U Joint Replacement

[bigfutz]

Try it one way & then the other.
Did you replace the U-joints?
I can't see a grease zerk in that pic, but that should be installed on the compression side of the rotation. This is so that when using the truck for pulling or just generally hard(-ish) usage, the torque is compressing against the zerk instead of pulling against the one weak design flaw of the U-joint that's created when removing steel during the drilling & tapping of the joint for the fitting.
I had my driveshaft balanced with new U-joints supplied & installed by the guy balancing it, for $100.00. That included the re-n-re of the D/S from the truck too.

I didn’t replace the u-joints; I swapped out the full drive shaft from the donor vehicle. I will be replacing them on the removed shaft, so that’s good to know about the orientation of the zerk. I wouldn’t have thought of that. [emoji106][emoji106] (And I learned a new word - zerk.)

 

[bigfutz]

I can't see a grease zerk in that pic, but that should be installed on the compression side of the rotation.

The fore (spline end) u-joint appears to be sealed - no zerk. The aft does. Below is a pic of the donor shaft installed. I didn’t install the u-joint. Is this one installed backwards?

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[454cid]

Sounds like my truck. I've replaced the u-joint at the rear axle, and the rest are original. I unfortunately, installed the new u-joint backwards, and I don't have access to grease it. I have not looked at it for a long time, and don't know which way the zerk faces. If I buy a new ujoint, I'll likely get one without the zerk. The zerk fitting does weaken the joint, and the ungreaseble seem to hold up well enough.

To me, it looks like if you rotate the shaft so that the zerk is towards the ground you could get a grease gun up to it.

 

[sewlow]

The fore (spline end) u-joint appears to be sealed - no zerk. The aft does. Below is a pic of the donor shaft installed. I didn’t install the u-joint. Is this one installed backwards?

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Y'know, I can never remember which way the D/S rotates once I'm under the truck.
In the past, when it's on stands like that, (front wheels blocked) I've started the truck & dropped it into gear for a sec then up into nuetral.
Rural farmland here. Out in the sticks. No one around to help, so I'll jump out & take a look as it's coasting.
I should stamp some kind of direction mark on the housing.

 

[1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2]

I've had great luck using Spicer sealed joints. They are only about $23 each and well worth it.

I've read that sealed joints are actually sealed better than greaseable since the idea is to keep grease in while greaseable joints aren't sealed as well so they can let grease out. I have no opinion if that is true or not.