Total U-joint failure @ 70 MPH....

[mrsprite]

....is no fun! It's even my own stupid fault. I'm not admitting to what I did, but needless to say the loud bang and the instant violent vibrations while in the fast lane during rush hour traffic (not to mention the 'death merge' from the inside shoulder to the right side breakdown lane was more than enough to learn me real good about double checking my work!

Luckily there was no real damage (aside from the U-joint) and I'll be back on the road tomorrow afternoon.

Just thought I'd share.

 

[Silverghost]

You might want to find a small angel decal or magnet to put somewhere on your car. Seems like you had one riding with you today....

 

[Deleted member 8987]

And, I looked.
Generally, unless you have the cross actually shatter due to a metallurgy issue, it takes mis-assembly, missing retainers, no lube, or just old age and no maintenance.
If the latter, they generally let you know long before they let go.

Good luck!

(and I hate these laptops with touch pads...did Lucas invent them?)

 

[mrsprite]

And, I looked.
Generally, unless you have the cross actually shatter due to a metallurgy issue, it takes mis-assembly, missing retainers, no lube, or just old age and no maintenance.
If the latter, they generally let you know long before they let go.

Good luck!

(and I hate these laptops with touch pads...did Lucas invent them?)

I'll take 'mis-assembly & missing retainers' for $200 Alex.


It was actually a brand new U-joint.....I splurged and paid $25 for a USA made one from NAPA to replace my slightly loose old joint (been on there since before I bought the car), but I screwed up big time installing it and it let go on the highway.

The old one did not have a zerk for greasing it. The new one did. I installed the new joint into the driveshaft side first then realized that I should have aligned the grease zerk opening on the side opposite of where I had it, but it was too late then. I had already pressed it in place and I wasn't going to destroy a new U-joint trying to pop it out again. The zerk interfered with the movement of the joint, so I bought a plug for the hole and greased it before I screwed in the plug. Problem was, I hadn't pressed the other half of the joint onto the flange that attaches to the diff. I could not get the caps to press on enough to get the clips in place (too much grease in the way). I had this brilliant idea to drive it around town with the plug out to sling out some of the grease so I could press in the caps and get the clips on. Well, that *might* have worked, but I haven't driven the Bugeye in over a week because I decided to repaint the hood/bonnet. By the time I finished that project I had totally forgotten about the U-joint. Until today. In rush hour traffic. At 70MPH.

Anyway, the caps worked their way loose and popped off in one violent movement. I am glad we have an enclosed tunnel on our Spridgets......it would have sucked to have lost the driveshaft on the highway.

 

[mrsprite]

Hmmmm....I guess I just admitted to being stupid on a public forum. Huzzah!

 

[JPSmit]

Hmmmm....I guess I just admitted to being stupid on a public forum. Huzzah!

My name is Mr Sprite and I am a Bugeye addict.

Been there done that! Glad you're safe and thanks for the lesson learned for all of us!

 

[jlaird]

Droped a drive shaft on a 49 ford that I had just taken out of a used car lot to test drive one time. Wheee, lots of noise, can just think of one loose in the tunnel.

Have you checked your seats for discoloration.

 

[Guest]

I don't think it was too much grease. You probably had a needle bearing fall out of place and lay in the end of the cap. If there was too much grease it would have come out of the cap seals when you pressed it home. You can't compress a needle bearing. ( ask me how I know.)

 

[jlaird]

I would expect you are correct Kelly. Been down that road as well.

 

[mrsprite]

I don't think it was too much grease. You probably had a needle bearing fall out of place and lay in the end of the cap. If there was too much grease it would have come out of the cap seals when you pressed it home. You can't compress a needle bearing. ( ask me how I know.)

Didn't even think of that......it's very possible. I'll take extra care when I put the new u-joint in today.

 

[MikeP]

Wipe your finger with some grease around the inside of the caps over top of the needles, that'll help hild them in place as you install the caps. I also press one cap about half way in, install the crosspiece then carefully unstall the other cap about half way. Then move the crosspiece into the center so it's in both caps before pressing the rest of the way. seems to help keep the needles from falling over. Oh, and never tap the caps in, that's sure to cause problems.

 

[Guest]

Wipe your finger with some grease around the inside of the caps over top of the needles, that'll help hild them in place as you install the caps. I also press one cap about half way in, install the crosspiece then carefully unstall the other cap about half way. Then move the crosspiece into the center so it's in both caps before pressing the rest of the way. seems to help keep the needles from falling over. Oh, and never tap the caps in, that's sure to cause problems.

MIke's right on target. I go as far as push one cap all the way in before I start the other ( with the cross piece in that cap of course.) It's a little harder to screw up that way.

 

[mrsprite]

Update.....I did exactly what was suggested (even before it was suggested!) and pressed in a cap halfway, etc. I used my bench vise and a small socket to do the pressing.....works like a charm. I got all of the clips in place and now just need to crawl under the car and install the driveshaft & check the tranny fluid level, etc.

 

[Bayless]

There was a beautiful Topolino at the local concours a couple years ago. His front U-joint failed on the way home, driving the drive shaft right up through the floor and out the top. Was an absolute mess. Don't know whether he ever repaired it or not but would have been very expensive.