Need Driveshaft replacement info

[The_Handier_Man1]

From: mightybooboo  (Original Message)
Sent: 3/17/2004 8:47 PM

OK,pulled mine today(temps in 80s today finally) on MB400,came out real easy.It has had 3 tows and rear shaft pulled by tow guys each time,no needle bearings at all at rear axle u joint connection.Center bearing quiet and spins well,but big rubber bushing very soft.Front u joint intact but dry and difficult to spin bearings,quite rusted.So I need 2 new u joints with zirc fittings,and a new center bearing.Tell me about balancing,proper names of parts,etc,so I sound like I know what Im talking about when I take it to driveline place.I want the full service done to it.What is a full service of driveline gonna cost?Anyone had it done before?Thanks a lot,
BooBoo



Booboo, the center bearing is called a "Hanger Bearing". The driveshaft only
needs to be balanced if the center axis of the yokes is changed. To prevent
this,make a small chalk mark on each part where they meet so they can be put
back together in the same position. We have a place in Birmingham called
"Birmingham Powertrain" where they offer the services you described. They
cost more than a regular repair shop, but the quality of work is second to
none. And they offer services like straightening and spin balancing you
can't get at a local garage. Maybe there is a place like that where you
live. Check the yellow pages. I can of course provide the proper part
numbers if you need them. Lefty



From: mightybooboo
Sent: 3/18/2004 1:10 AM

Ivan,let me see if I understand this.The YOKE is the part of the rear driveshaft that slides over the spline of the front driveshaft and has its own U Joint.The transmission has a part that the front U Joint connects to.Tell me that ISNT a yoke,because i didnt mark it,I forgot! But I remembered to mark where the rear U Joint bolts to the rear end.But this has been removed 3 times by towtruck jockies and I suspect(possibly) they may have dumped my needle bearings in the process,I seriously doubt they marked em,I sure dont see any marks.Are those (tranny and rear end connectors also Yokes?)I didnt mark the spline to yoke either. Oh,one other thing,the Hanger Bearing must be pressed off and on at a shop,correct?

So  What now? Should I have it balanced? We fortunately have a place  close  by that has good internet feedback from  users and good Better Business Bureau feedback so I could take it there.
Thanks tons!
Carl  (BooBoo,now thats a fitting name,eh?)



From: mightybooboo
Sent: 3/18/2004 2:38 AM

OK,I did my homework.Am I correct that the transmission yoke just pulls out of tranny like a single driveline Ford C4 tranny?Just a yoke over a spline?Then I should take this with me when getting driveline balanced huh?As for the rear end flange/yoke,I dont want to mess with that,thats beyond my capability,I cant torque 210 lbs and am afraid of messing up the pinion shaft gear,so is it essential it be included in balancing?Or can I skip that part.?I will get my work done here....Many magazines have done driveline stories on these guys and its only 20 miles or so from the house.

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From: mightybooboo
Sent: 3/18/2004 10:09 AM

Now Im starting to get jazzed here.I see they make one  piece carbon fiber drivelines,right up to trash truck size!Anyone know what one of those must cost!!???Probably as much as my engine!
The website about em says they made one for one of Dan Gurneys race cars,I gotta have one,then the next time Im hobnobbin with Dan we could talk shop!"Earth to BooBoo,paging BooBoo.....".

Seriously,Im getting the Winnie bug again with the summer weather we are getting.When i get the driveshaft back its off to get smogged,pay late fees and register,then another trip to Idaho from Ca,then.....
Boo



