U-joints and high mileage trips...

[jmbrodsky@domain.elided]

     Allan,

     True, these are the AutoZone regular U-joints, but they have 
the same casting number and look the same as the NAPA $20 ones.  
Checker sells crap, and I'll look at the manufacturer of the 
AutoZone joints tonight.  Are the NAPA ones lifetime? These are.  
I grease mine, and it's been about 8 years now, and I still have 
them in my Scout II.  I just throw them in everywhere when I get 
a truck, and see what happens.  For the $5 you can afford to 
carry a few spares, and I do, but -knockonwood- never needed one. 
 A U-joint is so easy to put in (about 20 minutes) so it really 
doesn't bother me if they blow.  I do get a discount of sometimes 
up to 40% since I get it all through my Uncles' shop, but with 
regard to U-joints, I really havent ever seen one that was better 
for the increased price.  I've heard that with stock angles 
U-joints last around 30-40K mi.  It seems I routinely get 40K+ 
out of the 'cheapies' and that was even on my 4" lifted '72 
Suburban out in the dirt!

     About the phasing, you are correct.  Whoever has rattles, 
make sure the yokes on the ends of the drive shaft are 90 deg. 
out of phase.  If they are in phase,then the whole shaft 'floats' 
and rattles your fillings out.  On a Double Cardon CV joint the 
ends of the shaft are in phase while the ends of the assembly are 
out of phase.  Weird huh?  Most IH's don't use the Double Cardon 
CV tho'.  Chev's do.


     -Joel Brodsky

         '76 IHC Scout II 345/tf727
         '75 IHC Travelall 150 4wd 392/tf727
         '72 Chev Carryall 3dr 4wd 350/th350 sold, but not forgotten.

-----INCLUDED MESSAGE FOLLOWS-----
------------------------------

Date: Mon, 9 Feb 1998 20:57:34 -0800
From: "Allan Weidenheimer" <allanw@domain.elided>
Subject: U-joints, drivelines

Joel Wrote:
>U-joints should be about $5 apiece, 

What kind of quality do you get for $5? Either these are
Shuck's/Kragen/Checker cheapies, or you get a hell of a 
discount Joel!  I just recently put 4 new Napa Super
Strength U-joints in they cost $23.09 each.  I hope
I can expect 5X the life from them, but I'll be happy as
long as they don't leave me stranded someplace, which
happened once when I used a Shuck's u-joint.

I'd like to also suggest checking the U-jiont phasing/
alignment (I think that's the term) for anyone with a 
vibration.  I've seen many trucks where the DPO has 
taken the slip joint apart, then got it mis-aligned when
putting it back together.  Usually there are alignment marks
if you clean all the gunk off.  There is also a good drawing on 
page 160 of the March 98 4-Wheel & Off-Road.

Allan Weidenheimer
72 1210 Pickup

------------------------------

Mark,

     When I was in College, y'know back when I had free time, 
*VBG*, 
I routinely left for 3 or 4 weeks in the summer to put over 5K 
miles on my scoutII.  Now it's got 270K on it and still purrs on 
even after being upside down once.  All I ever had to add was 
gas, and maybe oil.  I got better mileage in the snow, uphill, in 
4wd than I did on a sunny, straight, desert highway.  One year I 
went from Nogales, Mexico (only 60 mi away) to Montana, just to 
say I drove across the country.  I saw all the western states and 
alot of parks and the truck never missed a beat!

     It also seemed that the problems that bothered me when 
commuting with the truck, seemed to subside on trips, and nothing 
really horrendous happened until I was on my way home, or at 
home.  Again -knockonhead- like: flat tires, blown heater blower, 
A/C leaks out and quits, Pumpkin starts to leak, tranny makes 
noise, brakes, radiator overheats, fanclutch, etc.

     If it runs ok, go ahead, of course I had the security of my 
bicycle with me which I (at the time) routinely rode 100mi.+, so 
I could get to help if I needed it.

     Regards,


     -Joel Brodsky

         '76 IHC Scout II 345/tf727
         '75 IHC Travelall 150 4wd 392/tf727
         '72 Chev Carryall 3dr 4wd 350/th350 sold, but not forgotten.

-----INCLUDED MESSAGE FOLLOWS-----
------------------------------

Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 20:10:04 +0000
From: gehl@domain.elided
Subject: Trippin'

I had a dream.  

I actually drove my Scout2 from Indiana to work in midcoast Maine 
this summer. 1300x2 miles!  Is this too much to ask of a Scout2?  
Would you take your Scout this far from home?  Mark 

------------------------------