Im experiencing a bad vibration/rattle at 40 and 80 kph and I'd like to inspect all U-joints.
How to visually inspect U-Joints? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Bardiya
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Best to remove the driveshaft to inspect as they can be stiff not just loose.
How many Km's in the truck? Any history of servicing the U-joints?
Hold the drive shaft attached to one side of the U-joint by one hand and other side of the U joint (pinion flange) by the other hand and twist the two. There cannot be any movement relative to one another.
What Julian said above is also true if the shaft is frozen.
Hold the drive shaft attached to one side of the U-joint by one hand and other side of the U joint (pinion flange) by the other hand and twist the two. There cannot be any movement relative to one another.
What Julian said above is also true if the shaft is frozen.
Vibration felt at low speed (~35 mph), than smooth (no vib.) until high speed (~60 MPH) is most common different tires, balanced differently and improperly.
Front drive shafts (AKA CV's) one hears clicking noise and vibration more constant, generally.
That said, to answer your question on U-Joints:
@Julian Stead is right, for early stage hard to see under visual inspect cases. Other indicators at various stage are:
Typically dry (no grease) spider joint (AKA u-joint) you'll hear a oscillating (waw -- waw) bearing noise while driving. Easiest to hear rolling down hill at HWY speeds with transmission in neutral. As bearing become damaged (early stage of failure) this gets louder. In later stage they start coming apart, and vibration is felt at low speed (10 to 20MPH) and get worst the faster you go.
Failed spider joint of visually inspected. Notice the uneven gap of needle bearing dust cover, revealed during twisting.
Second; twist propeller shaft (AKA drive shaft) by hand, rotating clock wise & counter clock wise slightly. Watch spider joint as you do this for movement at/in joint.
In this bad spider joint, you can see movement while rotating back and forth. Notice the two pictures below wherein differential is stationary, while propeller shafts moves. See how gap in cage changes. These were near total failure, where if driven much further at moderate speed they'd build heat, fly apart releasing propeller shaft.
Front drive shafts (AKA CV's) one hears clicking noise and vibration more constant, generally.
That said, to answer your question on U-Joints:
@Julian Stead is right, for early stage hard to see under visual inspect cases. Other indicators at various stage are:
Typically dry (no grease) spider joint (AKA u-joint) you'll hear a oscillating (waw -- waw) bearing noise while driving. Easiest to hear rolling down hill at HWY speeds with transmission in neutral. As bearing become damaged (early stage of failure) this gets louder. In later stage they start coming apart, and vibration is felt at low speed (10 to 20MPH) and get worst the faster you go.
Failed spider joint of visually inspected. Notice the uneven gap of needle bearing dust cover, revealed during twisting.
Second; twist propeller shaft (AKA drive shaft) by hand, rotating clock wise & counter clock wise slightly. Watch spider joint as you do this for movement at/in joint.
In this bad spider joint, you can see movement while rotating back and forth. Notice the two pictures below wherein differential is stationary, while propeller shafts moves. See how gap in cage changes. These were near total failure, where if driven much further at moderate speed they'd build heat, fly apart releasing propeller shaft.
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- Thread starter
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Just hit 300,000km, All 4 joints were replaced at some point but not greased regularly. Trans was replaced 3 times in the past month so that may be a factor.
I'm also getting the thump while shifting to drive and on some downshifts, I doubt it's the CV's since my car is part time 4wd.
I suspected it to be tyres but I just changed all of them today and the vibration is still present.
Rear most U Joint is the most common one, but any can go. Mine had no play but on removal they where found to be stiff across the axis causing a major vibration that would come and go.
I grease these U-joints may be every 1000 to 2000 miles. When I got nothing to do at home, I grab the grease gun and slide under the truck..(cruiser and runner). When I first bought the cruiser those were dry and when I pumped grease only 2 caps gave grease out. Now after doing it on the 3rd time I notice the grease is coming out on all 4 caps! All good.
You have to apply grease on the splines too but NOT a lot (about 1 pump). If you feel you added more, simply remove the drease zerk and let the excess grease to come out (bumping the truck is also a good at this time)
Aftermarket U-joints are no good. Did you install an OEM toyota U-joint?
You have to apply grease on the splines too but NOT a lot (about 1 pump). If you feel you added more, simply remove the drease zerk and let the excess grease to come out (bumping the truck is also a good at this time)
Aftermarket U-joints are no good. Did you install an OEM toyota U-joint?
Well, crap! I just bought 4 Moog u-joints...
More Information for MOOG/PRECISION 285
The ones on there now are likely the originals.
Moog makes some decent parts. I'm not a 'die-hard' OEM guy with either my 80 series or the LX....BUT there is one item I will NEVER replace with anything but OEM and that is U-Joints.
When installed properly and greased regularly....you'll probably never have to replace them again.
'Many' aftermarket U-Joints either cause vibration right from the start or quickly do so after they get a few miles on them.
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OEM spiders (AKA U-joints) are incredibly tough and pricey. Typically only go bad if not lubed for ~100K miles. Even then i've only seen one bad spider, which was at 250K miles on a very under maintained rig. That rig had likey only been lube a few times, certainly not the every 5K (daily in severe condition) as recommended.
I put match marks on each part of propeller shaft(s) (AKA drive shafts), differential & transfer case so everything goes together the same way it came apart. I then take propeller shaft to machine shop, pointing out match marks, and let then do the pressing for ~$20 each.
I put match marks on each part of propeller shaft(s) (AKA drive shafts), differential & transfer case so everything goes together the same way it came apart. I then take propeller shaft to machine shop, pointing out match marks, and let then do the pressing for ~$20 each.
