Is there such thing as heavy duty U-Joints that can be bought for the 2004 3500

 

Has H/D`s in it already.

 

well guess I'll be replacing them with what it already has in it then.

 

Cardboard joints are more "Heavy Duty" than the OEM joints. Do yourself a favor and buy aftermarket "Greasable" joints (i.e. Precisions) So far the only joints that haven't died on my '05 are in the front shaft. (34,000 mi)

 

Actually the factory joints are very strong in integrity terms.
The issue is that the factory joints tend to burn up from lack of lubrication.

The solution is the run a greasable joint from: Spicer, Neapco or Precision. Running a greasable joint solves the issue.

I ran greasables in my pulling truck with no issues. If they can last in my truck they will last in anyones.

 

If you really worry about strength though, a "grease through" U-joint will always be weaker than a non-greasable because it has holes through it. Now if you have the type with greasable CAPS that is a different story.

 

The greasables are pretty darn strong. I can say for one that I tested their strength for 1.5 years sledpulling with my 04. I finally had a failure on a tight track with a bad hop where something had to break (another member here lost a mainshaft in his 6 speed about 30 minutes before that happend on the same dirt).

For the everyday user the precision greasable is more than adequate for use in our trucks.

In absolute terms many can argue weakness of the grease passages.

The arguement of a "greasable are weak" stemmed from miniature u joints provided on half ton pickups, jeeps, hot rods that were taken to the extreme withouth beefing up the driveline.

The same arguement comes from the same crowd that says "you gotta chip in that thing", "did you turn up the pump".
Today U joints that we get stock on our Dodge Rams are plenty big enough to allow safely for grease passages...

I am sorry but this subject frustrates me when I know the greasables will last for a lifetime in any truck that doesnt hop bad on the sledpulling track with 600hp to boot.

Here is a Precision 351 for a 6 speed 3rd gen 2500/3500 Dodge:

 

Don't automatically associate solid with strength, they don't always go together. Expecialy with cast pieces.

On my truck strength was irrevilent when the lack of grease made the needle bearings disenagrate. Happened to my dodge, a friends '05 and my dads '05 chevy 1500. All of us could have had them replaced under warranty however since the aftermarket joints are under $20.00 why waste the time at the dealer just to have the same junk installed.

 

85,000 miles and a new set of u-joints on the rear driveshaft and she's runnin great again.