I installed a new rear driveshaft rear u-joint the day before wheeling it pretty hard. The 1.5 hour drive out on the highway was the smoothest and most quiet my truck has ever been. Then I slide back while climbing up causing the weight of the truck to land of the rear driveshaft and lower control arms. One arm bent, other dented, day old rear u-joint had play along the axis of one set of caps. It had a slight vibration the whole way home.
I remembered reading the paper (probably a first) that came in the OEM u-joint box about different thickness c-clips so I ordered the ones still available and installed a thicker clip opposite the side of impact on driveshaft. There is no dent on the driveshaft or missing weights. High speed vibration pretty much gone, slight grinding noise and figured I'd need to replace the joint and/or possibly the front one.
I replaced the lower control arm tubing with 1.75" DOM, .25" wall, 3/8" longer. Not surprisingly, no change but my wheelbase is back to being symmetrical.
I've been driving it for a couple months at this point. I drove 600 plus miles during a trip to Padre Island national seashores, 120 miles on beach. 55 to 65 mph or so I had a noise from the rear that went away at 75 mph. Since I've been back I get a grinding noise at around 45 mph that is getting worse.
I just removed the driveshaft expecting to find a rough or loose u-joint but didn't. Both u-joints are tight and smooth. Checked slip joint, especially female end for split, still good. I did find about 1mm free play front to back at transfer case yoke and pinion yoke seems tight, but catches between coast/drive engagement if that makes sense. In other words, turning the pinion yoke clockwise, then counter clockwise there are several points of higher resistance between engagement in each direction.
I'm turning to the experience of MUD as I have limited time in the next couple months and the next step is tearing down a major assembly in a rental property driveway where I can't leave it disabled long.
The picture doesn't help much, but threads with pictures are always better.
I remembered reading the paper (probably a first) that came in the OEM u-joint box about different thickness c-clips so I ordered the ones still available and installed a thicker clip opposite the side of impact on driveshaft. There is no dent on the driveshaft or missing weights. High speed vibration pretty much gone, slight grinding noise and figured I'd need to replace the joint and/or possibly the front one.
I replaced the lower control arm tubing with 1.75" DOM, .25" wall, 3/8" longer. Not surprisingly, no change but my wheelbase is back to being symmetrical.
I've been driving it for a couple months at this point. I drove 600 plus miles during a trip to Padre Island national seashores, 120 miles on beach. 55 to 65 mph or so I had a noise from the rear that went away at 75 mph. Since I've been back I get a grinding noise at around 45 mph that is getting worse.
I just removed the driveshaft expecting to find a rough or loose u-joint but didn't. Both u-joints are tight and smooth. Checked slip joint, especially female end for split, still good. I did find about 1mm free play front to back at transfer case yoke and pinion yoke seems tight, but catches between coast/drive engagement if that makes sense. In other words, turning the pinion yoke clockwise, then counter clockwise there are several points of higher resistance between engagement in each direction.
I'm turning to the experience of MUD as I have limited time in the next couple months and the next step is tearing down a major assembly in a rental property driveway where I can't leave it disabled long.
The picture doesn't help much, but threads with pictures are always better.
