I'm going to put a call into Precision,,,wich is Federal Mogal,,and ask them what are the best one's. The have a "super strength", but the heavy duty is for commercial use. You would think the super's are better, but from reading the ad, it doesn't seem that way to me.

It just acured to me, the "WE" might be putting to much effort into this. I just want the best I can get. And it look's like it cost's twice the money.

http://www.federal-mogul.com/en/Afte...iversal-Joints

 

Funny thing is I was out on the road and was forced to use the same shop I did the last time. It was the same joint that went. God I hate paying for shody work. But when you're in a bind,,,that's what you get.

I asked him "are you going to greese it". He said he all ready did. BUt I seen no sign of a greese gun, or greese on the fitting. And, the joint was too tight like you said. That's why I tried to greese it. That's probly why the new vibration developed after about 100 mile's. Look's like I'll be re-doing it.

 

I've got a short bed, so it's a single shaft. I can tell you for sure that the 351A would not fit in my yokes. It was WAY to big to even try.

 

The 295's were snug, but they fit fine. No grinding or exessive play whatsoever.

 

Where did you come up with your part #'s.

What part IL you from. I'm just across the river from the St Louis Arch.

 

I'm all the way up near Rockford. I got the part numbers off an old post on the TDR. Since I had already taken the old joints out, I took one to Napa with me. Sure enough, the dimensions of the 295 were the same, with a beefier center section and the fitting in the cap. I read that the 295 is the 'super strength' joints. They are snug, but not rediculously tight. They also have 4 grooved channels in the base of each 'arm' that allows grease to get from the center section channels to the needle bearings. I got good grease from mine. The one that didn't squirt out all of the caps was probably b/c I just didn't fill it as much. These seemed right to me, so we'll find out. I've already got a couple hundred miles on them, and there is no sign of vibration yet.

 

So did the center u-joint repair fix the shudder on launch for those that were discussing it?

I have had that shudder in my MegaCab for 40,000 km and now it seems to be getting worse. My rear u-joint was changed at 90,000 km and the truck now has 147,000 km. Prior to changing the rear u-joint I could feel a vibration, yet I could detect no slop even with truck in neutral. The way I found it was to drive for a half hour, then quickly crawl under and put finger on individual caps - felt one on the rear that was significantly warmer and on a closer exam found rust streaks coming from that cap.
No other main drive line joints have been changed - I just did the front right steering u-joint.
In fact I have had no other repairs, only just changed brake pads all round at 140,000 km.

 

MedicShawn had this problem in his truck, a 2004. It was his center u-joint. He can probably describe the symptoms better though.

Chris

 

I never really had launch shudder so much as a horrible vibration which progressively go worse. I remove my whole driveshaft from the transfer case to the rear axle and replaced all 3 u joints while it was off. Turned out to be one U-Joint that was toast but they were all in pretty bad shape and that was with mostly just highway miles. That was roughly 50,000 on the truck.

 

the grease fitting in the cap is actually better, as it doesn't weaken the u joint. that is one of the reasons OEM joints are better than some after market that have the fitting in the center.....by the way, i'm still running original u-joints at 200,000 miles (no grease fittings)

 

Had the same shudder on launch and could drive out of it. Air pressure changes didn't matter. Only found it when had the shaft out. The back joint was so stiff It was nearly locked. Replaced and prob. solved. Good luck.

 

Any u-joint that is greasable is somewhat weaker by design. They have an orifice drilled through the cross bars. Whether the zerk is inserted in the cross bars or the cap, I doubt makes much difference in the strength. The non greasable u-joints are most likely the strongest due to the cross bars being solid, but last the shortest due to not being able to add lubrication.

 

I've had plenty of u-joint's go bad in this truck. They've all been from lack of lubrication. And I can remember twice where the cup that went bad was the one with the zerk fitting in it. Go figure. This remind's me to grease my joint's.

I've never broke a greasable, or any u-joint from stress. And I think pulling a 3 car trailer put's the stress to it.

How many of you have actually broke one. And, what were you doing when it happened. Towing, off roading, or what. Just curious.

 

Some word of caution you might check too rule out. My buddy had always had a shudder on his 5.9 07 with our bigger stock trailer on it it would shudder around take off and cursing if empty. What we found out too be the culprit on his was his goose neck hitch had a weld that failed and was just rocking back and forth on what bolts and welds held and causing play. You might want too just check that too rule it out on the error of the side of caution ya know.