Just Fyi

[Don Jordan]

I ordered a U joint kit from Bernbam. I tried to put it together but couldn't do it. I finally broke down and took it to my local machine shop. I went in with my tail (if I had a tail) between my legs, my head hanging low. I admitted failure and asked them if they could put on the bearings. I went back at the end of the day to pick up the drive shaft and the guy said it wasn't my fault. That's a first! He said the pin I got was 30 thousandths off. He had to shave some off the pin for it to fit. I was going to write and ask for help but I'm reluctant to ask for fear of chastisement. It cost me $28. But now I know it's all good. Anyway one must be careful when accepting parts. It was off enough it wouldn't fit but not enough for my eye to see. Another valuable lesson. Now I'm waiting for the oil seal. I sure hope that's the right size.

[Don Jordan]

I've posted this before but here is the old one - I could send pix of the new one. Much cleaner.

[TodFitch]

Hmmmm. I wonder if those pins are case hardened and if they had to go through the hardening to get is small enough to fit. 

[desoto1939]

so was the pin too long or was the pin diameter too big to accept the roller bearings and the cap and the end of the pin.  Can you provide more details. Did they assemble the pin into the end of the ball and then did you complete the rest of the assembly of the hosuing and the end cap.

 

Rich Hartung

desoto1939@aol.com

[Plymouthy Adams]

I've not done one of these and so cannot really say what the problem was but if the surface of the pin where the needle bearing were turned down the a lathe much less the rough finish of grinding the  new bearing are going to be chewed up at a fast rate due to the very shear pressure these parts see....I read this very much like Todd did and also thought the concerns....the surface hardened pin along with its micro finish is the key to long life here..

 

but as the pin is a cross bar and possibly only bigger in the very center..turning this diameter may not prove to be a drastic measure as the bearing surface is not disturbed..I do have a vague memory of reading something long ago about there being various sizes of this style joint...

[Don Coatney]

Did you contact the vendor for advice and or to report your findings? If the vendor has no knowledge there product does not work then they will keep on selling it.

[P15-D24]

 

so was the pin too long or was the pin diameter too big to accept the roller bearings and the cap and the end of the pin.  Can you provide more details. Did they assemble the pin into the end of the ball and then did you complete the rest of the assembly of the hosuing and the end cap.

 

Rich Hartung

desoto1939@aol.com

As Rich noted it would be good to know exactly what work was done. And as Don stated didi you get ahold of the vendor. They changed ownership last year. 

[Don Jordan]

I apologize - I'm afraid my language skills are sorely lacking. They do not always reflect what my mind is thinking.

I will refer to the parts book: I had a leak in the differential so I removed the drive shaft. Upon a closer examination of the U joint I noticed there were some needle bearings that had escaped. (as you can see from the photo) Naturally, as many of you will appreciate, one thing led to another. I tried to get the pin out with my little press and it wouldn't budge. Heated it and tried banging it out. No go. Took it to a machine shop and he pressed the pin out. I cleaned everything out put the new pin in. Greased the bearings and put everything back in. But I couldn't get the assembly to settle into the body. Back to the machine shop. I was told the reason it didn't fit is because the pin was 30 thousandths of an inch too long. He cut it off and now everything floats and bends like it should.

(this is really silly and you math geeks will laugh at my stupidity but how do you write 30 thousandths? .0030 or .030?)

Since this just happened yesterday I will call Bernbaum today. I'm sure it was just a fluke. We'll see how they respond. I'm still waiting for my oil seal to arrive so I can put it back together. I'm not sure how to get the seal in other than with a hammer. I got it out with a wheel puller.

[Plymouthy Adams]

.030   each .001 is a mil or 1/1000 of an inch

[desoto1939]

Even if Berbaums replys back to you the new owner will probably not know what the correct length of the pin should be.  These Detroit Pin and Trunion U joint were made by several manaufacturers.  I have several from different sources. So the housing could have not be milled correctly which also could have been the problem.  If you look at the housing you will see how they are tapped and drilled out and then polished.  Did your new housing come with the grease fitting so you can lube the internals without having to take it apart. 

 

I would recommend that if anyone is going to replace the entire unit which includes the outer housing to take the housing to a machine shop and have them tap the unit so you can screw in a zerk fitting.  Just my 2 cents.

 

Hope the new owner can answer the question.

 

Thanks for getting back to all of us on what was done to the pin glad then did note grind the pin where the needle bearing run onthe pin just the length of the pin.

 

There is a Miller tool that is a seal installer that fits the pinion seal properly and then when you drive the seal in to the diff it puts equal pressure around the entire seal.  This is the proper way to do the job.  So mechnaics just drift them into place with a brass drift and hammer put then then can be damaged and still leak.

 

I have the tool to use if you pay for shipping.

 

Rich Hartung

desoto1939@aol.com

[Don Coatney]

 

I would recommend that if anyone is going to replace the entire unit which includes the outer housing to take the housing to a machine shop and have them tap the unit so you can screw in a zerk fitting.  Just my 2 cents.

 

 

Rich Hartung

desoto1939@aol.com

 

Why do you have to go to a machine shop to tap a hole? A basic set of taps and dies should be in everyones toolbox.

[Don Jordan]

P. Adams

I've been an English teacher and math is too left brain for me. I understand the concept but wouldn't .030 be 30 hundredths? So then .0030 would be 30 thousandths? This is too much to comprehend.

[Don Jordan]

I know it's rude to gloat - probably one of the seven deadly sins. But since I was going to include one photograph I thought I'd send one of my new garage as well.

[Plymouthy Adams]

No   the .030 is correct for 30 thousandths...

[Dave72dt]

P. Adams

I've been an English teacher and math is too left brain for me. I understand the concept but wouldn't .030 be 30 hundredths? So then .0030 would be 30 thousandths? This is too much to comprehend.

Think of it this way. 100 hundreths would equal 1. since that makes it a whole number, the decimal point would come behind the numeral, 1.  Tenths is next so it's the next number behind the decimal point, .0, hundreths is next, .00, followed by thousandths, .000 so when you only have 30 of them you write them .030. 

[Don Jordan]

This is why I never got into math. It's supposed to be so logical yet I just can't wrap my brain around it.

.1 should be a tenth. .01 hundredths .001 thousandths.

I know you guys are right - I just can't understand. It's like there is no "up" in space. How could you sleep on your side? There are just some mysteries in life we are not meant to grasp. Thanks for trying though.

[John Reddie]

Hey Don Jordan,

 Really cool garage. Are both of the p15's yours?

John R

[Don Jordan]

I'm afraid so. When one headache isn't enough get two. I guess they're like kids: sometimes you can't live with them and you can't shoot them.

The garage was my retirement bonus.