I might have heard a light clunk getting out of the garage, but every other car that needed them vibrated at highway speed, and this car has been super smooth Anyways, last night, heard some loud, rapid clatter coming uphill. Thought it was perhaps a worn waterpump, but when I drove it today, only got couple blocks, and could feel the vibration. So, I am wondering , what brand to look for . Oddly, O"Reillys didn't even show the front one in their system(I think it was the front one) a first for them, usually an Advance issue. I sure would think they would be the same with all full sized GM cars! Oh, 2 friends that won't be helping me act like it's super easy to replace them , and I watched a ChrisFix video (he makes everything look easy, how can a kid know so much?) But, my Dad looks through the shop manual, which makes it look just a bit harder than quantum physics Double Cardan joint in back. I am ...ok as a shadetree mechanic , just don't want to get in over my head . Is it really fairly simple as it looks in the videos, or, since they are usually trucks, a bit easier than a 70s full sized car? thanks. PS. so hard to search for U-joint info here, as U is too short, even with a dash
Haven't done it yet but it's on my to do list of things to replace that are original to my nearly 50 year old car. I've looked up how to do it and the only odd thing to me was the joints being held in with plastic that needs to be melted to get them out. But if your comfortable with fixing cars you won't get in over your head. I'm not a huge fan of Rock Auto anymore but they will have everything you need and give you choices.
It's easy enough. I used a propane torch to melt the retaining plastic out but am not sure if that's the most appropriate tool for the job. By failing to comply with the conditions of the parts store's tool rental program by actually returning it, I was able to use my ball joint press to remove and install the u-joints but if you don't have one, I bet a c-clamp and appropriately sized impact socket could be used instead. While you're in there, it's a good opportunity to replace the ball seat stuff in the double cardan. https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog...drivetrain,universal+joint+ball+seat+kit,2396 I use RockAuto to find the correct part numbers and then search the web, or for common parts like this, buy them from a local parts store.
well...........after watching a bunch of videos of taking out u-joints (and not having a torch)a friend helped me get the driveshaft out of the car and took it to driveline of Atlanta to get u-joints put in. And, guess what? He moved them all around, and said...nothing at all wrong with your joints! That clicking we heard when manually moving the double Carden joints was normal . Ok...great in a way, proving it really is low mileage, but what did I miss? Jacked the car up everywhere. Rear wheels spun fine. Jacked up front, both seemed to wiggle more than normal. Again looked in the shop manual. My Dad is very cautious and thought it too was going to be a bear of a job.Had neighbor check out front wheels, yep, the wheel bearing, and heck, he'd help put them in, since once again, something I've never messed with. (He also had 1976 Electra 20+ years ago, works on friends cars at his house, built a 1000 HP Chevelle, etc) . So, he comes over , we talk a lot while he knocks out the old races, taps new ones in with the old ones, puts in new bearings...everything seems perfect...but...he tightens the castle nut ALOT on the passenger side, as the hub/steering knuckle is still moving a bit...so, it's dark now, (driveshaft wasn't back in, needed friends help to put bolts in while I held it up)gets it where things are seemingly fine, I put the wheel back on, and....wait for the next day to put driveshaft back in, and live happily ever after. HA! I had a feeling....since the wheelbearings didn't seem that worn...something else was still wrong... We put the driveshaft back in, start the car up, back out of the driveway, and...terrible noise...seems different. Friend gets out of the car while I drove very slowly and said the right wheel was moving! CRAP! Pull it back in, jack it up, now the wheel is super loose like the lug nuts were not tight....this is crazy! Look in the shop manual, oh yeah, the castle nut isn't supposed to be even finger tight. Backed it off, but it made no difference (Neighbor of course went out of town for a few days ) But, why was everything so loosey goosey in the first place? Mentioned to smart NAPA guy who I exchanged u-joints for wheel bearings and he thought it sounded like ball joint issue (haven't hit any curbs or pot holes, and car has less than 45K on it) We had a bonus car show on the southside of the ATL and asked a few guys, who just said can't be but a few things, but didn't offer to look at it. I'm just at a loss right now . Really sore from all this crap (I'm an old 56 ) Tomorrow, I will again jack it up, pull the wheel...but any other thoughts? Would/could the wheel bearings be damaged from the castle nut that tight, or is it only an issue that would burn out the bearings with time? I looked at a ton of youtube vids, but mainly newer cars with complete wheelbearing hub assemblies in new cars... I'll check the bolts to steering knuckle...just flummoxed at this point. Oh, I should mention when I got the car in Sept of 2021, it hadn't been driven in awhile, and the brakes locked up because of old brake fluid....heat related issue that took a year to develop? Just feeling stupid right now... I can move this to a different part of the forum, I just thought I'd try here first thanks.
Have you checked tie rod ends? Have you properly checked ball joints? From what I gathered from your babble is the right front wheel is loose
yes, yes...wheel was loose. Sure, point out my secret shame....verbal diarrhea (even online) was really tired when I wrote this too.. Ok, found out...the inner bearing was apparently pushed through the other side. Neighbor was a bit chagrined. Anyway, put a new one in and wheel is tight,(they were messed up a bit from getting hot a year ago) but, the "other" noise is back. A clanging sound. (no howling) Checked again , exhaust is not hitting, fan isn't hitting anything, motor mounds are still good, etc. Noise is most prominent giving it gas , going uphill. Pop in neutral, and it's goes away, coasting too, but give it downhill and its back. Jacked up both tires, but harder to get noise that way, have to give it almost half throttle. But it's there, cars shakes a bit too. Dropped driveshaft, again. Neighbor and friend helping thought it might be coming from Rear, but it's surprisingly hard to locate. . Fluid level is fine. Didn't feel any real movement anywhere. Just as we were about to put the Driveshaft back in, I just checked the output shaft, and it seems to move quite a bit. But, is that normal? Does it need to move up and down, or does the U-joint take care of that issue? Car isn't driveable, so would have to tow to Driveline just would like to have a clue what was wrong, and possible costs before going there Anyone have an issue like this before?
If the Castle nut was put on tight, but you never drove on it that way, your bearings are probably ok, IF you backed it off as the manual indicates. All the things Mark mentioned above!
Thanks, we drove it just a few hundred feet and found wheel was moving like crazy. Bearing got trashed. Now, that issue, ultimately, just a side issue is fine. It's just trying to figure out if the Output shaft should naturally move, or possibly more likely, some issue in the the rear.
The output shaft of the transmission WILL slop around without the driveshaft in place, that bronze/copper bushing in the tail housing along with the yoke on the driveshaft keep it centered. As for the noise, check your converter bolts and your flex plate for cracks. Never mind the rear end, the noise from how you describe it is ENGINE rpm related. The rear axle up to the output shaft of the transmission is whatever ROAD speed (rpm) your at, those have NOTHING to do with ENGINE rpm.
