Help with Ujoints

[Just Learning]

Hey gang,
I am having surprising difficulty finding replacement ujoints for my truck. Perhaps you can help.
I have a 3/4 ton, 52 Chevy. It has the torque tube drive shaft. Chevy Duty and a number of other places I have checked just don't carry one. One company said the best they could do was a "cross and bearing kit" -- I don't even know what that is?!

Any advice?

As always, thanks in advance!

Eric

 

[vwnate1]

RE: Help with 3/4T Ujoints

Eric ;

Does your truck have the short enclosed drive shaft with a wet u-joint inside the ball at the tranny and then a normal one further back or just the one long enclosed driveshaft (called a " Torque Tube" BTW) ? .

It makes a differance . the wet one is the cross and bearing kit from CD , is usually made in Argentina and is often poorly made and requires fittment .

Be sure to order up the ball gasket kit if you have the enclosed u-joint , follow the directions on proper fittment anf adjusment of the ball .

I hope this helps...
-Nate

 

[Just Learning]

RE: Help with 3/4T Ujoints

Nate, my drive shaft is in two parts, with the part where it connects to the tranny not having a ujoint. About half way back, there is one ujoint, and then another ujoint all the way back near where it hits the rear end. I have not noticed (or looked for, really) a ujoint inside the ball at the tranny. A male end comes out of the tranny and slides into the ball of the torque tube. The tube then extends back three feet, to about the middle of the truck, where there is the first ujoint that I can see.

Neither of the two ujoints (one in the middle and one at the rear end) are right out in the open, not too hard to take off. But apparently very hard to find replacements.

Neither of these two ujoints is gone, yet, but I have been told that the one farthest back seems too loose and may not have long to live.

Any thoughts, Nate or others, on where I might find these.

Thanks, and any more info would be appreciated!

Eric

 

[vwnate1]

RE: Help with 3/4T Ujoints

U.K. Eric ;

You've been _LIED_ to ! . first & formost , go grab the grease gun and shoot the two open u-joints full of grease , , if they're wearing out I'd shoot them weekly untill you get this addressed .

O.K. : there is one enclosed u-joint in the ball where the Torque Tube attaches to the back of the tranny , since this doesn't move around it hardly ever wears out on your typ of truck , just change the tranny oil and check it monthly so it's always full as low oil is what'll kill it & these old Muncie SM420 trannies tend to drip a goodly bit , even when parked .

The two open joints are standard items and easy to get anywhere , the problem is to know what one to get ? so , take the driveshaft off and schlepp it down to the local driveline shop , any heavy duty truck shop will be able to tell the where to go , I know a couple in the L.A. metor area if that helps , one really good one in the SFV .

Look in your 'phone book for a driveline shop .

Anyway , any driveline shop or good brake jobber will simply take your old driveshaft with joints and yokes on it and rebuild it for about $10-0.00 ~ $150.00 , returning it to you fully balanced with American Made u-joints and nifty Zerk fittings on it so you can grease it and never have it wear out again .

Pretty simple , eh ? .

I hope this helps , get it done before it snaps a joint and really screws up your day .


-Nate

 

[Just Learning]

RE: Help with 3/4T Ujoints

Thanks, Nate! You're tops!
Eric