Driveline shudder/slack/vibration fixed

[waterman7474]

from the begining,i have experienced the initial shudder right after accelerating from a light. at about 65k i started to get a bad vibration when the peddal was applied. initially i was told that it was tire chop since it coincidentally started right after a rotation. i let this go for a while and it only got worse. would happen around 40mph and w/ light pressure on the throttle but it really vibrated the truck. i then started to get a noticable 'clunk' in the driveline when re-engaging if i where moving along, let off the throttle, then put it back on.

i had just had the trans fluid checked and while it was a little on the dark side, they said it wasn't totaly necessary to change. so since i had just driven from houston to vegas, thought i would start w/ a trans flush anyway since it had been 72k at this point. they did that and then found the real problem.

the last u-joint at where the axle attached to the diff was cracked, BAD! and one of the bearings was compeletly gone. that is where the vibration was comming from. they suggested that i replace all 3 joints w/ an aftermarket that have a lube fitting (all 3 cause since it was down, might as well). the ford OEM where 70 each just for the parts. the aftermarket were 75 for all 3!!!

i'm just lucky it didn't disintegrate on the freeway somewhere between el paso and lower desert hell w/ no way to get it fixed!!! or while at 6k feet up a desert mountain trail the weekend before!!

problem fixed and as a bonus, the sudder w/ hard acceleration off the line is gone. so maybe this shim on the carrier bearing thing isn't the best solution, sounds like inferior u-joints.

i can find out what the manuf is on the joints if needed.

hope that helps someone

[JerseyGeorge]

Hey Navy,

Do you know the make of the aftermarket u-joints and thier part numbers?