Ford Quick Tips #56: The Most Accurate Way to Check Driveshaft U-joints

In this video we go over a few tips and tricks I have learned through the years checking for worn U-joints.
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[@AZSemperFi]

I would also add that OEM driveshafts which have never been removed since a vehicle's manufacture date are balanced from the factory. So if you remove any driveshaft from any vehicle it is best to mark all components and bolts with alignment lines and a numbering pattern using a paint pen in order to reassemble everything the way it was prior to disassembly. Most importantly, whether you reinstall or replace the OEM driveshaft or any driveshaft of a vehicle you should also ensure runout is reduced to specs and only after doing so then it is properly balanced.

[@hawaiianf1504]

-- Brian -- Dude, for me, this was one of your best, most important and most informative videos to date. Very, very Simple, Easy and Applicable to everyone that owns a vehicle. This vehicle check should be done any time a vibration is suspected and at least once a year. Again Bruddah you rock as always. This video is easily one your best. All of your "Tips and Tricks" videos were born from years of proven professional experience and each of them are a very high value knowledge pack of goodies for all of us untrained garage warriors. You show us the correct "How To Do It Right" and you fully explain everything so we "Get It". The best part is the time you take to show and teach us the always confusing "What, Why and How To" properly fix and maintain our vehicles the right way. Just Awesome dude - just awesome. Thanks Huge!!

[@FordTechMakuloco]

+Hawaiian F150 Yup simplicity is key here I think that is why they are so popular.

[@JoBar12006]

id add, when putting the emergency brake on, do that before putting it in park, make sure it doesn't roll at all before putting it in park, or there could be tension on the drive line making it feel solid.

[@fergusonhr]

when you said to check the ujoint with the vehicle in park...I just wanted to say that when ever I have done that I couldn't tell if any ujoints were loose because the trans was putting a load on the driveshaft...I have blocked the wheels and put it in neutral to be able to feel the loose ujoints...I have seen people test in park and think that they were not loose when they were very loose...that is a GREAT tip about removing the shaft...I have to say that I have probably miss diagnosed a ujoint because I didn't pull the shaft...from now on I will do that every time...Thanks

[@FordTechMakuloco]

+Gary Ferguson Jr Good point but I don't know I have never had that problem being on a flat surface as I said I think is key here. Being in park does put some load on it but there is always the lash of the parking pawl on flat ground you should be able to overcome any slight torsional twist. With the bit of looseness the one side of the joint had on this shaft I could tell right away we had enough of a problem that we needed to go further with testing on jack stands and removing the shaft.

[@fergusonhr]

+FordTechMakuloco I have never thought about a ujoint being bad even though it may not feel loose at all...you taught me something big here...thankyou for that

[@mikejarrells431]

Thanks & good job. I had a front u-joint fail on a 1995 Mazda Miata with 220K miles.

[@srercrcr]

Amazing! That puppy must have been making some noise while driving. Here's a tip: Upon returning home just slide under the vehicle and feel for "very warm to hot" u-joints and wheel hubs. Friction = heat.

[@FordTechMakuloco]

+srercrcr I have never tested them that way as I feel the heat from the rear end is usually transferred up. I know of this technique with shocks, brakes etc though and it makes sense.

[@denniswilkinson1118]

Great tip Brian please keep'em coming

[@SangheiliSpecOp]

Sweet video. I just replaced my upper control arm and differential bushing on my Mustang GT to an adjustable whiteline arm and a prothane polyurethane bushing respectively. That got rid of the terrible wheel hop I was having but there is surprisingly a lot of "loseness" back there and some noises I can hear on hard acceleration. I'm replacing the lower control arms next to ones with poly bushings as well but I think my damn driveshaft might be out. The one piece aluminum one might be the way to go but then it would be harder to set the pinion angle which is an advantage of the two piece...

[@mark98070]

Brian, thanks for your informative videos. I'm curious why vibrations are more noticeable at certain speeds. I feel vibration at 20-25 mph & again at 70. Also I have up-down movement where the spline goes into transfer case. This is a low mileage 95 F150. Thank you.

[@karpenterken1]

Vibrations have amplitudes and frequencies visible as a sine wave when using diagnostic equipment that detects them. They vary from nothing to high, back to nothing to high in a negative direction (a sine wave), to put it in layman's terms. The amplitude is how noticeable or extreme the highs are in both directions. Those extremes are most noticeable at those speeds you encountered, for your situation. The frequency is how many times per second the individual vibration pattern aka cycle occurs (zero to high to zero to low to zero).

[@dewholdingsllc1050]

Thanks for the content

[@JeffSimone-s9v]

Question 2010 ford f150 5.4 xlt with the vehicle on the ground is there supposed to play in the front axle (prop shaft)? I can rock it back and forth about 1/2 inch.

