[peterz]

did several searches but can't find any info specific to replacing u joints-I'm 1000 miles from home w/o rave manual and mine is making the chirping noise & mild vibrating from the front-( it's been greased) part is available at napa but need to know if this is a machine or drive shop repair or can it be done in with a basic tool kit? looks like it just held in with clips

cheers

peter

 

[ferret]

if you use that napa part, be prepared to replace it soon

the clips are holding it in, but the caps are pressed in, any shop with a press or even a table vise should be able to do it

 

[RRToadHall]

if you use that napa part, be prepared to replace it soon

? :roll:

I put long stem fitting NAPAs on a buddies P38 2 years ago and it's still going strong. Now NAPA deos have two models, long and short stem. I chose the long stem for easier greasing.

If you have a C clamp and needle nose in your road kit/emergency kit you could easily do this on the road. If not any garage will be able to replace them. Then again I drove a couple hundred miles around the Bay area and then all the way to Seattle with a failed UJ before replacing. It's not something I would recommend, but you should easily be able to get to a different shop if needed.

 

[peterz]

thanks guys- bought a grease gun at autozone and re greased front to back- then went on a long test drive (half and hour)
no more noise or vibration some old grease was pushed out with this latest effort- no slop could be felt in any of the joints, caps are in place - is it possible that it just needed more lube? I'd think that if the joint is toast it would be noisy and vibrate after a long test drive at highway speed new grease or not?

cheers

peter

 

[peterz]

Ok - here's how it ended- limped Emma to the next town over (after the vibration and squeaking started again) with a Napa store and a service station in northwest Texas.... Bought 2 top of the line u joints (PUJ 344 in stock believe it or not for $60,) limped to the service station, bought them lunch they backed the owners lifted off road (baja 500 capable no doubt) f350 4x4 that made Emma look like a suzuki samurai off their alignment lift, jacked /blocked up the front axel hand turned the shaft and the rear ujoint about fell out... we removed the shaft, installed the new joints, re-installed the shaft and they charged me another 60.00 and a promise to go the high school football game that evening... not a bad trade off. Made it home with a smooth as silk ride.

 

[david despain]

so..... did they win the game?