Got a Woody?

Zeta · 10-15-2012, 06:45 PM

I do, plus I have a new drive shaft:

I've been noticing a rumble over 60mph for the past year. Had it checked out, nobody could find any issues, so I figured it was my hyper-sensitive Vanagon Syncro (they had endless driveshaft vibes) sense kicking in. So I ignored it.

Recently I lubed the Ujoints and noticed the telltale signs of a spinning bearing cap. I pulled the driveshaft and there was a very slight lack of smoothness in the front joint. I called Tom Woods in Ogden, UT, figuring I'd send mine to them for a rebuild. Turned out to cost only a little more green for a new one. So for $440 I got a totally new shaft and an extra ujoint. Vibration is gone...

As is my nature, I tried to spend much more asking them about heavy duty, chome moly or billet ujoints. Turns out we have the biggest ujoints they have--1410 Spicers, and Woods doesn't do anything but steel.

Z

BIGVANS · 10-15-2012, 07:08 PM

X2 on the Tom Woods! I've never seen problems with ANY of their stuff!

http://www.4xshaft.com

**daveb** · 10-15-2012, 07:14 PM

Which way did you go concerning zirks? I wanted to go with a greaseable rear U-Joint but the Shop I used in this area Valley Engine Balancing said the sealed type are stronger. I asked about water and they said most of the rock crawlers have gone to greaseless as well. I figure if I made 80K, I'd just stick with the same.

Zeta · 10-15-2012, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveb

Which way did you go concerning zirks?

Greasable front and rear.

Z

Gnarvan · 10-16-2012, 11:06 AM

The shop that did the drive line work on my van, 6 States in Portland Oregon, said the sealed u-joints have tighter tolerances. I went with sealed.

BIGVANS · 10-16-2012, 08:24 PM

Some say that the sealed ones are the best and you should disassemble, inspect, and grease them at service time. The ones with zerks can crack from the threaded hole around, finally breaking one leg of the joint off.

Personally, I have seen several broken ones at the shop but I have never broken one or had someone I was traveling with break one.

Ultrasport12 · 10-16-2012, 09:59 PM

I know that most of the time when threaded ones break its because they were installed in the wrong rotational direction.They have to be on the rotation that tries to push the hole closed not pull the hole open, in time that causes cracking that lead to broken joints. And they should always be with the Zerk towards the shaft side, not the Yoke side. The problem with anything grease able is that yo have to grease it regularly, and sometimes a U Joint is hard to grease. A grease able anything (u joint, ball joint, tie rod) will wear out faster without grease than a non grease able part will.

...Jamie