semi truck u-joints

Has anyone tried semi u-joints on their driveline's? After a month of blowing the tires to kingdom come(honeymoon phase), i have some bad play in mine and need to replace them. I don't know of any that are capable of handling the load my truck will put on them. I understand the fab work that would be involved, but I want the 37/13.50/20 toyo's I ordered to be the weak links, not the driveline.

If I only know a few sled pullers or drag racers. Thanks in advance for any tips or help.

Well I guess semi u-joints would work but if it were me, I would at least try a set of CTM U-Joints. Rock Crawlers use them and abuse them and I think unless you are really drag racing/sled pulling all the time these will definitely hold up and will be A LOT easier to install and replace. You could also look into some 300M axle shafts and then I would think that the tires would be the weak link. If not it definitely wouldnt be the axles. JMO.

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Drivetra...37&t_pt=101013&t_pl=101388&t_pn=CTMC-160-3750

Are the OE joints 1410?

Hmm, I'm pretty sure there are trucks making a whole heck of a lot more power and putting it all to the ground and doing just fine on stockers... sounds like a waste of time and energy to me.

Where's Shaun, you guys are running stock driveline right? They have a CC/SB in the low to mid 10's, I'd say the stock stuff is safe.

at the drag strip 1410s should be plenty and in most cases its enough, ujoints arent usually the weak link.

On 6.4s the weak link on the rear is where the carrier bearing is mounted. Not alot of ujoint failures either, most people who sled pull find the weak link but not drag racing. And usually the hop is found when the truck hops at the sled pulling track

That being said i upgraded my rear shaft to a 1480 unit, and ended up breaking the axle shaft in the axle and then twisting the front driveline off.

windrunner408 said:

Well I guess semi u-joints would work but if it were me, I would at least try a set of CTM U-Joints. Rock Crawlers use them and abuse them and I think unless you are really drag racing/sled pulling all the time these will definitely hold up and will be A LOT easier to install and replace. You could also look into some 300M axle shafts and then I would think that the tires would be the weak link. If not it definitely wouldnt be the axles. JMO.

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Drivetra...37&t_pt=101013&t_pl=101388&t_pn=CTMC-160-3750

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mother of god, are those ujoints really 350.00 EACH?? for that I could get used to changing them monthly, good luck on your search.

Yea me too. But some people have more money than they know what to do with.

Dzchey21 said:

at the drag strip 1410s should be plenty and in most cases its enough, ujoints arent usually the weak link.

On 6.4s the weak link on the rear is where the carrier bearing is mounted. Not alot of ujoint failures either, most people who sled pull find the weak link but not drag racing. And usually the hop is found when the truck hops at the sled pulling track

That being said i upgraded my rear shaft to a 1480 unit, and ended up breaking the axle shaft in the axle and then twisting the front driveline off.

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IIRC the front drieshaft only has 1350s. If the drive shaft failed before the u-joint then 1350s should be plenty

I would be more worried with driveline issues than ujoint size. The biggest ujoints are not going to fix wheel hop and driveline issues. They will either bind up and fail as well or take out the next item in the chain... Which could be the tcase, axle input shaft, or carrier bearing.

If i remember right i have over 2in of spacers for droping my carrier bearing is this weakening anything is there a way to make it stronger?

newman said:

IIRC the front drieshaft only has 1350s. If the drive shaft failed before the u-joint then 1350s should be plenty

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yeah twisted the tube off, didnt break a joint

here is the vid

http://youtu.be/6qrFi1jaGaY

07_powerstroke said:

If i remember right i have over 2in of spacers for droping my carrier bearing is this weakening anything is there a way to make it stronger?

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if your using solid spacers your fine or PMF sells this for $150

I just installed some Northern Drivetrain U-joints. Main difference between these and the OEM is that the Northern part is greaseable.

I swapped to a 1480 joints and built a 4" driveshaft for the rear of my old red truck. I'm doing the same on my Duramax street truck right now and will be doing the same on my '79 project truck. I abuse my stuff LOL 1480s or I'm walkin' home! LOL 1350s are generally plenty for the front shaft of a "street" truck, but I could argue that 1410s would be better in some applications.

It all depends completely on tire size, gear ratios, and how many ponies your throwing down. If the truck bounces and hops - then I don't care what you run you're still going to have problems.

I had thought about having new shafts made up. right now there is no hop due to lack of traction, the new tires will tell how bad. I put in new axle shafts when I put in the new center chunks. the 1480 joints look very appealing since reading up on them and their psi load abilities.

Would another option be to use cv joints, I know rock crawler folks use those with good success.

kdogg85 said:

I had thought about having new shafts made up. right now there is no hop due to lack of traction, the new tires will tell how bad. I put in new axle shafts when I put in the new center chunks. the 1480 joints look very appealing since reading up on them and their psi load abilities.

Would another option be to use cv joints, I know rock crawler folks use those with good success.

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They use thoughs because of high lift kits and short drivelines with bad angles. Unless you have a vibration then no I wouldn't do them. Just adding more u joints than needed.

DUH, didn't even think of that. From some more reading the 1480's are looking good to me for both front and rear. And windrunner, I don't have more money than I know what to do with, just a long time of saving and having some things go my way for a change.

kdogg85 said:

DUH, didn't even think of that. From some more reading the 1480's are looking good to me for both front and rear. And windrunner, I don't have more money than I know what to do with, just a long time of saving and having some things go my way for a change.

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Uh ok. I guess I am confused here. Are you referring to u-joints in the drive shafts or axle shafts?? Because for whatever reason your first post made it seem like it was your axle shafts you were concerned about but now hearing talk about "front and rear", I can only assume you mean the drive shafts.

Well the comment about having more money than they know what to do with was a little sarcastic and was really meant as "while I (me windrunner) dont understand why one would want to drop that much money and time into this but either way I will do the best I can to give possible options for you to consider." Hope that helps and always glad to hear of good things happening to good folks.

I figured it was sarcasm. No offense taken bud.

I am referring to the driveshafts themselves. I put in stronger axle shafts when I put in the center chunks.

this truck is my version of an old man's hotrod. Never done fiddlin' with it. I won't get rid of it unless it's in a wreck and totaled. I love this truck too much and have too much money invested to say goodbye.

I hear that. I am in the same boat, just not as deep yet. Even when I bought the truck new, I bought it with the idea of doing stuff to it and learning about diesels.