Front drive shafts lubrication

[Peter J. Bierman]

The steering on my truck develloped a very dangerous feature lately.
When driving it is "hanging"on the wheel.
Meaning I need to counteract the last steering movement I made.
After checking the whole front suspension and steering system I found that the drive shafts give this heavy point in the steering just out off center.
Since I don't ever use the front drive I guess the U-joints got stuck from just sitting there.
I there a way to lubricate them or do I need to drive a wile with 4X4 engaged to break them loose?

Peter

[C.K. Piquup]

If you don`t see zerks,then they can be lubed by removal.packing,then assemble.You can break them loose by engaging 4wd.They probably are bad now.

[mhagie]

One point to remember is that you can just lock in the hubs every 6 weeks or so,drive it for a day or so then unlock em again keeps everything loose and free.
one litle squirt of grease in the u joints and slip joint once a year and you are good to go..............Merle

[waorth]

I second that. Driving with the front hubs locked about once a month is essential for this 4wd system.

My first set of u-joints had been ruined by not using the truck in 4wd/lock hubs for quiet a long time.

There are also aftermarket u-joints without jerks. I remember reading of broken u-joints because of the weakness of the grease drilling. However this happened during very heavy offroading, so I wouldn't be too concerned about that.
Even though you might need your front drive in the near future to transmit the sheer power of your magnificent engine to the pavement ;)

Walter

[Peter J. Bierman]

I did not found any grease thingys on the U-joints, thats why I asked in the first place.
I'll drive with the lockhubs in for a wile and see what happens....

In stead off rebuilding the shafts I was thinking to lose the 4WD and go to 2WD with the 4L80E transmission, so I do not have to build an adaptor to fit the transfercase.
Saves a lot off weigth too.

Who needs 4WD in Holland anyway And I am not smoking tires yet :D

Thanks, Peter

[mhagie]

Peter, the weight you save by removing the transfer case will be partialy offset by the increased weight of the 4L480, net loss is squat.
However if you can find a straight axle for the front you will have some real weight reduction.
If you were here in the states I would say to check out an older Dodge 2WD for the straight axle, rear axle also for matching wheel bolt patterns.........Merle

[dieselcrawler]

Depending on your fabrication skills you might think of this... Use the knuckles off of the frontend you have now, and replace the front diff houseing with pipe... pipe of the proper diam, with spring perches welded on in the right place, with the outer ends of your old frontend houseing welded on the ends of the new peice of pipe. You'd have to get all the angles right, keep the same tilt or rotation of the axle, etc. (is that caster or camber, I can't remember...) Naturly, I wouldn't do this unless I trusted myself with some fine mech. work, and some excelent welding skills! Just an idea... and alot simpler than swaping in a 2wd cross member and IFS system.
Good luck to you... even if you are losin' the 4x4. *grin*

Greg

[Peter J. Bierman]

To keep things simple I was thinking off losing the transfer, remove the front drive axle and parting out the front axle and plug the holes.
I haven't made up my mind yet, and will not do so till I have the 4L80E and the transfercase before me on the ground and can see what is needed to keep the 4X4.
Losing the front drive is an option if things get to complicated or "too much work".
Hmmmm, and that comming from me??? :D

Any way I start with solving the steering problem and save the tranny swap till next winter.

Thanks for your input,

Peter

[Ratau]

Peter

You could take the same diameter tube from side to side and just lose the centerpiece just the way DieselCrawler said. I saw a mod like that here in Pretoria.

What diameter is the exhaust tubes from your turbo

[Peter J. Bierman]

I'll let you all know what I'll do with the 4WD.

Ratau, the exhaust crossover is 52 MM = 2 inch
the downpipe and below is 75 MM = 3 inch.
If you calculate these diameters to square MM you will find that the down pipe is a little bigger then the two crossover sections together.

I kept the diameters as big as possible to minimise restriction.
The whole system is very short and does not go over the rear axle to avoid the bents.

I am planning on building a new system with bent tube in stead off cut sections to optimise flow.

Peter