U joints..huh!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,658
Likes: 4
From: Clifton Park NY
U joints..huh!
You know.. its disappointing when you go thru and replace all 6 Universal joints, wheel hubs, new Teflon washers and your driving at 70 mph and all of a sudden hear a loud noise as if you hit the rumble strips. Limp it home and raise it up only to find that the driveshaft u joint near the rearend is in pieces.
I used Moog and felt these were good quality, is there anything stronger out there?
I'm running some good hp/tq and I don't want junk..
chromoly vs steel?
I used Moog and felt these were good quality, is there anything stronger out there?
I'm running some good hp/tq and I don't want junk..
chromoly vs steel?
Last edited by qws; Aug 6, 2013 at 10:15 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 849
Likes: 1
From: dubuque iowa
just to think what stronger ones might have broke assuming of course it wasnt just a fluke of bad joint or something with install.
i would start to think that something bound for a second causing it to break, jus seems odd to break just cruising at 70 and as i said if it werent the weakest link it might have tore something else up.
just hard to belive it wasnt some bind issue or install issue unless it was just defective.
i would start to think that something bound for a second causing it to break, jus seems odd to break just cruising at 70 and as i said if it werent the weakest link it might have tore something else up.
just hard to belive it wasnt some bind issue or install issue unless it was just defective.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,394
Likes: 2,741
What actually failed? The u-joint, one of the end clips in the yoke was spit out, a bolt or strap failed at the pinion flange. Is your car an A4, M6 or "other"?
A replacement shaft should be available here on the CF I'd think and likely inexpensively. After confirming the integrity of the pinion flange an install with a new joint, straps and bolts should accomplish a fix. I can't comment on the Moog joint but the Moog brand is a marketing thing now I believe. Moog used to be "steering" now the brand in on everything including bearings and of course u-joints. Can you blame the product? Don't know. Any brand could have failed. There are of course other "brand" choices and the trend on most forums is of course the recommendation of the Spicer brand. It's certainly not the only quality product out there but I'd guess it's the most frequently used.
I believe a broken/failed part would have left you on the side of the road. You mentioned "limped home" so I believe there's maybe more to check.
A replacement shaft should be available here on the CF I'd think and likely inexpensively. After confirming the integrity of the pinion flange an install with a new joint, straps and bolts should accomplish a fix. I can't comment on the Moog joint but the Moog brand is a marketing thing now I believe. Moog used to be "steering" now the brand in on everything including bearings and of course u-joints. Can you blame the product? Don't know. Any brand could have failed. There are of course other "brand" choices and the trend on most forums is of course the recommendation of the Spicer brand. It's certainly not the only quality product out there but I'd guess it's the most frequently used.
I believe a broken/failed part would have left you on the side of the road. You mentioned "limped home" so I believe there's maybe more to check.
Last edited by WVZR-1; Aug 7, 2013 at 02:48 AM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,658
Likes: 4
From: Clifton Park NY
End Cap of the yoke was spit out. Limped it home like that and unfortunetly since the joint was so loose it ruined the hole in the driveshaft.
Since I upgraded to the D44 a few years back and now need to replace the driveshaft is there a difference between the 4+3 and ZF6 driveshafts or are they the same?
Since I upgraded to the D44 a few years back and now need to replace the driveshaft is there a difference between the 4+3 and ZF6 driveshafts or are they the same?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,394
Likes: 2,741
So a retaining ring failed or what-ever?
I've an NOS ZF shaft that measures 26 3/4 +/- center to center of the end-yoke. I've never had a 4+3 in my hand but I've assumed them to be the same with just the slip-yoke being different.
If you still have your old D36 shaft there's enough material so that it can be shortened.
Retaining rings need to be fully seated physically in the groove of the end-yoke, it's very easy to just snap them in and release with them looking secured but a drift and a couple taps of the hammer is needed to confirm it.
I've an NOS ZF shaft that measures 26 3/4 +/- center to center of the end-yoke. I've never had a 4+3 in my hand but I've assumed them to be the same with just the slip-yoke being different.
