driveshaft universals?

[hagemasta]

my ford is lifted 8.5in. and my universals crap out? or could it be my driveshaft? anyway is there any company that make a heavyduty universal or should i just get a custom made driveshaft?

[Raul@Stealth Automotive]

I dont know if this helps but i found this site when i was trying to get new shafts for my 85 CJ7... they will make you anything you need and ive heard really good things about them...

WWW.4XSHAFT.COM

what kind of lift do you have on your truck? i only have a 4 inch fabtech but been wanting to lift it higher lately...

[bigcountrysg]

First off is the driveshaft got the corrected angle for the lift. If not that will cause the premature wear of the universals. Any time you lift a truck through a suspension lift you change the angle of the driveshaft. You need to correct that first. Second an 8.5 inch suspension lift I personally would get a new driveshaft or the one you are using if stock legnthened. There should be a driveshaft shop or a machine shop that can build a driveshaft out of your yokes or by legthening the one you are currently using. As for heavy duty u-joints there are alot of companies out there that make u-joints the best solution for this is go to the shop that sold you the lift and ask them for there recommendations. But I can bet that if your using a unmodified stock driveshaft then you need to legthen it. Also you need to shim down the carrier bearing as well. There are kits out there or there is away to make shims for it. There was a thread about this a couple of times I know Marc answered them. But as for your u-joints if you have not corrected the problem that is causing your u-joints from wearing out or breaking then they will keep breaking until you do. So before you go out and buy a double cardain joint for your truck which costs about 500 dollars I suggest checking your drivesahft angle and shimming down the carrier bearing aka center driveshaft bearing.

[99Smokin73Stroker]

I think custom shafts can get pretty pricey. I was going to get one when I was considering lifting my 250 8-10 inches, but ended up leaving it with just 4.

[bigcountrysg]

99smokin73stroker Yes custom driveshafts can be expensive. The shop near me charges 140 to use your yokes and retube your driveshaft to what ever legnth you want. Price goes up but the most expensive I seen on there price list is 300 dollars and that is for a complete custom made driveshaft. The place I go to is Ann Arbor Driveshafts in Ann Arbor Mi. They replaced my carrier bearing for 30 dollars and they use dana spicer bearing in it. I also have replacement u-joints in my truck from dana spicer. I am partial to dana since my grandpa worked there and retired from dana after being a tool and die maker for them for 30+ years. The last drive shaft I had them make me was 120 dollars they used my yokes and built me a custom driveshaft balanced for my f-150 that has 9 inches of lift. But all and all said he needs to make sure that the driveline angle of the shaft is correct and that the carrier bearing has been reshimmed for the lift then he needs to make sure that the driveshaft is long enough and with 8.5 inches of lift I bet it ain't any good off road shop will tell ya that if you lift a truck over 4 inches in the suspension they recommend you get a longer driveshaft made. If not you can damage the transfer case or the diff. or both can be damaged as well as the driveshaft itself. Also there is diversified truck in toledo ohio that makes driveshafts as well. there web site is www.diversifiedtrk.com
you can also check out www.driveshaftsuperstore.com they do nothing but driveshafts. I hope this info helps

[Maintain]

Originally Posted by bigcountrysg

99smokin73stroker Yes custom driveshafts can be expensive. The shop near me charges 140 to use your yokes and retube your driveshaft to what ever legnth you want. Price goes up but the most expensive I seen on there price list is 300 dollars and that is for a complete custom made driveshaft. The place I go to is Ann Arbor Driveshafts in Ann Arbor Mi. They replaced my carrier bearing for 30 dollars and they use dana spicer bearing in it. I also have replacement u-joints in my truck from dana spicer.

Sounds like that shop treats you right! Carrier bearing replaced with spicer parts for 30 bucks!

[bigcountrysg]

Hey Maintain I had to take the shaft out of the truck and take it to them They do not charge labor when they have the job done in 15 minutes. All they had to do was press the old bearing off and press the new one on. I paid them and out the door I went back to my shop and put the shaft back on my truck. In less then 1.5 hours I was driving my baby again.

[bigcountrysg]

By the way that 30 bucks was only for the carrier bearing. I did the u-joints on my own at my house at an earlier date. About a month before the carrier bearing went out.

[hagemasta]

my truck is an extra cab i dont know if i have a carrier bearing and my lift is a procomp

[99Smokin73Stroker]

Man, i'd drive up there for a custom shaft from the for that price. I got a quote upwards of 800 I think from a place here in Indy called Patterson's Driveshafts. I had my old chevy in for a rear end job. Got a new posi, gear change to 4:56 and the rebuild kit. Basically everything but the axles themselves got replaced. Paid 1750, that a good deal, average or high?