CANT FIGURE THIS OUT

[GADJIT98]

Here is the deal, I have and 83 cj7 with an amc20 & t176 trans. My problem is that after this was posted:

http://www.bulltear.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5035

I rebuilt my rearend with a used housing. I also put in new ujoints. Now when I am going down the road, I have a vibration coming from the rear of the jeep. It does this under power, AND while coasting in gear. When you push in the clutch it goes away completely.

Any suggestions? cheapie joints? bad joint install? WTF?

Jack, you caused this, you need to come down here & help me fix it......I'll buy the beer & grill lighters.

Dave

[cj5 buggy]

u have any play with the u-joints? i know you said new, but thats where i would start... since you stated if the clutch is dis engaged the vibes go away...

[tufcj]

U-joints not centered during install, out of balance driveshaft, or possibly a bent driveshaft or yoke from the previous incident? Just a few things that come to mind.

Bob
tufcj

[runnamuck]

i would look at u-joints first like already stated, next posible pinion bearings; shot from faulty preload or race spinning in used housing. just a thought, but i hope its u-joints.

[GADJIT98]

If I remove the driveshaft, is there any way to check the pinion bearing, like trying to move the yoke with a pry bar? If I remember right, one of the clips in the joints was hard to get in......

Any way to tell if one of the shaft yokes is bent? I used to install the u joints using a BFH until I got my new vise. Also, I am going thru joints about every 2000 miles. I have a 2.5 lift and shims and everything looks OK gometrically speaking.

Thanks,
Dave

[youdidwhat]

U-joints not centered during install, out of balance driveshaft, or possibly a bent driveshaft or yoke from the previous incident? Just a few things that come to mind.

Bob
tufcj

I second the noncentered u-joints.

but now that you have New u-joints you could have just discovered a bad driveshaft angle, you know the old addage fix one thing find three more problems... check the drive line angle. center the u-joints and while you have the drive shaft off grab the pinon yoke and shake it aroud to check for play in the pinon berring... or loose pinon nut...

does that sound right... in my head I can see those steps but as I read my post it does not translate well. ohh this old brain of mine needs a tune up.

[KEV]

Have you pulled the rear shaft and went for a drive?

[tufcj]

I found I was money ahead to spend the $25 to buy genuine Spicer U-joints. The cheapie $10 ones at Auto Zone were wearing out in under 1000 miles on my Jeep. The expensive ones have lasted over 5000, several years of 'wheeling in my Jeep. The Big A premiums are good too, they have CR-NI (chrome-nickel) cast into the body.

Bob
tufcj

[Goose]

I second the idea of pulling the rear shaft and driving it.. The pics you posted shows that driveshaft took a pretty good jerk when the housing spun. It may have tweaked just a little.

[GADJIT98]

is it possible to have a drive shaft fixed? Anyone ever done this? What is ballpark cost?

Thx
Dave