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Overkill D/S joint?

ren

NAXJA Forum User
Location
frenchburg, ky
Anybody running either OX or CTM u-joints in the driveshaft? Seems that about the only thing I break consistently is the Flippen' D/S u-joint at the axle. Not the D/S, not the yoke, but the stupid u-joint itself. And yes, I DO grease the darn things.
 
So what (more expensive) part are you going to break once you've bulletproofed the u-joints?
 
The question would be why your breaking them.
1-Angles suck
2-yoke is binding
3-driveshaft length is wrong
4-the proper gearing
 
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Okay question #1) what is going to break after I fix the u-joint problem?
answer) Hopefully the damn ba10/5, so that I can justify the ax-15 or the (preferred) nv 3550.
question #2) I am not sure right now, but with the rebuild of my MJ into a prerunner, that is diffenently going to be dealt with-grind the D/S yokes, the axle yoke, make DAMN sure that the pinion angle is dead on, and so and so forth.
 
I would rather break a $20 joint than a $200 part. Even the OX that come with the lifetime warrenty. How long are you going to have to wait for it??? 1 week, maybe 2? I have a couple that are pretty good that I keep on hand just incase I blow one up. To me they are not worth it. Now if I was building a rock buggy to compete with (or I was Bill Gates) I might go with the big money.
 
Good point on the $ issue, but I am building this MJ for a prerunner, and in the 3-4months that I have owned it, I have replaced the lower D/S joint 3 times, and I have used a different brand each time, hoping that this time it will stay together. I also carry an extra D/S with me, since this is pretty much a once-a-month thing. The crazy thing is, the MJ has D35 that REFUSES to die. I have done this enough that I can change my D/S as fast if not faster than most people can change a flat tire, with the jack and the spare already out and ready to use. That is just sad.
 
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ren said:
Good point on the $ issue, but I am building this MJ for a prerunner, and in the 3-4months that I have owned it, I have replaced the lower D/S joint 3 times, and I have used a different brand each time, hoping that this time it will stay together. I also carry an extra D/S with me, since this is pretty much a once-a-month thing. The crazy thing is, the MJ has D35 that REFUSES to die. I have done this enough that I can change my D/S as fast if not faster than most people can change a flat tire, with the jack and the spare already out and ready to use. That is just sad.

its either you suck at putting them in, you dont grease them, or the pinion bearing is out on the rear axle. I used to prerun in a blazer the parker 400 for friends and in 3 seasons never replaced a u joint........
 
Okay, I don't have trouble changing the joint, since this is pretty much a straight forward deal and this is the ONLY vehicle that I have EVER had this trouble with. As for grease, if I go under the truck for any reason, other than common sense ones... dropped something and it rolled under, etc..., the grease gun goes with me, along rags. It might be the rear end is FINALLY dying since I changed my exhaust manifold a couple of days ago, and can actually here what noises the truck makes, and I hear a light "growl" or whine every now and again at low speed that sounds like it is coming from the rear end. This is most likely the problem, so I guess that I may end up parking this one sooner than I expected too.
 
ren said:
Okay, I don't have trouble changing the joint, since this is pretty much a straight forward deal and this is the ONLY vehicle that I have EVER had this trouble with. As for grease, if I go under the truck for any reason, other than common sense ones... dropped something and it rolled under, etc..., the grease gun goes with me, along rags. It might be the rear end is FINALLY dying since I changed my exhaust manifold a couple of days ago, and can actually here what noises the truck makes, and I hear a light "growl" or whine every now and again at low speed that sounds like it is coming from the rear end. This is most likely the problem, so I guess that I may end up parking this one sooner than I expected too.

sounds like you are describing bearings to me...
 
I've used 1310 joints (Spicer 05-153x) for years at a time with no breakage or noticable wear, and I grease them once a year at best. In other words, you've got another problem.

and to answer your original question, CTM has made some driveshaft joints, though they are not common and you would probably have to contact Jack @ CTM directly. However they won't last at all on the street because they use bushings instead of needle bearings, they are basically just for comp rigs that are using too small driveshaft joints for their application.
 
