geneseo1911
Petty Officer 2nd Class
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2011
- Messages
- 183
Two tips from recent experience:
1) When removing the u-joints from your driveline, do it in a box, or throw a rag over the top. I know better, but I had managed to remove 7 clips safely before the last one went ping........................(lots of hangtime)........thud:facepalm:. I heard it drop, but couldn't find it. As near as I can tell, it flew about 20 feet.
2) I searched the internet for advice on where to get them with no luck. I went to NAPA and the guy recognized it immediately, but said they only come with new u-joints. I went ahead & ordered one, as a spare joint is never a bad thing to have around. Later I was at one of our local farm stores, "Rural King". There I found a large box of......assorted U-joint clips! Apparently us farmers are the only ones who lose them. After a fair but of digging, I found the right size.
I hope this helps someone someday. I suppose the wise thing to do would be to go ahead & replace the joints while I have the thing apart, but inspection revealed them to be smooth and shiny, so I'm going to keep using them. In my case it was the gimbal bearing that was making noise.
1) When removing the u-joints from your driveline, do it in a box, or throw a rag over the top. I know better, but I had managed to remove 7 clips safely before the last one went ping........................(lots of hangtime)........thud:facepalm:. I heard it drop, but couldn't find it. As near as I can tell, it flew about 20 feet.
2) I searched the internet for advice on where to get them with no luck. I went to NAPA and the guy recognized it immediately, but said they only come with new u-joints. I went ahead & ordered one, as a spare joint is never a bad thing to have around. Later I was at one of our local farm stores, "Rural King". There I found a large box of......assorted U-joint clips! Apparently us farmers are the only ones who lose them. After a fair but of digging, I found the right size.
I hope this helps someone someday. I suppose the wise thing to do would be to go ahead & replace the joints while I have the thing apart, but inspection revealed them to be smooth and shiny, so I'm going to keep using them. In my case it was the gimbal bearing that was making noise.
