RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints

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RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints

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RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/5/2007 1:52:44 PM

jskrebs

Posts: 29
Joined: 8/13/2006
Status: offline

The slider was just greased, but the u joints do not have fittings. Could be the origional units at 112K

I have not rebuilt a CV joint of this type before. What is the tough part? No tranny shops for 100 miles, local Chevy/Dodge dealer.

I have Circlip pliers, internal and external..

(in reply to Disco Mike)

Post #: 11

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/5/2007 3:13:59 PM

mac25dm

Posts: 49
Joined: 7/31/2007
Status: offline

I had my U-Joints fail on my Disco, I got the new ones at a advanced auto for like 4 bucks. They are not that hard to change. I had never done them before until then, took a couple of hours with help. Taking the DS out was easy. I just drove the truck up onto a curb and climbed underneath it. Now I grease them every few oil changes due to the dusty conditions.

(in reply to jskrebs)

Post #: 12

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/5/2007 3:50:57 PM

mac25dm

Posts: 49
Joined: 7/31/2007
Status: offline

Sorry, they were about 14 bucks a piece.

(in reply to mac25dm)

Post #: 13

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/6/2007 11:22:16 AM

jskrebs

Posts: 29
Joined: 8/13/2006
Status: offline

Just bought 3 performance U-joints at NAPA with grease fittings. Won't be about to mess with it till next weekend, but I'll take Pictures.

(in reply to mac25dm)

Post #: 14

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/7/2007 1:39:11 AM

antichrist

Posts: 78
Joined: 9/4/2007
Status: offline

For the DII you will also need a Precision 417, or Neapco 7-0081NG, center kit to go in the double cardan joint. Which can be a PITA to replace.
For buying u-joints, the best for the DII are Neapco as they have the zerk fitting in the end cap making it much easier to lube, which should be done every at least 3000 miles if you off-road so just do it when you change your oil. The Neapco's are also made in the US if that matters. The PN is 1-0005. The Neapco labled one's are about $25-$30 but you can get the same joint at Advance Auto for $15, boxed as PDQ (but this is just for the 1-0005 joint, other PDQ labled joints are outsourced by Neapco)
Spicer PN is 5-4x but Spicer doesn't make them so you don't know what you're getting. They outsource them.
The last time I checked NAPA DII u-joints are made by GMB in Japan.
I don't know who maked the Precision u-joints, but they have the zerk fitting in the valley of the crosses so not as easy to grease.
If you go with Neapco, which I highly recommend, replace the zerk with a button head zerk.

As for checking your propshaft, if a u-joint is seized, which will cause vibration, you can't tell just by checking it in situ. The only way to properly inspect a prop shaft is to remove at lease one end. That's the only way to tell if you have free movement of both u-joints in all direction.

When greasing them (I use Castrol Pryoplex blue) you should have grease coming out around all 4 seals. Also, when installing new ones grease them well once installed. The grease that comes in them is just manufacturing grease so they don't rust, it's not meant to be used in service.

< Message edited by antichrist -- 9/7/2007 1:41:57 AM >

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(in reply to jskrebs)

Post #: 15

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/8/2007 6:15:20 AM

jskrebs

Posts: 29
Joined: 8/13/2006
Status: offline

Antichrist,

Thanks for the info. I canceled the NAPA joints (they hit me with restocking) and ordered the Neapco joints and centering unit.

(in reply to antichrist)

Post #: 16

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/23/2007 8:54:03 PM

phatduc

Posts: 9
Joined: 12/18/2006
Status: offline

I'm geting staged to do the front prop shaft joints on my 99 D2 with 118K. i ube the joints religiously until we moved two years ago, and sure enough i have a killer vibration from 30-55mph now. If I'd continued to lube them i'd probably still be motoring. Anyway thanks for all the part info, its given me the confidence to clean off my bech and tackle the job.

I also found a good picture post here that details replacing the U-joints as well as the ball&socket bearing.

http://www.pavementsucks.com/tech/doublecardan.php
http://www.pavementsucks.com/tech/doublecardan.php

(in reply to jskrebs)

Post #: 17

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 2/8/2008 10:59:50 PM

marshman 442

Posts: 13
Joined: 12/5/2007
Status: offline

I have been reading these posts for U joint replacements and I am worried sick. I have 165,000 miles on my 2001 disco II and have not replaced my u joints. I have a little play when I switch from Park to Reverse, but no noise of vibrations. Nock on wood.....