Do you,or have you, replaced the yoke straps?

I had better luck with new straps each time with a new U-joint. yes I went thru a lot of them for a while.

I seemed to solve my problem when I drilled out the bolt holes and went to u-bolts instead of straps.

Don't know if this helps, but it's my .02 after a long day. Which makes it worth less than .02

DAryl
 
It already had a "u" bolt yoke on it, and it looks like a factory piece. I have even changed the bolts, to see if that would help. Butyou did bring up an idea, so I guess i can try tossing a strap style yoke on the axle and see what happens. I would use a bolt style, but I do not have any extras right now for the D35.
 
ren said:
It already had a "u" bolt yoke on it, and it looks like a factory piece. I have even changed the bolts, to see if that would help. Butyou did bring up an idea, so I guess i can try tossing a strap style yoke on the axle and see what happens. I would use a bolt style, but I do not have any extras right now for the D35.

Is the pinion bearing loose????????????????????
 
BrettM said:
I've used 1310 joints (Spicer 05-153x) for years at a time with no breakage or noticable wear, and I grease them once a year at best. In other words, you've got another problem.

and to answer your original question, CTM has made some driveshaft joints, though they are not common and you would probably have to contact Jack @ CTM directly. However they won't last at all on the street because they use bushings instead of needle bearings, they are basically just for comp rigs that are using too small driveshaft joints for their application.

So, then, you don't think that it would be worthwhile to make bearing bushings for these as well? Do they experience roller failure, or do the crosses and caps come apart?

I'm willing to work on as many of these as people are willing to use...

5-90
 
No, the pinion doesn't feel loose, but that could be because it is not worn that badly. I am thinking that maybe the yoke is worn out? As for the noise, I think it may be because the axle is low on oil? Will find out tomorrow hopefully.
 
5-90 said:
So, then, you don't think that it would be worthwhile to make bearing bushings for these as well? Do they experience roller failure, or do the crosses and caps come apart?

I'm willing to work on as many of these as people are willing to use...

5-90
The ONLY time I've had a problem with a 1310 driveshaft joint was when I lifted my old 88 XJ 4 inches. after a coule hundred miles the joint was toast and there were no needle bearings left. the joint was completely dry, could have been 10+ years old, I had never greased it, and lifting it changed the operating angles on it.

I don't think a bushing would have the longevity needed for a driveshaft application. An axle shaft spins 4-5 times less than the driveshaft in 4wd, and doesn't spin at all on the street (I have lockout hubs).

Reading about the new Longfield joints (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=395247) I'm beginning to think that rather than use bronze bushings, just get some chromo turned to a slip fit, heat treat it really hard, and use anti-sieze for grease.
 
Heat treat it too hard, and you're likely to shatter the bushing over time. I'd be a little leery of CrMo - besides, get it hot enough, and it's going to gall anyhow. That's another advantage of using brass/bronze/oilite.

I just wanted to make sure I didn't need to work on any other versions while I was about it...

5-90
 
Well, since this thread is starting to wonder around, does anybody know, offhand, what kind of truck came from the factory with a 1350 or larger yoke on the D44 axle? I think that Ford used these, but won't swear to it. I think that you can also get a "long" version, too, but that might just be for the 9" axle.
 
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5-90 said:
Heat treat it too hard, and you're likely to shatter the bushing over time. I'd be a little leery of CrMo - besides, get it hot enough, and it's going to gall anyhow. That's another advantage of using brass/bronze/oilite.

I just wanted to make sure I didn't need to work on any other versions while I was about it...

5-90
Longfield is having 300m rotating directly on 4340, and they aren't even recommending any particular grease, just whatever people normally use. How do you think they are expecting that to work? I don't know a whole lot about heat treating, but someone on that thread speculated at 70+ RC ...
 
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