Close call - lost u-joint clip!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 2,845
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From: Apex NC
Close call - lost u-joint clip!
I took the '69 out on Saturday morning for a short ride through the country, about 20 miles round trip. On the way home I heard this "thunk, thunk" sound coming from the left rear. I pressed in the clutch, and it didn't go away. I slowed down and the pace of the thunk slowed down too. When I pulled over, I looked under the car and saw that one of the half-shaft u-joint caps was coming out of the spindle end "yoke". The clip had somehow come out and the cap had started to work it's way out, and was hitting the protruding edge of the trailing arm/spindle support on every revolution of the half-shaft! :eek: :eek:
I was about 4 miles from home, and had to decide what to do. I figured my only option was to limp it home and hope that the cap wouldn't come out all the way. I drove home about 25 mph and made it without any further problem. Today I got under to assess the damage. It didn't really hurt the trailing arm, so I pulled the half-shaft and replaced both u-joints for good measure. You can rest assured that I made sure the clips were well seated in the grooves before I reinstalled the half shaft.
Shannon
[Modified by sb69coupe, 9:11 PM 7/14/2002]
I was about 4 miles from home, and had to decide what to do. I figured my only option was to limp it home and hope that the cap wouldn't come out all the way. I drove home about 25 mph and made it without any further problem. Today I got under to assess the damage. It didn't really hurt the trailing arm, so I pulled the half-shaft and replaced both u-joints for good measure. You can rest assured that I made sure the clips were well seated in the grooves before I reinstalled the half shaft.
Shannon
[Modified by sb69coupe, 9:11 PM 7/14/2002]
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Re: Close call - lost u-joint clip! (sb69coupe)
Damn. That IS a close call. I had a similar thing happen where one of my halfshaft yoke u-bolts had come loose. Far enough for the u-joint to slip WELL out of place. That was the day I decided NOT to go on a 100 mile cruise. Good thing.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Maryland
Re: Close call - lost u-joint clip! (sb69coupe)
Very good example of knowing what your car sounds like and STOPPING when you hear something different to figure out what it is!!!! Glad you made it home safe with no damage. Sometimes on the hwy in traffic you hear all these wierd noises from other people's cars (bad brakes, water pump sounds, bearings howling...) and wonder why they continue to drive them! :crazy:
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 1999
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From: Apex NC
Re: Close call - lost u-joint clip! (Juliet)
I rebuilt the rear suspension back in the winter of 98-99, and I knew something was amiss as soon as I heard the sound. Despite all the little things that need attention on my car, I feel like I "know" it inside and out. I really contemplated just leaving the car and not risking the limp home, but I had no way to work on it out there in the school parking lot! I'm just happy that I made it home and there was no collateral damage.
Shannon
Shannon
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Re: Close call - lost u-joint clip! (Juliet)
Very good example of knowing what your car sounds like and STOPPING when you hear something different to figure out what it is!!!! Glad you made it home safe with no damage. Sometimes on the hwy in traffic you hear all these wierd noises from other people's cars (bad brakes, water pump sounds, bearings howling...) and wonder why they continue to drive them! :crazy:
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Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Close call - lost u-joint clip! (ddecart)
Don't forget knowing what it SMELLS like, too. *sniff* OIL! I smell oil...is that me? What's going on? No, wait, it's the POS in front of me. Whew :D
