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Old 06-08-2017, 12:46 AM   #1
bsampson
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factory u joint replacement with injected plastic retainer

I'm trying to replace the u joint in my trucks driveshaft. I've found the truck is a Frankenstein, and I have no idea what this driveshaft came out of originally...

But, from what I've gathered, it's a factory GM universal joint. There aren't any inner or outer retainer rings, but instead a plastic retainer that was injected at the factory. I used a torch to melt the plastic and get the u joint out, but now I'm not sure what to replace it with.

Where the bearing caps go, the groves for the retainer are in the middle, instead towards the inside or outside. Can I get a u joint for this driveshaft? If so, what am I looking for?
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Old 06-08-2017, 01:46 AM   #2
Ironangel
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Re: factory u joint replacement with injected plastic retainer

Maybe post some pics and someone can ID what you have. Might also take the driveline to a driveshaft shop and let them tell you what you have?
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Old 06-08-2017, 06:07 AM   #3
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Re: factory u joint replacement with injected plastic retainer

The replacement u-joints should have inside snap rings.
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Old 06-08-2017, 06:10 AM   #4
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Re: factory u joint replacement with injected plastic retainer

Just press or melt the old one out, clean out the plastic, and you will see the grooves Bigdav160 mentioned. At that point it's just another U-joint job. If you keep the old one you can measure the joint to get the right one.

Pretty amazing there is still one of these running around. Last one I worked on was almost 20 years ago.
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Old 06-08-2017, 08:23 AM   #5
bsampson
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Re: factory u joint replacement with injected plastic retainer

Good news that it can be replaced. So I'm looking for an inside clip u joint.

My dimensions are 1 1/8" bearing cap, and around 2.90" from inside groove to inside groove. I"m not finding anything close to those dimension in any of the charts that keep coming up in google searches. I may just have to take it somewhere.
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Old 06-08-2017, 03:42 PM   #6
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Re: factory u joint replacement with injected plastic retainer

The new joint comes with inside clips. The Precision part number is 534G

Beware sometimes you will get vibration with the new joint installed.
It happens because the plastic injected joint was not exactly centered, because of this goofy hot plastic deal.
The drive shafts would be factory balanced, eliminating the vibration, and the thing would last pretty much as long as a properly centered u joint....

Only solution with new centered joint is to have it re-balanced....
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Old 06-09-2017, 04:24 PM   #7
bsampson
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Re: factory u joint replacement with injected plastic retainer

Thanks for the tips.

After thinking this through a little, and seeing the dimensions of the 534g, I realized I was measuring this wrong. The groves on this can't be used for a snap ring, so I need the measurements of the inside of the yoke, and sure enough, this matches the "GM 3R" or S44 u joint style.

If I feel any vibration, I'll get it rebalanced.
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Old 06-09-2017, 10:08 PM   #8
Marv D
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Re: factory u joint replacement with injected plastic retainer

Yean the replacements comes with a interior snap ring to retain the cup in place of the plastic nightmare.

Just be SAFE when getting the old one apart. Keep you face out of the way of that cap coming out like a 12g slug!!. I had one that was pretty 'stuck' and held the shaft with a vice while I put heat from a MAP torch to the yoke to melt the plastic retainer. It started ;ooooxing out of the little hole and then. BOOM!. It heated the grease so hot it literally EXPLODED and the cap came shooting out of the yoke bore like a shotgun! It went out of my shop, across the street and broke a window in the house across the alley (I measured, 85' it flew and went through the glass window) . If my sons face had been in the way... I don't even want to think about it.

Chance is 1 in a million something like this would happen, BUT some free safety advice ,, it CAn and HAS happened so keep your face / head / hands out of the way 'just in case'.
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Old 06-10-2017, 10:00 AM   #9
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Re: factory u joint replacement with injected plastic retainer

Good advice from Marv. The average guy wouldn't think of that. I have seen them fly out too and you don't want your face near there.
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Old 06-10-2017, 12:19 PM   #10
Marv D
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Re: factory u joint replacement with injected plastic retainer

Yup. Both my son and I had tiny little burns from the super-heated grease splatter (propellant LOL) . NOT a fun day. As if the bearing cup wasn't bad enough,, his mother about took my head off when she saw these tiny little burns and blisters. We both had our face WAY too close.
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Old 06-11-2017, 09:23 AM   #11
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Re: factory u joint replacement with injected plastic retainer

We always try to point them straight up at the ceiling while in the vice and then stand at arm's reach. Be careful guys.

Some day when there is a bunch of us drinkin beer in the garage I'm going to find an old driveshaft and pop a cap for old times sake.
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