I have a sporadic screeching noise coming from under the truck. It is kinda like a u-joint noise. It comes and goes, but only when it's moving. It is speed dependent. I just replaced the u-joints last summer. However one was a grease-able but the zerk fitting didn't allow a grease gun to be used. So in my haste we installed it anyhow. I have a feeling it could be that.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

Try replacing the Zerk fitting with one that will allow grease to get into the U-joint. That may help the squeek and it cant hurt the U-joint.

Good luck.

 

I'd check your wheel bearings. It might be a ujoint in the driveshaft but I'd guess something in the wheelbearings may be the culperit. Also the ujoints I've seen that are greaseable require the use of a needle tip for a grease gun to work.

 

I never thought much about that. Are the rear-bearings service-able? I would like to put some grease in that fitting, but that zerk fitting is f'd up. I knew that when I put it on, but I thought it might last longer than 6 months. I could probably swap it out (the u-joint) fairly quickly this weekend.

 

might be a brake pad wear sensor(cheap tab sticking out and rubbing against disc)

 

The outters on the rear should be servicable. The carrier bearings MIGHT not be but I don't suspect those would be the problem given the symptoms you describe. I was mainly aiming towards the front wheel bearings being bad as they tend to be the 1st ones to go out. Check both ends anyhow.

 

I think it's coming from the rear. I'm fairly sure it's not the front wheel bearings. I"ll be looking at a bunch of stuff this weekend.

Thanks.

Doug

 

Dnale:

I'm curious, is it much work to replace the u-joint on an F150?
I'd like to put one on that has a zerk fitting so that I can lube it regularly.
My brother-in-law had a chevy that seized up on him and and I want to prevent that.

 

Glaffer,

U-Joints aren't hard at all. You'll need a bench vice and probably a length of pipe along with assorted sockets. Mark the rear of the driveshaft and the differntial plate for re-installation alignment. You take off the four bolts back at the rear differential and lower the front front of the drive shaft out of the tranny. Make sure you have the truck blocked so it can't roll, cause park will do nothing for you if the drive shaft is out. Be careful with the tranny end. I've heard it's expensive to replace. Take it to your bench vice and remove the retaining clips. Put a socket on one side smaller than the u-joint cap and one on the other side bigger than the cap. Start pressing. You will probably need the pipe to get enough torque to break them free. Once one cap is out you basically repeat the process 3 more time for that end. Put the new one on pretty much in the reverse procedure. You may use a hammer to set the caps once they are started. (You don't want to disturb the needle bearings.) ONce you have the caps on, put the retaining clips in and grease it. Go to the other end and repeat. Once complete, put the tranny end in first making sure your alignment marks at the differential are good. Put t he four bolts back in and viola!

I'm sure other people have way more technical descriptions of it. I'm just a backyard greaser. Hope it helps. It's not tough at all.

 

Keep in mind when you're putting the new joint in to periodically check to make sure its seating right and not binding up.

 

Most replacement (service) u-joints have zerks. Many times the installer gets the u-joint turned the wrong way & u-joint is not greasable with a regular grease gun, after driveshaft is installed in vehicle.

Remember to install u-joint with grease zerk on the side facing the welded in yoke (of the driveshaft assembly).

Never hammer on tubing of driveshaft--never clamp tubing in a vise. This would affect balance of D/S.

I have installed several thousand u-joints. Another tip: wipe a small amount of grease in each cap (with your pinky finger) before pressing caps into weld yoke assembly. Always grease u-joints immediately after D/S is installed in vehicle.