Front Drive Shaft U-Joints

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Front Drive Shaft U-Joints

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Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/1/2007 10:28:17 PM

Dino76

Posts: 27
Joined: 8/18/2007
Status: offline

Just came back from the dealer where I was told that my front drive shaft is falling a part and needs to be replaced with a new one for $700 plus $200 for labor. Since a drive shaft is just metal and u-joints my thought is to rebuild it myself. I have been able to find one of the U-joints and read on a earlier post to get the lubeable joints. My question is does anyone know what size U-joints I need and where to get them? I have worked on drive shafts before and it has never cost me $700 for one. For that money I should be able to put a rock crawler drive shaft in and never have to worriy about breaking it,

Post #: 1

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/1/2007 11:04:13 PM

llesra

Posts: 331
Joined: 9/6/2006
From: Colorado
Status: online

you can get the u joints here
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?catalog=46&partnum=344&a=FR46-344

_____________________________

Arsell

97 disco
99 range rover 4.6

(in reply to Dino76)

Post #: 2

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/2/2007 9:51:48 AM

Dino76

Posts: 27
Joined: 8/18/2007
Status: offline

Thanks for the link. I just crawled under my Disco and the drive shaft seams tight to me. I tried moving while in park and had absolultly no movement. My concern is that the shop said front drive shaft but meant from axle. I am getting alot of vibration while over 50MPH. It seams to be coming form the front passenger side. I first thought bad balance on the tire and when in the shop yesterday to have the ABS ECU recall done they tole me that the drive shaft was "Falling out" of the truck and was the cause of the vibration. Any thoughts???

(in reply to llesra)

Post #: 3

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/2/2007 1:46:23 PM

Adz

Posts: 317
Joined: 11/19/2006
Status: offline

What year and model of Disco? Disco 1 and my Defender are almost identical under the skin, Disco 2 I know a lot less about.

Front prop shaft UJ's would cause vibration at around that speed - unlikely it would feel like it was from one side or the other.

Could be they mean stub axle? Again, if it's a Disco 2 I'm not sure here but there's no way that's a $700 part for a Disco 1, in fact you could probably buy 10 of them including shipping from the UK for that much if it's a Disco 1.

(in reply to Dino76)

Post #: 4

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/2/2007 9:14:38 PM

Dino76

Posts: 27
Joined: 8/18/2007
Status: offline

99 Disco 2 121K

(in reply to Adz)

Post #: 5

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/3/2007 6:28:35 AM

Disco Mike

Posts: 10490
Joined: 4/27/2006
Status: offline

Seems tight, doesn' cut it when it comes to u-joints. If you don't have grease fittings on those two u-joints in the constant velocity houseing, them replace them or get ready to buy a new tranny which will be the next step when your shaft fails.

_____________________________

Mike
Retired service manager. Member of the Solihull Society, NCLR club,past member of the SCLR club and Santa Barbara 4 Wheelers.
99 D2, 3" lift, lockers, H.D. axles, 4:11 gears, Custom front and rear bumpers, Warn winch, HID lights and an Engel 45.

(in reply to Dino76)

Post #: 6

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/3/2007 7:44:04 AM

Dino76

Posts: 27
Joined: 8/18/2007
Status: offline

Mike,
I agree, there are grease fittings on the front but not on the back. I have already ordered the new u-joints all around, but I am concerned about the front drive shaft now, because the words "Falling out" from the tech at the dealer. Can you check the front axle by jacking it up and checking for play? Do you have to replace the whole axle or is it usually a bearing like most cars? If so do they have to be pressed out and back in or will a slide hammer do the job?

(in reply to Disco Mike)

Post #: 7

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/3/2007 10:02:24 AM

Disco Mike

Posts: 10490
Joined: 4/27/2006
Status: offline

Call me and in the mean time, I can show you how to drop the drive shaft, engage your CDL and drive on the rear shaft only till the repairs are made.
303-862-7680

_____________________________

Mike
Retired service manager. Member of the Solihull Society, NCLR club,past member of the SCLR club and Santa Barbara 4 Wheelers.
99 D2, 3" lift, lockers, H.D. axles, 4:11 gears, Custom front and rear bumpers, Warn winch, HID lights and an Engel 45.

(in reply to Dino76)

Post #: 8

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/5/2007 3:53:02 AM

jskrebs

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

I am in the same boat with regards to my front shaft. I was wondering,

Do you need any special tools to change out the U joints?
Should the front joint on the rear shaft be changed at the same time?

Jeff Krebs
99 D2 112K

(in reply to Disco Mike)

Post #: 9

RE: Front Drive Shaft U-Joints - 9/5/2007 5:18:30 AM

Disco Mike

Posts: 10490
Joined: 4/27/2006
Status: offline

Jeff, How often do you have you drive shafts greased, should be once a year. If they don't get greased often, you may have some warn out u-joints in which case I would replace them as opposed to waiting for them to fail.
If you have never replaced u-joints before, you would need a pair of pliers that are designed to remove the C clips which hold the u-joints in. As for the double pair in the constant velocity joint, you don't want to tackle those if you have never done then before.
U-joints are not expensive, call around to different shops, especially tranny shops and get a quote on replacing them.

_____________________________

Mike
Retired service manager. Member of the Solihull Society, NCLR club,past member of the SCLR club and Santa Barbara 4 Wheelers.
99 D2, 3" lift, lockers, H.D. axles, 4:11 gears, Custom front and rear bumpers, Warn winch, HID lights and an Engel 45.

(in reply to jskrebs)

Post #: 10