I Hate Universal Joints HELP!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
From: STERLING Va
I Hate Universal Joints HELP!
Well about 5 mouths ago my car was clicking and squeling, it was horrible but i replaced the wheel bearings and the 4 universal joints on the drive axels and it was a million times better, but now I am hearing similar noises and the car is relly jerky(kinda bucking back and forth) when your not "ON" it I am almost 100% that is is the driveshaft U-Joints
My questions are:
I know i have to take off the exahust for this job, can i take off just the cat back part? will this give me enough room to get the driveshaft out?
Does anyone know of a Easy way to get the exahust off ? (and it needs to be reinstalled so it cannot be simply cut off)
In the haynes manual it says the shaft simply slides out of the OD unit after I unbolt the Diff side, is this true? did i read correctly? any Ideas on how to make this job easyer????
Thanks for all of your help, man I am not looking forward to this :nonod: :sad:
My questions are:
I know i have to take off the exahust for this job, can i take off just the cat back part? will this give me enough room to get the driveshaft out?
Does anyone know of a Easy way to get the exahust off ? (and it needs to be reinstalled so it cannot be simply cut off)
In the haynes manual it says the shaft simply slides out of the OD unit after I unbolt the Diff side, is this true? did i read correctly? any Ideas on how to make this job easyer????
Thanks for all of your help, man I am not looking forward to this :nonod: :sad:
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,383
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
I know i have to take off the exahust for this job, can i take off just the cat back part? will this give me enough room to get the driveshaft out?
Does anyone know of a Easy way to get the exahust off ?
In the haynes manual it says the shaft simply slides out of the OD unit after I unbolt the Diff side, is this true?
[Modified by scorp508, 8:16 PM 10/16/2002]
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 4,286
Likes: 4
From: Guam
Re: I Hate Universal Joints HELP! (CLUTCH^Master)
I am not sure which year C4 you have.But mine unbolts at the flange in front. The rear portion of the exhaust comes off very easily. The hanger brackets just slide off. It can't be much easier than that.
:cheers:
:cheers:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,019
Likes: 0
From: down that one road next to that big tree
Re: I Hate Universal Joints HELP! (CLUTCH^Master)
double check those half shafts again, i had some cheap half shaft joints break in under 3,000 miles. i've broken 2 spicer U-joints {both with high miles} & 4 mid america u joints, i actually shattered one of those POS things into pieces. the caps broke on the spicers, they never truely blew apart, just cracked at the cap like a good u-joint should when it goes. if i ever break a halfshaft joint again i'm going to do a couple things #1 buy OEM spicers, #2 have a driveline shop press them in & seat correctly. i heavly suggest other people do those 2 things as well. cheap U joints and tap hammering them in just aren't the same.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 1,994
Likes: 0
From: Charleston, WV
Re: I Hate Universal Joints HELP! (gtsyellow)
Recheck the half shaft joints sometimes they want more grease than what comes in them ...... a little chassis grease while installing them will do..... (I havent seen any greaseable ones yet). NOW...... as for the DRIVESHAFT .... I have had mine out (85) without bothering the exhaust system. It's tight and the torquearm is in the way. There is also a lip that is welded together to form the floorpan at the rear by the rear u-joint that is in the way. I massaged mine with a 5lb hammer and beat it flat and now the shaft will just slide out of there. I would put my money on the joints you just did though :seeya
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
From: STERLING Va
Re: I Hate Universal Joints HELP! (vettmech)
so you guys dont think its the drive shaft joints???? I would think that those joints were under twice the pressure as the other ones, Ill see if the drive axel joints are craked but i bought suv off road u- joints that were forged and they are sealed for life with plenty of grease, (I actualy heard the greaseable joints go bad sooner because you force as much dirt in to them as grease)
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
From: STERLING Va
Re: I Hate Universal Joints HELP! (CLUTCH^Master)
Do you know of anything else that would cause my car to Buck back and forth under verry slow accel @ low rpms 900-1800. When i bought the car the lady simply put it "its a corvette it doesnt like to go slow" :smash: but sometimes you have to go slow and man does my car give me hell about it :reddevil
You said i dont need to take the exahust off!!!!!! :) What to I bang the hell out of to do this :rolleyes:
You said i dont need to take the exahust off!!!!!! :) What to I bang the hell out of to do this :rolleyes:
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
From: STERLING Va
Re: I Hate Universal Joints HELP! (CLUTCH^Master)
Oh yeh one more thing, Is there any way other then obvious cracks or grease or play in the shaft to tell if the u joints are my problem? ( i assume its them because it will buck as above mentioned in 1st 2nd and sometimes(though rarely)3rd and 4th
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 927
Likes: 0
From: Saginaw TX
Re: I Hate Universal Joints HELP! (CLUTCH^Master)
The driveshaft u-joint don't have the twisting movement on the bearing cups that the halfshafts do cause their is very minimal movement at either end of the shaft. The half-shafts have much more movement, especially angular movement as the suspension moves.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,019
Likes: 0
From: down that one road next to that big tree
Re: I Hate Universal Joints HELP! (mash557)
totally wrong, the half shafts are under 3x the stress of the driveline, the ring and pinion multiply the power by 3:33-1 in my case, think about how much faster the halfshafts spin than the driveshaft.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
From: STERLING Va
Re: (Sharky Guam)
just took my car to a mechanic and found out that the bucking is due to a slight misfire at 900 rpm... :eek: i would of never guessed, now to try and figure out how to fix the problem :confused: I have already replaced the plugs wires rotor cap MAS......??? :chevy t
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 4,212
Likes: 10
From: Sun City West Az
Re: (CLUTCH^Master)
just took my car to a mechanic and found out that the bucking is due to a slight misfire at 900 rpm... :eek: i would of never guessed, now to try and figure out how to fix the problem :confused: I have already replaced the plugs wires rotor cap MAS......??? :chevy t
