infiltrator

okay, so the engine runs fine. but my problem now is that it vibrates when im going up hills and its like the vibrations just stop when i start to go down a hill. when i give it gas i can feel the vibration, but when i stop its like it stops too with like a real slight jerk. a few of you guys on here said to check my driveshaft and stuff. so i got underneith and tried to move the damn thing and its hard as a rock feels fine. what could this be (i have a 2wd by the way)

pictures






does anything look odd? on the last picture everything is dusty except a small part on that joint there. could that be the problem?
do you guys need more pictures? what should i do?

Blurr

pretty sure your u-joints are bad. do you hear a clunking noise when you put it in gear as well? i had the same exact symptoms you described, no vibration when you let off the gas, bad u-joints.

geTBeNt2NIghT

in that last picture it looks like the universal is cracked, its pretty blurry though, hard to tell

infiltrator

yeah, it definately clunks when i put it in gear bad sometimes!

ill get under there and get a better picture picture.

there are 2 joints. should i just replace them both? how can i replace them???

thanks for all your help guys.

offroadrunner92

well u-joints arent that hard..since you got them apart just replace both..your gonna want to drop your driveline right there where its mounted..id have to go look at my 4runner but im pretty sure they just pop out with a hammer..thats the way it is on a 66 mustang, and a volvo..and then the new one slips in..its 17.99 at kragen..easy fix

thook

The u-joints look dry as a bone. That's cause for concern....no grease.

BTW, you may not notice any play in a u-joint even when it's bad. It just may not be to that point yet. It can seize up (from being dry), not have play, but still cause the problem you're having.

thook

Yep...in the first pic it definitely looks like a crack in the cap.....on the left of the u-joint in the pic. Geez...and in the last pic! Replacement time.

Keep those new ones greased, man. More often if you see a lot water and dirt. Twice a year normally, but more under more severe conditions.

infiltrator

wow guys, thanks alot, ill have to get a couple of them 1799 each? not too bad i am glad.

so i just hit it with a hammer which direction? just on one side?

infiltrator

does anyone know how to take them off? i need something detailed, im not the master mechanic lol.

infiltrator

okay so ive searched google and have come back with interesting results.
to take u-joints off:
-take bolts off (mark which end goes where)
-remove driveshaft whole with joints attached
-pinch the sides of the joint and take off caps
-once caps are off, try to pop out the joint without hurting the yoke

questions??
-how exactly do i take out the joint (i need more details)
-how can i not hurt the yoke?
-when i get the joints back on how hard is it to put the thing back together?
-im looking at napa auto parts and they have a lot of different types of joints for my truck. ones that say "Greasable Super Strength U-Joint" and "Performance Joint", which ones do i want for my truck???

http://www.napaonline.com/masterpage...d=8&SubCatId=1

please help if you can anything will help
after this, im gonna do a detailed write-up for everyone so they can know how to do this.

zlathim

infiltrator, I responded to the other vibration thread. Hope it helps.

Just make sure that the joint you purchase is greasable and not sealed and you will be fine.

offroadrunner92

NAPA = Never Any Parts Availible...but anyways, just go with a greaseable performance joint, its not exactly rocket science to take off the U...the caps prettymuch come off with a flathead..and when it says dont damage yoke, thats effing hard...and installing the new one is even easier, but yea mark the bolts, your driveshaft is balanced, i just ziptied on which side goes where,(i put a ziptie on the slot that i unbolted and on the driveshaft, that way you only have one mark) and the rest is cake : ) happy hunting

infiltrator

oh, now i definately get it, why they say to mark it. okay okay. its scarey, becuase im learning things on the fly.
an hour ago, i would have said, oh i can do it, and would have messed up if you would have told me that. lol. i dont know why i wouldnt think of that.

okay, so i think if i order from napa, they can have them ship to the store near me. and ill pick em up and get it done before my camping trip.

btw, i found a good video on youtube on how it works.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1d6v7zmM_WQ

guys, make sure this is the correct, cuz its on a jeep (in the video) and i think its pretty much the same on a runner.


p.s. would it be bad to spraypaint my axle and yoke and stuff with black spraypaint (not the ujoint though) i mean, i dunno i think it would look pretty cool.