When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Had some new U-joints pressed in at a driveshaft balancing shop, but the hard plastic dust caps are all cracked. Upon some reading online, these are supposedly only cosmetic, and there is a triple rubber seal behind it? Can anyone confirm?
Those are the old Black ring joints, they discontinued them about 7-8 years ago due to the black ring being brittle. They would sometimes crack just pulling the cap off the joint and if you are not careful installing them will break them. I installed plenty of them and had a box of those black rings sent to me by Spicer to have on hand to replace broken rings. Let me tell you it is very frustrating to break a ring installing a new joint because you have to carefully remove it and if you don't have new rings have to buy a new joint. The distributors did not have the rings in stock, you had to go directly back to the factory.
I have never broken a ring and not know it, it's as clear as day. My opinion is your rebuilder knew it too but sold it anyway. Bring it back and let them know they sold you old stock that is known to have this issue. The new joints have a white ring and is more pliable, I have not broken one ring yet. You may now know more about this than your shop but they should replace all of them at no cost to you.
I doubt DANA Corp's management & design engineers intentionally produce driveline parts merely for "cosmetic" purposes .
... nor do I believe its shareholders would long stand still for it.
have spent awhile auditing processes within a DANA Heavy Truck Chassis plant
Well lets think about what the ring, seals out on a daily driver:
Dirt, road salt, grit, rain/snow, etc. None of which your C3 will ever see. At least, should not see.
I wouldn't worry too much about it. If your concern is greater than mine, apply a dab of some type of sealer for plastic on it and call it good.
If you kept your old U-joints, you could borrow the seals. More work for you though.
Last edited by HeadsU.P.; Dec 25, 2019 at 09:08 PM.
They must be there to keep dirt out, as the name “dust cap” would suggest. Probably a bigger deal if the car is driven daily and in all kinds of weather conditions.
As a practical consideration, a cracked dust cap will probably serve most of the function of a complete one. You’re going to have to change the ujoints that you have on there to replace the dust caps so you might as well run them as they are until they start making noise.
I doubt DANA Corp's management & design engineers intentionally produce driveline parts merely for "cosmetic" purposes .
... nor do I believe its shareholders would long stand still for it.
have spent awhile auditing processes within a DANA Heavy Truck Chassis plant
Merry Christmas to all
I really don't think shareholders care about much other than profits.
I think the plastic dust shield was damaged during install.
Those are the old Black ring joints, they discontinued them about 7-8 years ago due to the black ring being brittle. They would sometimes crack just pulling the cap off the joint and if you are not careful installing them will break them. I installed plenty of them and had a box of those black rings sent to me by Spicer to have on hand to replace broken rings. Let me tell you it is very frustrating to break a ring installing a new joint because you have to carefully remove it and if you don't have new rings have to buy a new joint. The distributors did not have the rings in stock, you had to go directly back to the factory.
I have never broken a ring and not know it, it's as clear as day. My opinion is your rebuilder knew it too but sold it anyway. Bring it back and let them know they sold you old stock that is known to have this issue. The new joints have a white ring and is more pliable, I have not broken one ring yet. You may now know more about this than your shop but they should replace all of them at no cost to you.
Not only do they keep all of the elements out, but they also keep the grease in! Everyone on here knows what boot on a ball joint does with a hole in it! The grease will warm up while driving and find it's way out through those cracks. I would do as previously suggested and have them replaced free of charge, again if you paid someone to put ball joints in and they gave it back to you with a hole in the boots, I'm pretty sure you'd insist they try again! Good luck, just my 0.02!
spicer solid u-joint cracked dust caps.
