U-Joint Swap
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All Star
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 961
Likes: 1
From: Akron, OH
U-Joint Swap
So, yeah...finally get her back on the road after about $700 of suspension and brake work annnnnd my U-Joints crap out. Can't be too upset...the originals lasted 160K miles, it's just the principle of the thing. Granted, at this point I should be expecting that little things like this are going to come up more and more frequently.
It all started about a month or so ago, right after some duded backed out of a parking spot into the rear driver side door. Not gonna complain though, because the damage wasn't too bad, and the check from his insurance company more than covered the cost of all my suspension and brake work.
What I noticed was that when I would accelerate moderately to hard I would hear a little bit of clicking, which at first didn't seem to be a big deal. That was about the time that I did all of my suspension work. After the fact I had no choice but to drive her for 3 days before I could get an alignment. So, I wasn't surprised to feel her vibrating at highway speed. Got the alignment done and most of the vibrating was gone, except a small amount between 40-50mph and a great deal of it between 65-75mph.
Then about 3 days ago the noise got terrible. I never heard anything like it and had no idea what it was. After a bit of research on YouTube, I figured out that it was in fact my U-Joint(s) that were bad. Aside from the sounds from several videos being almost identical, the dead giveaway (that I never knew about til now) was that the vibration that I was feeling was distinctly different than that of unbalanced wheels.
Unbalanced Wheels = Vibration predominantly in the Steering Wheel
Bad U-Joints = Vibration predominantly in the seat or all over the car
So, I never swapped U-Joints before, but after reading the FSM Manual and watching a few videos it seemed not too tough. I wish that I had an arbor press or at least enough extra cash to borrow a ball joint press from the auto store, but I figured the hammer/socket method should be too bad.
What makes me nervous is that our drive shafts are aluminum and not steel, so I did my best to not mess it up or bend the ears. After a bit of finagling I was eventually successful in getting the U-Joints out in both the front and the rear. The front U-Joint seemed to be ok before I got started, but figured, if I was doing one, might as well do the other.
Got them both out, and sure enough... Once the caps came off of the rear U-joint a ton of rusty powder and only mere fragments of what was once needle bearings fell out.
Got the yokes all cleaned up, un-boxed my new Moog greasable super strength U-joints and started to lube them up with some full synthetic lithium grease and then I noticed a small issue... One of the new U-Joints had not 1, but 2 caps with a hole in it for the grease fitting. GGGRRRRR!!! You gotta be kidding me! I look at the clock and sure enough, the Auto Store had just closed. So, everything is ready to reassemble...in the morning... Once I'm able to go back and swap out the one joint.
On a side note, when I took down the drive shaft from the rear diff (and yes I was sure to scribe the orientation on them, so they reassemble the correct way) I was nervous that my pinion seal might have ruptured when some dark thick fluid dripped out from the housing nut... After closer examination, it turns out that it was just a bunch of rusty sludge water that had gotten in there over time from the hole in the front of the yoke itself... Think I dodged a bullet there.
So, I sit and wait, counting the time until I can go back and get my new part. Til then, I'm just contemplating on whether or not I should clean up my yokes a bit better and throw some chassis paint on them so they don't get as rusty in the future.
Other than that, not a bad day... Just hope once this is all done I can finally enjoy the sensation of a smooth, firm, and quiet suspension. If any of you have swapped out your U-joints and have any tips for the re-installation or know of anything I might be forgetting, please feel free to comment and let me know!
89F81BBB-F35D-482D-B57C-142ED8B374F6.jpg
It all started about a month or so ago, right after some duded backed out of a parking spot into the rear driver side door. Not gonna complain though, because the damage wasn't too bad, and the check from his insurance company more than covered the cost of all my suspension and brake work.
What I noticed was that when I would accelerate moderately to hard I would hear a little bit of clicking, which at first didn't seem to be a big deal. That was about the time that I did all of my suspension work. After the fact I had no choice but to drive her for 3 days before I could get an alignment. So, I wasn't surprised to feel her vibrating at highway speed. Got the alignment done and most of the vibrating was gone, except a small amount between 40-50mph and a great deal of it between 65-75mph.
Then about 3 days ago the noise got terrible. I never heard anything like it and had no idea what it was. After a bit of research on YouTube, I figured out that it was in fact my U-Joint(s) that were bad. Aside from the sounds from several videos being almost identical, the dead giveaway (that I never knew about til now) was that the vibration that I was feeling was distinctly different than that of unbalanced wheels.
Unbalanced Wheels = Vibration predominantly in the Steering Wheel
Bad U-Joints = Vibration predominantly in the seat or all over the car
So, I never swapped U-Joints before, but after reading the FSM Manual and watching a few videos it seemed not too tough. I wish that I had an arbor press or at least enough extra cash to borrow a ball joint press from the auto store, but I figured the hammer/socket method should be too bad.
What makes me nervous is that our drive shafts are aluminum and not steel, so I did my best to not mess it up or bend the ears. After a bit of finagling I was eventually successful in getting the U-Joints out in both the front and the rear. The front U-Joint seemed to be ok before I got started, but figured, if I was doing one, might as well do the other.
Got them both out, and sure enough... Once the caps came off of the rear U-joint a ton of rusty powder and only mere fragments of what was once needle bearings fell out.
Got the yokes all cleaned up, un-boxed my new Moog greasable super strength U-joints and started to lube them up with some full synthetic lithium grease and then I noticed a small issue... One of the new U-Joints had not 1, but 2 caps with a hole in it for the grease fitting. GGGRRRRR!!! You gotta be kidding me! I look at the clock and sure enough, the Auto Store had just closed. So, everything is ready to reassemble...in the morning... Once I'm able to go back and swap out the one joint.
