i called up a well known/established machine shop/drive line shop late last week that has been around for 35 years. it is a 60 mile round trip from my house. i told them i needed both u-joints replaced on my drive shaft. (back one was shot!) they told me to be there first this today (monday). i get there and the guy behind the counter asks me where is my drive shaft . i told him on my truck. he then told me we know longer do them on the vehicle-you bring in the drive shaft. i told him i did not know store policy changed and the gentleman i spoke to on the phone did not mention anything to me either. he told me to hold on. the manager comes out and tells me to pull around back. his tech came out and dropped my drive shaft in the parking lot- he installed two spicer greasable u-joints and had me on my way in an hour. the bill- they only charged me 62.00 bucks!!! i threw the guy twenty bucks for having to lay on the cold damp ashpalt! i think i made out pretty **** good!

 

I would say so. Even with my 7/70 warranty I paid the $100 deductible for my 2 rear ones.

Nick

 

i decided to have it done at a drive line shop- knowing better parts would be used (spicer greasable)- i assumed with the parts and labor it would cost me around 50.00 bucks or so more than going to the dealership and paying the 100.00 deductable for the same oem crap parts. but i came out 38.00 bucks ahead!

 

Get ready to replace the front u-joints also,mine had ZERO grease in them.I had the front and rears replaced at 35,750 miles on my 2004.coobie

 

Showing my ignorance here, but can the U Joints be replaced with after markets parts, where it's easy to lube them? What is the advantage in building the truck with joints that can't be greased - just a cost savings move by DC?

 

rdm16ctd- when you are ready to replace. use spicer u-joints. the greasable version!

 

I used the (48re auto tranny)percision (greasable)295 rear and 464 front left and right.The anwser to your question about non-greaseable u-joints,its all about money.I have a good buddy and neighbor who is a product design eng.for crysler here at the proving grounds located in Michigan.Its all about cutting cost according to him.coobie

 

I do belive I read somewhere that greasable u- joint's aren't as strong as non-greasable ones because the hole that is drilled threw it for the zirk fitting.
Also I think the stock joints are spicer.

 

I always do my best to replace u-joints with Spicer NON-greasable joints. In my opinion they last a lot longer than greasable joints because they have a good, positive seal on the cups. Greasable joints can't seal up as well because they need to have a looser seal to let grease escape.

 

This is true, but they make greasable U-joints where the zerk fiting screws to the face of one of the caps, instead of on the main U-joint. I put a set of these in My IROC, and have done many of 3,000 RPM launches with zero wheel spin, and never broke a joint yet in like 7 yrs.

 

What are some of the signs to know if you have a U-Joint going out? Do they start making a noise?

 

look at the joint caps and usually you will see rust coming out of the seal area when their shot or sometimes vibrations or some noise come from them.

 

The noise my rear one was making at 30,000 miles was a slight squeak, squeak, squeak when backing up slowly. If I placed it in 'N' and let it coast backwards after hearing that noise, the noise would stop as there wouldn't be a load on the u-joint.

 

The stock U joints are absolute junk...I would never go to Dodge and get them replaced. Its going to happen again. At a local shop here my dad and I got them for 12 bucks a piece(greasable). His rears went out before 30,000 miles and the new ones have lasted 50,000+ plus....