Why weld U-joint caps?

Double Down · Nov 3, 2005

Okay, newbie moving into the non-newbie zone, but why do people keep talking about welding caps on u-joints?

My setup is this:

97 XJ
6" lift, adj uca's & lca's
Rusty’s drop pitman arm
Currie Steering box brace
8.25 rear with 4.56's and locked (all new seals, joints, etc)
d30 front with 4.56's and locked (ditto)
Rusty's tie-rod conversion steering setup
Teraflex adj trackbar
RE Hack n Tap
RE Drop brackets & braces
Double CV Woods shaft
33's TrXus
Bilstein 5125's
Bar pin elimators with front shock convertors

Of course there's more, but just for giggles, I drive this thing about 80% of the time onroad and 20% off, so is welding the caps something I need to do and when will I know when I need to weld them?

Thanks,

Chris

ECKSJAY · Nov 3, 2005

Double Down said:
Okay, newbie moving into the non-newbie zone, but why do people keep talking about welding caps on u-joints?

Because yokes flex and like to spit caps out. If you tack them in they can't easily pop out.

Bender · Nov 3, 2005

It has been found in many cases u-joint failures aren't caused by the u-joint or yoke breaking but rather the little clip that holds the u-joint cap in place will fall off or break allowing the cap to fall out. Once the cap is gone bad things will happen very fast.

One way of keeping the cap in place is to do a couple very small tack welds on the outer face of the cap where it meets the yoke.

Another way that has been found to be decently effective is to machine out your yoke a little so you can use full circle clips to retain the caps instead of the stock ones which are about 2/3 of a full circle clip.

Double Down · Nov 3, 2005

So back to one of my questions. When do you know you need to weld them or when should you start worrying? Is there anything bad that could happen by welding them, especially if it's my daily driver. Again, just newb questions, trying to learn.

Chris

CRASH · Nov 3, 2005

If you have never broken a shaft or a u-joint, you don't need to do anything. Break a few in wheeling situations, then think about ways to improve strength.

Capt. Nemo · Nov 3, 2005

Cuz' this is what happens:

Either weld them or go full circle clips.

xjj33p3r · Nov 3, 2005

I believe the yokes on my driver side ujoint are flexing a bit, because I can see fresh metal from the cap slipping out just a little bit. Should I replace the whole shaft and use the shaft I have now as a spare? Or should I just tack the one I have right now in place?

cracker · Nov 3, 2005

Capt. Nemo said:
Either weld them or go full circle clips.

Full Circle clips are the way to go but in most situations you'll have to get alloy axle shafts or grind the stock shafts to get them to fit.

Geepfreak · Nov 3, 2005

xjj33p3r said:
I believe the yokes on my driver side ujoint are flexing a bit, because I can see fresh metal from the cap slipping out just a little bit. Should I replace the whole shaft and use the shaft I have now as a spare? Or should I just tack the one I have right now in place?

I would think about replacing the U-joint. but thats me.

cracker · Nov 3, 2005

xjj33p3r said:
I believe the yokes on my driver side ujoint are flexing a bit, because I can see fresh metal from the cap slipping out just a little bit. Should I replace the whole shaft and use the shaft I have now as a spare? Or should I just tack the one I have right now in place?

If the clip is still on just tap it a little bit and tack it. If the clip is gone I'd pull it apart to look at it.

Kevlar · Nov 3, 2005

Weld them. It's the cool thing to do.

xjj33p3r · Nov 3, 2005

cracker said:
If the clip is still on just tap it a little bit and tack it. If the clip is gone I'd pull it apart to look at it.

There is no clip on the axle shaft ujoints, they are just caps.

cracker · Nov 3, 2005

xjj33p3r said:
There is no clip on the axle shaft ujoints, they are just caps.

Then open it and see if all the bearings and grease are there.

xjj33p3r · Nov 3, 2005

cracker said:
Then open it and see if all the bearings and grease are there.

I dunno... maybe I'll just replace the shaft, and worry about the ujoint later.

Geepfreak · Nov 3, 2005

xjj33p3r said:
There is no clip on the axle shaft ujoints, they are just caps.

There should be, on the bottom side of the cap after it has gone through the ears of the shaft. If the cap has started to come out, it's a lost cause, replace the ujoint. or as you stated, change shafts. But the U-joint in question needs to be replaced.

CRASH · Nov 3, 2005

xjj33p3r said:
There is no clip on the axle shaft ujoints, they are just caps.

Incorrect, look closer.

Capt. Nemo · Nov 4, 2005

cracker said:
Full Circle clips are the way to go but in most situations you'll have to get alloy axle shafts or grind the stock shafts to get them to fit.

You're right. I was just stating the two options again. If a rig is spitting caps, it's probably time to take a look at alloys anyway.

I wouldn't consider welding the caps the ideal solution to the problem, I would consider it a temporary solution until it can be taken care of permanently (read= $$$). If a person doesn't know what they are doing, they can actually do more damage to the joint and yolks by welding.

xjj33p3r · Nov 4, 2005

CRASH said:
Incorrect, look closer.

I shall.

JJacobs · Nov 4, 2005

Capt. Nemo said:
Cuz' this is what happens:

Either weld them or go full circle clips.

A welded cap would not have helped that one- notice the middle blew out and the outer diameter is still in place.

I like welding fender washers on over the caps. You can get away with it with a 30 since there's no spindle to pass the ujoint through. The weld is further out so it doesn't burn the grease out, and the ujoint can still be changed by grinding off the tacks.

Capt. Nemo · Nov 4, 2005

JJacobs said:
A welded cap would not have helped that one- notice the middle blew out and the outer diameter is still in place.

I like welding fender washers on over the caps. You can get away with it with a 30 since there's no spindle to pass the ujoint through. The weld is further out so it doesn't burn the grease out, and the ujoint can still be changed by grinding off the tacks.

That's a pretty good idea. Still seems like alot of work for those things...

On a D30 you're still passing the u-joint through a knuckle, just like on a 44 (and I assume a 60 also). The D30's opening is just bigger because of the unit bearing

Why weld U-joint caps?

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