From: denison
Sent: 3/18/2004 11:48 AM

The yoke is the name for the things that the U-joint arms fit into. There is one at the transmission, another on the pinion shaft. Strictly speaking there are 2 yokes for each U-joint, so with the 2 piece driveshaft, and 3 U-joints; 6 yokes. The rear propeller shaft tube would have a yoke welded onto each end of it. Your front prop shaft would have the yoke welded on at the front end and the splined joint at the other - inside of which would fit the Sliding Yoke. Thats what the parts catalog calls it.
I would think that the driveshaft only needs to be balanced if you put it back together and there is any vibration at the highest speed you can get it to. Any at all. I will match-mark mine when I remove it; to replace the center bearing and repaint it and renew the brake lining in the little parking brake drum, but i doubt that its a big deal. I dont expect any imbalance.
If I was taking the driveshaft in to have it balanced by a shop and they wanted the pinion shaft yoke, I would take it out. When/If I do my own I will make up a brace to let me loosen and retorque those big nuts on the pinion shaft and tranny output shaft yokes. I have done this with other trucks - taking a piece of steel stock 4ft long by 4inch wide by 3/16 thick, drilling the 4 holes to match those in the yoke, then burning a round hole in the center for my socket to fit through. And 210 lbsft is only 53 lbs of force at the end of a 4 ft pipe slid over my 3/4inch breaker bar.
I would definitely replace that center support or hanger bearing while the driveshaft is apart. It is a press-fit on the shaft, not something easy to repair on a vacation: But mostly because it is 32 years old and there is no way to lube it.
I got a “Dodge Center Driveshaft Bearing and Support, Dorman #662-015”. I think the things are pretty standard, as the side of the box had a long list of other trucks it would work on, including Dodge D200 and D300, from the mid 60s up past 1976. To get the correct part I measured mine. Inner bearing diameter of 1.375 (1-3/8ths), bearing centerline distance below mounting surface of 2.375, and I think the mounting bolts were about 6-7/8ths inches apart, but I forget that dimension. I got it from a liquidator on ebay for $40, but they didn’t have any others. It was the bearing in its rubber mount and with the metal support clamp.
I wouldn’t worry about the tow truck guys having removed the driveshaft at the rear yoke. Unless that yoke (or the pinion shaft) was bent or unless the yoke saddle surfaces were badly corroded, there wouldn’t be any imbalance resulting. If you have dismantled the other parts, it might still be okay; the parts may have been in good balance independently.
If there were no needle bearings remaining in your rear U-joint, I would assume they had fractured into rusty powder, and that is what had fallen out when the tow truck guys undid the back end of your prop shaft. If the needle bearings are greased and unrusted they usually stick inside the cups fairly well, even after a drop in the gravel. Yours may never have been greased since the chassis was made.
With your two piece driveshaft, the rear prop shaft is a single weldment and the yokes are welded in correct alignment. With the shaft lying flat, the bores of the yoke at one end will be horizontal when the bores at the other end of the shaft are also horizontal. With the the other prop shaft - having the splined joint - the bores of the yokes must also be aligned the same way. Some splined sets are keyed to only slide together one way, but I dont think the Dodge 5380 or 7260 propshafts do that - the parts actually made by Spicer or Dana I think. The service manual mentions alignment arrows on each side of the spline joint. If they are missing or invisible, just make sure the yoke bores at each end are aligned. This is easy to tell, each spline puts you off by 20 degrees.



From: mightybooboo
Sent: 3/18/2004 5:29 PM

Thanks Dave,great info!
BooBoo



From: Im-still-Lefty
Sent: 3/18/2004 7:42 PM

Booboo, I just got home and checked my messages. I see Dave was able to answer your question about the yokes. (He always provides excellent information.) I would agree that there should be no need to remove the pinion yoke from the rear end unless the shop specifically asks for it. Here are the part #'s for the Hanger Bearing Assembly and the U-joints. Hanger Bearing is Part # HB99107-B (NAPA #) and the joints are all the same part #, Spicer # 5-1301-X , Let me know if you have any other questions, and I'll be glad to help. Lefty



From: Im-still-Lefty
Sent: 3/18/2004 7:44 PM

Oh, and Dave was right. The same Hanger Bearing Assembly fits all M-300-M-400 models from 1959-1981. Just thought you might want to know. Lefty



From: mightybooboo
Sent: 3/19/2004 1:08 PM

Thanks folks,that really covers everything you need to know about ujoints,removal and replacement,repair options,etc.Very complete,is anything Not covered?
BooBoo