I found this helpful link:

http://static.scribd.com/docs/tkatf9q0q2q1.swf?INITIAL_VIEW=width

and have a few questions:

1. From what I can tell it should be pretty easy to do. I am assuming that I will need three joints to complete the job??? I plan on using the NEAPCO 1-0005 grease-able joints. Please confirm the qnty and that all three are the same.

2. Which is better the Precision 617 Replacment Ball Kit or Neapco's center bearing kit #7-008NG?

3. What about replacing the bolts? Does anyone know the grade or tensile strength of these bolts?

4. Can someone confirm if the grease fitting (plugs) on the slip yoke joint are metric or SAE threads....and what size.

5. Should I replce the Roto Flex at the same time?

Anyone have any good sources for the parts?..... Let me know if I missing anything from my parts list....
Thanks for the help.

(in reply to phatduc)

Post #: 18

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 2/9/2008 8:45:00 AM

phatduc

Posts: 9
Joined: 12/18/2006
Status: offline

Have no fear marshman. i did this job in one day on my first try... woohoo! Having a 6" vice on a bench and few socket wrenches larger than the diameter of the U joint bearing races really made it easy to squeeze the joints off the shaft.   My reward is smooth acceleration, no more undercar vibration whatsoever, all the way up to about 75mph when somehting else starts vibrating (tires probably).

- Don't forget fresh grease (the good stuff), and grease gun, paper towels for the mess, a stack of old newspaper (to keep the huge greasy mess you are about to create off your bench), and a box of vinyl gloves to keep the greasy mess that would otherwise accumulate under your finger nails off of your wife's new table cloth.

- You will also need a stout needle nose pliers to get the c-clips out. I purchased a handy set of c-clip pliers that were too small and didn't work nearly as well as the hefty needle nose pliers i already had.

- A dremel with a cut-off wheel and HUGE flathead screwdriver and hammer were also very helpful to get the old center bearing race out. Other than just cutting that bugger out, I really didn't see an easy way of extracting it. Took about 10 mins with the dremel method. Be very careful not to cut into the shaft.

- also pick up a jug of simple green and 4-5 brass bristle toothbrushes. Those joints are filthy and will take a lot of scrubbing to get 165K miles of crud off them. Clean the nuts BEFORE attempting to break them free, since it's easy to strip them when dirty (dooh).

- when you pick up the u-joints just pick up the grease nipples for them too. I bought the nipples with 1/2" extensions built-in to make lubing the joints easier once fully re-assembled, which it has. They're SAE, like everything else on the Landys.

- My shaft spline had a tiny plug instead of a grease fitting, so I picked up a few extra small length nipples for that purpose.   Don't forget to thororughly lube the spline shafts, front and rear, while you've got the shafts OUT and can lube their full range of motion. I was amazed at how much more of the spline i could grease this way.

- the bolts/nuts on my joints where in excellent shape after 120K miles, i re-used them no probs. I wouldn't expect yours to be much worse unless you have been wading in salt water.

- by rotoflex, if you mean the rubber flex joint on the back shaft... go ahead and replace it. My old one was very soft after 120K miles, easily flex'ed with hand pressure.  The new one was impossible to flex with bare hands.

- I have no preference on parts worth more than my time sunk to research the subject, and prefer to spend my money locally. One u joint supplier is japanese, one is USA, both are 1000% better than your old ones with 165K miles on them, and will last for years as long as you keep them bathed in fresh grease.  I like easy.. I just went to my local Napa and asked the guy behind the counter to look it up, and they actually had everything I needed in stock except the rubber flex joint on the back, which I googled and found easily as well.

- Another thing to consider is that you can purchase a fully assembled replacement cardon shaft, reman, for a few hundred bucks with a trade in. That's darn near the cost of all the parts, supplies, and tools, with a lot less brain damage and filthy mess. I wanted to tackle the job on the first go around, but would likely just trade in for the reman and spare the weekend away from family on the next u-joint job.

- one last consideration... there's a seal on the input shaft to the front differential. I discovered mine was leaking a bit when putting the shaft back in. I didn't have the parts on hand to replace that seal while I had the front shaft off, so didn't replace it and it's going to bug me until the next u-joint job. You'd be wiser than I to check it now and get yourself a new froont diff shaft seal before starting the job.

Have fun with it!!

(in reply to marshman 442)

Post #: 19

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 2/9/2008 12:59:30 PM

Darover

Posts: 896
Joined: 2/2/2007
From: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Status: offline

You can get a new one from Atlantic British for 399.99

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Real knowledge comes from experience, not hearsay!!! So no answer is often better than a missleading one.

(in reply to Disco Mike)

Post #: 20