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Well, I swapped out the u-joints on the rear driveshaft and replaced the pinion seal. The seal went in very easily and I counted the number of revolutions it took to get the pinion nut off, so preload should be back where it was.
However... getting the old U-joints off the shaft was not fun. The truck has 197k on it and the old joints showed every mile. I put the impact on the ball joint press and went to town. It took a lot longer than I'd planned.
The new joints (Moog 232s) were also a very tight fit. I had some trouble getting the retaining clips in and had to use the press again to get enough clearance on the grooves. I did triple check; no needles fell into the caps, they were just tight. All good now and I'll be putting the shaft back in tonight after work. The joints are slightly stiffer than I think they should be, but are very smooth so I think they'll be fine. It's just annoying to me that this job took way longer than I'd planned.
You may have bent the ears on the drive shaft forcing the old u-joint out.
They are now slightly closer together pinching the u-joint.....
I have had luck smacking the U-joint with a hammer to help spread the ears again, to get it to loosen up
Well, I swapped out the u-joints on the rear driveshaft and replaced the pinion seal. The seal went in very easily and I counted the number of revolutions it took to get the pinion nut off, so preload should be back where it was.
However... getting the old U-joints off the shaft was not fun. The truck has 197k on it and the old joints showed every mile. I put the impact on the ball joint press and went to town. It took a lot longer than I'd planned...
I need to do my rear pinion seal, and am afraid of messing something up with it. I really need to do it though, it used to only drip if parked on an incline nose down, but now looks like it is leaking more just from driving.
I added about 1/2 qt to it about a week ago, and it was full about a year ago.
I have also debated doing the u-joints, @ 190,000 miles, I am sure they need to be done as well.
Check with some auto parts stores in your area.
A couple in my town will press the u-joints in and out if you take the shaft up to them !.......Around $20 a joint If I remember
When I say they are tight, only slightly so. Very possible the ears bent in a touch as it took a lot of cranking on the press to get them out. I'm not too worried about them now, though. Barring any imbalance I may have imparted, I think they will be fine.
Regarding the pinion seal, it was very easy. There are many really good videos on youtube. As long as you mark everything and then pay attention when removing and replacing the pinion nut, I think it should be fine. Getting the seal out was easy as was tapping in the new one.
Wow, I didn't even know it was a ticketing offense. I've been doing it since the day I got my truck.
I don't have the fog lights detached from the heads. I turn them both on at the same time, every time I get in the truck.
I never ran my headlights in the day time until driving through Ohio when I got pulled over for not having my headlights on when it was raining, lol.
Ahh okay, I see what your saying.
Pulled over in Ohio for no heads in the rain? That's a new one for me. I'll use them in the rain if visibility is bad, like say if it's pooring buckets. But for the most part not at all in the day. I can see the purpose of that being law though. Wasn't aware of it.
Pulled over in Ohio for no heads in the rain? That's a new one for me. I'll use them in the rain if visibility is bad, like say if it's pooring buckets. But for the most part not at all in the day. I can see the purpose of that being law though. Wasn't aware of it.
Lights on when wipers are on is a relatively recent law, couple years old. Primary offense so you can be pulled over for it.
I traded someone the white hood from the '99 for a DSG one since mine got hit with hail last year. I originally agreed thinking this one could just be sanded and re-shot (saving me from having to paint the the underside) but two body shops advised that the paint cracking will require a full strip job. (The paint on the white one was letting loose in spots, as well, so....).
I figured cracked paint (clear-coat mostly) will be less noticeable than dozens of little dents until I can find a clean one.
Current hood.
I'll be holding onto the original for awhile in case this other one starts to get worse.
.
Last edited by OhioLariat; 08-08-2017 at 11:45 PM.
I got the blue LED swap buttoned up behind the gauges, I don't like the way it turned out. I've got some nasty hot spots even with throwing some white paint on the back side after cleaning the green overlay off.
I think I'm just going to buy an overlay that will glow blue at night. I've never liked the green...
08-08-2017, 12:44 PM