If you still have your old D36 shaft there's enough material so that it can be shortened.
Retaining rings need to be fully seated physically in the groove of the end-yoke, it's very easy to just snap them in and release with them looking secured but a drift and a couple taps of the hammer is needed to confirm it.
Last edited by WVZR-1; Aug 7, 2013 at 08:09 AM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,658
Likes: 4
From: Clifton Park NY
So a retaining ring failed or what-ever?
I've an NOS ZF shaft that measures 26 3/4 +/- center to center of the end-yoke. I've never had a 4+3 in my hand but I've assumed them to be the same with just the slip-yoke being different.
If you still have your old D36 shaft there's enough material so that it can be shortened.
Retaining rings need to be fully seated physically in the groove of the end-yoke, it's very easy to just snap them in and release with them looking secured but a drift and a couple taps of the hammer is needed to confirm it.
I've an NOS ZF shaft that measures 26 3/4 +/- center to center of the end-yoke. I've never had a 4+3 in my hand but I've assumed them to be the same with just the slip-yoke being different.
If you still have your old D36 shaft there's enough material so that it can be shortened.
Retaining rings need to be fully seated physically in the groove of the end-yoke, it's very easy to just snap them in and release with them looking secured but a drift and a couple taps of the hammer is needed to confirm it.
BTW. sent you a pm
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,735
Likes: 413
From: WV
Ed, there are a few driveshafts on ebay that might work for you.. Do a search under "C4 Corvette Driveshaft"....Moog universals should be plenty strong enough for your car, get the ones with no zerk fitting........See you at Carlisle, hopefully with your car...Good Luck.....
..WW
..WW
Last edited by WW7; Aug 7, 2013 at 09:04 AM.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,485
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From: Clearwater Florida
... Take your driveshaft to a driveshaft shop and have a new yoke welded in ... it'll take less time than screwing around with shipping and may actually be cheaper .............. As I recall , the output shaft on the 4+3 is the same as a 700R4 ... the ZF is the TH 400 size slip yoke ............
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
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... Take your driveshaft to a driveshaft shop and have a new yoke welded in ... it'll take less time than screwing around with shipping and may actually be cheaper .............. As I recall , the output shaft on the 4+3 is the same as a 700R4 ... the ZF is the TH 400 size slip yoke ............
Ed - I'd think the u-joint would be a no charge from the jobber. I doubt they'd dispute the issue of what failed.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
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The ZF is a 35mm (1.378) out-put the TH-400 SAE (1.397) - It's been mistaken for a fit for years. A NEW TH400 fits a ZF about as well as a used beat ZF with maybe 150K. There will be issues at "speed"! Some of the better drive-line shops don't even seem to care because they've never checked. Measure the TH400 major and minor diameters and then measure the ZF major and minor diameters. A ZF Yoke won't fit a TH400 unless it's way worn - way -way worn.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,658
Likes: 4
From: Clifton Park NY
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,624
Likes: 431
From: Dale City VA
The MOOG UJoints are good quality. From what you describe happened it souds like to me that you didn't seat the retaining ring and it got pushed out.
I have MOOG joints in the drive shaft of my race car. I have Spicer joints in the half shafts. No problems with either brand.
The ZF6 and 4+3 drive shafts are the same length. The tranny slip yolk is different.... since you just screwed up the shaft itself you can buy any ZF6 shaft and when you put new joints in re-use your current slip yolk.
Will
I have MOOG joints in the drive shaft of my race car. I have Spicer joints in the half shafts. No problems with either brand.
The ZF6 and 4+3 drive shafts are the same length. The tranny slip yolk is different.... since you just screwed up the shaft itself you can buy any ZF6 shaft and when you put new joints in re-use your current slip yolk.
Will
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,482
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From: folsom california
But when I pulled my ZF and called ZFdoc for a replacement tailshaft bushing, ZFdoc recommend either a Turbo 400 tailshaft bushing for use in a ZF trans, or his in house "heavy duty" (read "longer") tailshaft bushing; I went with the "heavy duty" bushing.