On a side note, when I took down the drive shaft from the rear diff (and yes I was sure to scribe the orientation on them, so they reassemble the correct way) I was nervous that my pinion seal might have ruptured when some dark thick fluid dripped out from the housing nut... After closer examination, it turns out that it was just a bunch of rusty sludge water that had gotten in there over time from the hole in the front of the yoke itself... Think I dodged a bullet there.
So, I sit and wait, counting the time until I can go back and get my new part. Til then, I'm just contemplating on whether or not I should clean up my yokes a bit better and throw some chassis paint on them so they don't get as rusty in the future.
Other than that, not a bad day... Just hope once this is all done I can finally enjoy the sensation of a smooth, firm, and quiet suspension. If any of you have swapped out your U-joints and have any tips for the re-installation or know of anything I might be forgetting, please feel free to comment and let me know!
89F81BBB-F35D-482D-B57C-142ED8B374F6.jpg
All Star
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 759
Likes: 18
From: Ottawa, Ontario Canada
Bummer!
Me, I would have installed them, then picked up a zerk fitting and screwed it into the other hole in the morning. (actually, I have a couple packages of them that I'm going to McGiver into my un-greasable suspension bits)
Me, I would have installed them, then picked up a zerk fitting and screwed it into the other hole in the morning. (actually, I have a couple packages of them that I'm going to McGiver into my un-greasable suspension bits)
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All Star
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 961
Likes: 1
From: Akron, OH
After much thought last night, I was toying with that idea, but wasn't sure. Good thought...If anything, it'll just give me an extra access point to grease these things. Good Idea Gator, thanks for helping to convince me to do just that!
Thread Starter
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All Star
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 961
Likes: 1
From: Akron, OH
*** Update ***
It's nice dealing with people that have at least as much common sense as you. Went to Auto Store. Didn't have the same kind of grease fitting that came with U-Joints for me to buy. Guy brings out a whole new U-Joint to swap out for mine.
So, I says to him: "If you're gonna swap these out, the one I'm returning has to go back to the manufacturer, correct?"
Guy: "Yup"
Me: "Would you have to do the exact same thing, if instead of having an extra grease fitted cap, it was missing the grease fitting itself?"
Guy: "Yup"
Me: "So, would it really make any difference to you, if instead of returning the one I bought, you just gave me the grease fitting out of another one. Then sent that one back?"
Guy: *thinking about what I just said
Me: "Either way, I'd be a happy customer...but it'd sure be nice to have 2 access points to grease this up in the future."
Guy: "Yeah, that would be kinda cool."
Me: *Leaves store with my U-Joint and extra grease fitting from one off the shelf...score.
It's nice dealing with people that have at least as much common sense as you. Went to Auto Store. Didn't have the same kind of grease fitting that came with U-Joints for me to buy. Guy brings out a whole new U-Joint to swap out for mine.
So, I says to him: "If you're gonna swap these out, the one I'm returning has to go back to the manufacturer, correct?"
Guy: "Yup"
Me: "Would you have to do the exact same thing, if instead of having an extra grease fitted cap, it was missing the grease fitting itself?"
Guy: "Yup"
Me: "So, would it really make any difference to you, if instead of returning the one I bought, you just gave me the grease fitting out of another one. Then sent that one back?"
Guy: *thinking about what I just said
Me: "Either way, I'd be a happy customer...but it'd sure be nice to have 2 access points to grease this up in the future."
Guy: "Yeah, that would be kinda cool."
Me: *Leaves store with my U-Joint and extra grease fitting from one off the shelf...score.
Thread Starter
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All Star
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 961
Likes: 1
From: Akron, OH
Ok...Now I'm getting pretty irritated. This should be an easy swap out... Got a good size vise to press these suckers in and out without much effort or issue... Got the new one back in the the steel yoke that goes into the drive shaft and pinion flange... BUT Trying to get these suckers back in the drive shaft and they just refuse to seat deep enough to get the snap rings in on both sides. WTF!!! Getting angry won't solve anything...
Any of you had a similar issue or any thoughts on why they won't press in far enough or what to do to get them in like 2mm farther? Yes, I double checked that they are the right ones.
Any of you had a similar issue or any thoughts on why they won't press in far enough or what to do to get them in like 2mm farther? Yes, I double checked that they are the right ones.
Thread Starter
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All Star
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 961
Likes: 1
From: Akron, OH
For the love of all that is holy!!! Thank goodness that's over and done with... Just gotta reinstall the drive shaft and it's road time!
***Side note...when installing the flush mount grease fittings; tap them in a bit with a hammer and then screw them in the rest of the way...***
D146AFA6-B950-4A29-A480-ABDDDC4BB29D.jpg
2FDEE0FC-85DD-4099-9332-CFEA01E1C66B.jpg
***Side note...when installing the flush mount grease fittings; tap them in a bit with a hammer and then screw them in the rest of the way...***
D146AFA6-B950-4A29-A480-ABDDDC4BB29D.jpg
2FDEE0FC-85DD-4099-9332-CFEA01E1C66B.jpg
Thread Starter
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All Star
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 961
Likes: 1
From: Akron, OH
Like most other jobs, I was gonna do a How-To video from start to finish. Due to the problems I ran into, I considered not doing a video at all. But that wouldn't be right. So, in light of the issues I had and now that the drive shaft is ready to be re-installed, I did a Do's & Don't's video, which I'll pair up with the re-installation itself. Gonna try to wrap this job up quick before it rains and hopefully get the video posted for all of ya today or tomorrow. Hope you're enjoying your weekend!