise taken a lot of washers to prevent the yokes from colliding. I just carefully added clearance with a grinder until it didn't bind.
 
jjvw said:
I need to think this one through some more.
Click to expand...
The knuckles only have steering stops on one side. If you take a knuckle connected to the ball joints only, you could flip it forward to hit the stop, or you could flip it really far back. The example I think of that could create this issue is excessive toe out.
 
Steel City 06 said:
The knuckles only have steering stops on one side. If you take a knuckle connected to the ball joints only, you could flip it forward to hit the stop, or you could flip it really far back. The example I think of that could create this issue is excessive toe out.
Click to expand...

I can see that as a result of a misadjusted tie rod, but I don't see yet where an off center axle could cause an oversteer.
 
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Steel City 06 said:
The knuckles only have steering stops on one side. If you take a knuckle connected to the ball joints only, you could flip it forward to hit the stop, or you could flip it really far back. The example I think of that could create this issue is excessive toe out.
Click to expand...
Also correct.
 
mrblaine said:
Steering gear has stops at both ends. ;)
Click to expand...

Does that mean that a truly centered axle puts both the steering gear stops and the knuckle stops in phase with each other? This assumes a stock axle and steering gear.
 
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