Steaming mad! How many of you have rebuilt U-joints and re-balanced drive lines

[52Suburban]

Have a wobble over 50 and two U joints with out boots

Took my driveline to supposedly "The" place to do drive lines in the SF east bay area and had to call them back to get the following information

Those drivelines suck they vibrate and they are a pain to do - we will build you a new one with our components for $478!

Well I made a few phone calls and found someone else who will re-do my u-joints with the parts I already have and spin & balance the shaft for $200

So not being an expert but kind of being a cheap old B@st#rd or COB I am inclined to go with the last. 

Is there any reason not to rebuild the original?????

[Reg Evans]

I've had several of these joints rebuilt without any ill effects. The original guys were full of it.

[52Suburban]

Thank Reg! I did  a search and saw that some others here have had new ones made, but not usually why... So I thought I would ask - I will pay if I have too, but just do not like getting ripped off!!

[TodFitch]

Way back when I developed a bad u-joint (boot failed and dirt got in and wore the housing). I got a "modern style" driveshaft made up and used it for years. But it developed a vibration. I rebuilt the original driveshaft with original style components and it is in the car now with no vibration issue.

 

My take is that either style can work but in any case they need to be in reasonable condition.

 

My experience has been that the rubber boots available now are failure prone. My guess is that most of it is old stock and the rubber has aged just sitting on the shelf. I've had better luck with leather boots.

[John Norlien]

Somewhat of topic, but I am looking for a shop in the St Paul MN area that can replace a ujoint on 54 plymouth

[desoto1939]

Here is my million reply to the question. With the cost of the total parts being that you would need 2 complete U joint bodies and the internals and the cover either the old leather with the cone or the rubber boot the cost will run approx $200 for each complete ujoint thenthe cost to install them.

 

So if you do not already have the parts then the cost of a totally new driveshaft with the modern u joints might be the better way to go and might also be cheaper. But I would also ask to thave the driveshaft balanced.

 

Make sure that you have taken the car witht he original driveshaft to your  installer to make sure that the angle from the trans to the rear end is determined this has to be within a specific angle for everything to work correctly.  Also have them check that the rear motor/trans mount are in good shape and not wornout this also will make a very big difference onthe performance of the driveshaft..

 

I do have several of the complete u joint housing and internal parts kits if anyone needs them for their cars. 

 

Rich HArtung desoto1939@aol.com

[Dick41]

Just now finishing up my driveshaft in my 41 Plymouth.  It has the stock ball and pin type (see Bernbaum Catalog Pg. 73 Item Q 101 for picture).  The rubber boot was shot.  The shaft was running fine, no vibration and no wear noted when I disassembled it!  The factory manual shows two washers with the assembly.  One inboard from the needle bearings.  The outer one is shown as a wave type washer.  it is on the outboard side of the needle bearings and ball socket...just before the outside end cap.   My driveshaft had none of the wave washers when I took it apart. The folks at Andy Bs. were kind enough to look at their complete kit.  Their kt contains flat (non wave) washers in place of the wave type. 

 

There is virtually no side to side play in the assembled unit.  I am wondering if I can leave out the wave washers totally, not even replacing them with flat washers.  These wave washers are called centering button springs #19 in the factory manual diagram.   It doesn't look like the needle bearings can get past that end cap (called a centering button in the factory manual #18.   Both of these are on page 209 of that manual.

 

I did find a source for wave washers at MSC industrial supply

http://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn/Fasteners/Washers-Shims/Wave-Washers-Springs?navid=12108761#navid=12108761+4287746935  Page 2070. 

 

I noticed Tod Fitch's earlier comment on this thread about rubber boots.   Short of having the center pin pressed out of the shaft, there is no way to replace the rubber boot.  Andy Bs has the split leather boot that installs without removing the pin and housing.  Same as original (pg 73, Item # Q 103.)  Saved me going to a machine shop, and the install went pretty easily.  Hope this helps someone else chasing parts for a driveshaft.

 

Your input please on those little wave washers....replace with new or leave em out? 

 

Thanks

 

Dick

[Young Ed]

It is incorrect that you cannot replace the rubber boot without pressing the pin out. It is tricky but POSSIBLE to feed the rubber boot through the housing.

[Ulu]

True & I've done it both ways successfully: feed the boot thru, and cut the boot then glue it.

 

My issue was that the cross pin wouldn't stay centered on the shaft. Once it's off center by 0.05" you can really feel the vibration.

 

I'd center the thing up and balance it, and the first time I mashed the gas really hard it'd go off balance again.

 

I needed a new shaft, & so I just had a custom spicer-joint shaft built. Cost me about $300 in Visalia, some 30 years ago.