[@JeffSimone-s9v]

Just before stop I hear a clunk from the font sounds like when I'm twisting the prop shaft back and forth

[@timcurtis7073]

Any tricks on checking wheel joints of the super duty's without pulling the axles?

[@dcgo44r]

Why I didn't heard this before! 😡 if you only mentioned before! Now I have a partially destroyed u joint, missing halve of one cap..😂 Very true, it needs to be checked out the vehicle!

[@MsYouANDREATube]

I have a 1999 f350 super duty xlt v10 Trinitron long bed that is lifted 10 in. There is this embarrassing squealing in the front axle but I can't figure it out. I thought it was the joint, replaced it and still noisy. When I go at low speeds it chirps. When I drive forward or make a left hand turn. The same noise, but when I make a right hand turn it goes away for the moment. When I Gob a bunch of grease on the fro e line connects in front, it lessens for awhile till it rains or something. Help me please

[@ITWINGMAN]

Can you do a video for Ford 5.4L 3v Engine Intake removal for Codes p0119 or p1290

[@esoomreltna]

What a great tip! Thanks!

[@uttarabia1]

brillent job sir very nice video

[@AnDrizzy93]

Could a u-joint that moves too freely but has no play cause a vibration as well ??

[@sbrnpwll8]

i have a 2010 ford fusion and the power steering went out. it still turns with no problem once in a while but for the most part it requires alot of effort. do you have any tips on what I can do without paying a bunch of money to fix it. im not sure if theres a fuse or something I can check but any tips would be great thank you

[@LA-TEEZI]

Sabrina Powell take it to ford, there’s a recall for it

[@fergusonhr]

if you ever have to come to Indianapolis let me know...my wife is a big wig at Hinlton and we can hook you up with a great room very cheap...I'll take you to a pacers game in the suite...

[@FordTechMakuloco]

+Gary Ferguson Jr Nice!

[@quadreehordge6273]

Wow! Thank you!

[@andujo211]

Awesomeness.

[@alb12345672]

Do you have any vids on replacing the U-Joint?

[@juliocastaneda1978]

Exactly. Are these ones staked and replaceable without having to buy a whole new shaft?

[@brakedd]

Now that I think of it, I don't know if I've ever changed a front U joint. Just rear ones and front axles on solid axle trucks. You've never seen one fail?

[@FordTechMakuloco]

+brakedd no I have not

[@davidcolinstillman5585]

HI 👋 THANK YOU 🙏 BE SAFE ! HAVE FUN ! ENJOYED 🍨 🍨 🍨 🍨 🍨 🍨 🍨 🍨 🍨 🍨 GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS ON YOUR ADVENTURES 🙏 THANK YOU AGAIN 🙏

[@mcnamee30]

Why did you replace the entire drive shaft on this truck and not just the Ujoints?

[@FordTechMakuloco]

+mcnamee30 Staked Joints

[@mcnamee30]

What year did they start that?

[@FordTechMakuloco]

mcnamee30 04 new body style and ended late build 05

[@mcnamee30]

Glad they ended it!

[@raphaelroberson1129]

Would an 06 drive shaft fit an 04 so the u joints can be replaced & not the whole drive shaft? Can we assume the bearings are already siezed or moving to failure. I have a bad u joint on the 04 fx4 trying to save her for another 100,000 miles..

[@RussMeister70]

That u joint sounded like my knees......CRAAAACK.

[@flower2289]

Too bad we can't do knee replacements at home. Sure would save a lot of money.

[@amtpdb1]

I would have liked to see what this looked like on the inside.

[@FordTechMakuloco]

+amtpdb1 of the u joint?

[@FordTechMakuloco]

+amtpdb1 I am actually going to cut this driveshaft up

[@amtpdb1]

I was talking about what the u joint looked like on the inside considering the jerkiness of the joint. I just thought it would be interesting to see what had happened on the inside to make it that ruff. Thanks again.

[@FordTechMakuloco]

+amtpdb1 I may show that part in an upcoming video where we cut the driveshaft in half. I can tell you now there will be a bunch of needle bearing surrounded by rust powder when they are that bad.

[@amtpdb1]

I thought it would have been nice to see anyway with your comments on how and why it happened in this case. Thanks again.

[@Jackle61]

Gee, wouldn't it be nice if Ford made them grease able? That's THE first thing I have done with every Ford truck I have bought (5 of them) replace the u-joints with moog.

[@FordTechMakuloco]

+Jackle61 never saw it and probable never will

[@Jackle61]

FordTechMakuloco That's unfortunate. Other manufacturers use them, but then again some of the others don't seem to be as rugged as the Ford's.

[@Eugromlol]

Moog joints are terrible. OE Spicer sealed joints are designed to be lubed for the life of the joint it doesn't need to be serviced because it shouldn't lose any grease.

[@g6qwerty]

whoa the salt there is nasty