Drive shaft vibration- lemon law
02-14-2012, 09:31 AM
#31
Where do you get this grease that you talk about? And you said you used zip ties for the rubber boot? Are they the thick heavy duty ones? Would a hose clamp work or would there be balance issues?
02-14-2012, 10:32 AM
#32
Senior Member
pics copied from a post by member darkmoone
start on a level surface. i would recommend engaging 4 wheel drive first (if equipped), put in park, apply emergency brake, and chock front and rear of rear wheels. maybe chock the front wheels too. better safe than sorry, and once you unbolt the rear u-joint you don't want the rear axle to move/rotate. the theory here is that the u-joints have to be aligned front and rear or an out of balance condition can occur, i'm not sure if i believe it but that's what i practice.
(picture of differential/u-joint/driveshaft)
mark the u-joint to diff. flange so its easy to put back together the way it was. GREEN LINE. use a sharpie or something like that. unbolt the 4 bolts holding the u-joint to the diff. flange. i can't remember what size it is but i can tell you it is metric and you have to use a 12 point socket. take the bolts out and let the driveshaft sit on the ground.
(pic of bellows circled)
cut the two one use clamps (it is possible to reuse these, i've done it before, but its a pain). pull the driveshaft rearward and it should separate, if not twist the bellows a little to get it loose or just slide it forward.
now you've got your driveshaft separated. clean the splined areas on both sides with a rag or some brake clean if you want, just make sure the brake clean dries/evaporates before you start greasing. on the female side make sure to get grease in every valley between the splines, i went about as deep as i could, probably the second knuckle of my middle finger. don't fill it to the bottom. just make sure you get some in every valley all the way around.
same for the male side, except that apply a liberal amount to the whole length.
it helps to have a wife/child/cousin/grandma (in-law? nah) to help hold the rear semi lined up while you line up the splines and slide it together, then verify the rear alignment. if your original marks are off, slide it out and rotate to the next spline in the right direction and check your marks. once you get it lined up right bolt the rear back together (i recommend red loctite and about 75ft/lbs). then wipe off excess grease, you can leave some excess, but just a little. put the bellows back in place and secure with zipties/thin band clamps or the correct one use clamps from the dealer. i've only used zipties, haven't had a problem.
summary: 4 bolts, 2 clamps, some grease and you're done, and a lot happier with your truck
start on a level surface. i would recommend engaging 4 wheel drive first (if equipped), put in park, apply emergency brake, and chock front and rear of rear wheels. maybe chock the front wheels too. better safe than sorry, and once you unbolt the rear u-joint you don't want the rear axle to move/rotate. the theory here is that the u-joints have to be aligned front and rear or an out of balance condition can occur, i'm not sure if i believe it but that's what i practice.
(picture of differential/u-joint/driveshaft)
mark the u-joint to diff. flange so its easy to put back together the way it was. GREEN LINE. use a sharpie or something like that. unbolt the 4 bolts holding the u-joint to the diff. flange. i can't remember what size it is but i can tell you it is metric and you have to use a 12 point socket. take the bolts out and let the driveshaft sit on the ground.
(pic of bellows circled)
cut the two one use clamps (it is possible to reuse these, i've done it before, but its a pain). pull the driveshaft rearward and it should separate, if not twist the bellows a little to get it loose or just slide it forward.
now you've got your driveshaft separated. clean the splined areas on both sides with a rag or some brake clean if you want, just make sure the brake clean dries/evaporates before you start greasing. on the female side make sure to get grease in every valley between the splines, i went about as deep as i could, probably the second knuckle of my middle finger. don't fill it to the bottom. just make sure you get some in every valley all the way around.
same for the male side, except that apply a liberal amount to the whole length.
it helps to have a wife/child/cousin/grandma (in-law? nah) to help hold the rear semi lined up while you line up the splines and slide it together, then verify the rear alignment. if your original marks are off, slide it out and rotate to the next spline in the right direction and check your marks. once you get it lined up right bolt the rear back together (i recommend red loctite and about 75ft/lbs). then wipe off excess grease, you can leave some excess, but just a little. put the bellows back in place and secure with zipties/thin band clamps or the correct one use clamps from the dealer. i've only used zipties, haven't had a problem.
summary: 4 bolts, 2 clamps, some grease and you're done, and a lot happier with your truck
02-14-2012, 10:59 AM
#33
Canadian Forces
Would you be able to get a needle attachment for a grease gun and fire a bunch in through the rubber boot, drive a bit over some bumpy roads then re-apply? It should work its way in.
Way easier than unbolting everything.
Way easier than unbolting everything.
02-14-2012, 11:28 AM
#34
Not that hard to unbolt the driveshaft... Probably take less than an hour.
02-14-2012, 11:43 AM
#35
Canadian Forces
OR
You could undo one of the boot clamps and put the needle between the boot and drive shaft.
The grease will work its way in. Thats what it does isnt it?
02-14-2012, 10:24 PM
#36
Member
its a ford specific grease. i got it at the dealership. i think you could use any molybdenum grease. i used zipties that fit the application, maybe 1/4" wide and 8-10" long. like i said a hose clamp would work too if you had a narrow enough one. if you're worried about balance because of the hose clamp then just offset the heavy parts 180 degrees from eachother and cut off the excess.
02-14-2012, 10:28 PM
#37
Member
does your "one piece drive shaft" have a rubber bellows on it somewhere? if it does then i wouldn't consider it a one piece shaft.
does your truck have the clunk on start/stop? does your "one piece drive shaft" have a bellows? if so then yes it applies
does your truck have the clunk on start/stop? does your "one piece drive shaft" have a bellows? if so then yes it applies
02-14-2012, 10:34 PM
#38
Member
dude if you want to try that go ahead. but you wont really KNOW that the grease worked all the way in there will you, you'll just be guessing.
4 BOLTS! 2 CLAMPS! LUBE! maintenance/repairs dont get much easier.
02-15-2012, 07:35 AM
#39
Canadian Forces
to all the guys that have had their trucks to the dealership to have the drive shaft lubed and have the clunk return in a couple hundred miles, this is probably what they are doing.
dude if you want to try that go ahead. but you wont really KNOW that the grease worked all the way in there will you, you'll just be guessing.
4 BOLTS! 2 CLAMPS! LUBE! maintenance/repairs dont get much easier.
dude if you want to try that go ahead. but you wont really KNOW that the grease worked all the way in there will you, you'll just be guessing.
4 BOLTS! 2 CLAMPS! LUBE! maintenance/repairs dont get much easier.
A lot of guys on this forum may not me as mechanically inclined as you, and may fear dropping thier driveshaft just to apply some grease.
I was just offering a less scary alternative that should work, providing you drive over some bumpy roads to flex your drive shaft in and out of itself and re-apply.
I'm not picking a fight with ya. I agree with you about the lack of grease being the issue.
02-22-2012, 06:52 PM
#40
as posted earlier...
its a ford specific grease. i got it at the dealership. i think you could use any molybdenum grease. i used zipties that fit the application, maybe 1/4" wide and 8-10" long. like i said a hose clamp would work too if you had a narrow enough one. if you're worried about balance because of the hose clamp then just offset the heavy parts 180 degrees from eachother and cut off the excess.
its a ford specific grease. i got it at the dealership. i think you could use any molybdenum grease. i used zipties that fit the application, maybe 1/4" wide and 8-10" long. like i said a hose clamp would work too if you had a narrow enough one. if you're worried about balance because of the hose clamp then just offset the heavy parts 180 degrees from eachother and cut off the excess.