|
|
|
1988 244 DL, manual 5-speed, 163K
I have heard that if I am replacing the drive shaft center bearings, and have the drive shaft off of the car, I should also replace the universal joints.
Do you have an opinion on the wear of the universal joints in relation to the center bearings
or
the possibility of damaging the universal joints during removal?
|
|
-
|
|
|
When I had my driveshaft support bearing replaced, I asked my mechanic to replace all 3 u-joints too. The car was driven up and down a 1-mile dirt road at low (10-ish mpg) speeds 3-6 times a day for 6 years before I got it, and I was sure there was dust in all the bearings and u-joints.
The driveshaft bearing was actually failed and made horrible noises and shook a bit.
Anyway, he thought he should only replace the one and he would save me money. He checked for play and found none, but he did it anyway, since I insisted...
When he got the old u-joint out, he could plainly see that it was completely shot.
Now, the other two are stiff and sticking (I never got him to do the other two since I was a broke college student, and still am for the moment).
The moral of my story is that not sticking or moving with the load we can put on them with our hands does not mean wear-free. The u-joints are subjected to way more force than we can manage with our hands.
To check for wear in u-joints, listen for a metallic thunk or squeak when you put the car into gear from neutral with the engine at about 1100rpm. It won't tell you which one is shot, but you might as well replace all 3 when you do it.
All this is just my 2 cents, and I did have pretty bad dust contamination, but still.
Happy Bricking
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be John McPhail
on
Sat Feb 9 00:51 CST 2013 [ RELATED]
|
|
I agree with what has been said. My '84 has 332,800 miles and counting on the original u-joints and no signs that they are going to quit.
Also, I think that the factory parts are higher quality than any replacement parts you can buy today. Unfortunately, this seems to be the case with a good number of replacement parts for our cars.
|
|
-
|
|
|
I'm with 1990volvo240... If they are tight with no play, regrease and call it a day. You'll need a 'needle' attachment for your grease gun.
Like this one I stumbled on http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Needle-Nose-Grease-Gun-Adapter-PLEWS-05-025-NEW-/181073823949?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item2a28d748cd&vxp=mtr
--
'75 Jeep CJ5 345Hp ChevyPwrd, two motorcycles, '85 Pickup: The '89 Volvo is the newest vehicle I own. it wasn't Volvos safety , it was Longevity that sold me http://home.lyse.net/brox/TonyPage4.html http://cleanflametrap.com/tony/
|
|
-
|
|
|
I agree with the others. Regrease and they should be all set. I don't remember hearing or reading much about Volvo u-joints going bad. Think they are pretty good. When I sold my 90 244 at 300k, the u-joints were original, tight and never touched...:)
--
95 855 GLT Sportwagon 217k, 90 244 DL 300k - after 11 years has a new home
|
|
-
|
|
|
I found a needle attachment but it isn't 4" long. It is only about 2".
How significant is the length to be able to reach back into the center bearing?
1988 244 DL, B230F, LH-Jet 2.2, 5 speed manual
|
|
-
|
|
|
The needle attachment if for greasing the 'U' joint. the 2" will reach.
--
'75 Jeep CJ5 345Hp ChevyPwrd, two motorcycles, '85 Pickup: The '89 Volvo is the newest vehicle I own. it wasn't Volvos safety , it was Longevity that sold me http://home.lyse.net/brox/TonyPage4.html http://cleanflametrap.com/tony/
|
|
-
|
|
|
Hi,
At approximately 152k when I did the center support and bearing I took out the set screws (for grease fittings) on the u joints and squirted new grease in them. None of my u joints had any play in them.
Besides, you'll have the chance to replace the u joints again when you have to undo the driveshaft to replace the tailshaft bushing and seal somewhere down the road in the next couple thousand miles :)
Travis
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be CB
on
Wed Feb 6 19:05 CST 2013 [ RELATED]
|
|
there is no tailshaft bushing on a 5 Speed
|
|
-
|
|
|
My 87 240 5 speed has the grease nipples on the U-joints and i grease them regularly, they are the original u-joints 145K. My 92 740 turbo(auto) had 280K on it with the original ujoints!!!My 88 240 has no grease fittings and those ujoints expired at 150K 2 years ago now. Was getting poor mileage and when slowing down to stop the car would shudder almost like it was stalling, drove me nuts until I finally figured it out!!
|
|
-
|
|
|
If the U-joints have been maintained ie greased regularly and they have no play there is no reason to replace them. If they are worn then replace them with ones that have grease fittings.
|
|
-
|
|
|
... maintained by greasing ???
This is the first time that greasing anything but the front wheel bearing and door hinges has come up.
I have not see it any maintenance schedules.
Do you know for a fact that the U-joints on a '88 244 DL have grease fitting?
Where would I find them?
|
|
-
|
|
|
"This is the first time that greasing anything but the front wheel bearing and door hinges has come up.
I have not see it any maintenance schedules."
Do not forget the hood hinges as well unless you want a bent hood. Hood latch as well.
More to the point, I do not think Volvo ever thought these cars would be out there 20-30 years later.
"Do you know for a fact that the U-joints on a '88 244 DL have grease fitting?
Where would I find them?"
If original, you have tiny little set screws with the same thread size and pitch as a grease nipple. Replace them with the a nipple one at a time as you grease the joint. Can't remember if it could be done on the car or not.
|
|
-
|
|
|
To the best of my knowledge the standard equipment u-joints are permanently lubed, and have no xerxe fittings. If your u-joints have xerxe fittings, they are more than likely after market.Been my experience, that center carrier bearings go out way before u-joints especially if you live somewhere there is snow, ice, rust, salt etc..
My son and I did a set of u-joints on the 82 240, and it had over 300,000 on the original parts. Personally I would have done them sooner given what a P.I.T A. they were to change.
Like anything else it's a judgement call, For better or worse I do my own work, and I have a pretty good idea about what I can get away with w/o killing either myself or the car, If parts were free I'd use a lot more.
Find someone you trust to look at the u-joints, then look at maybe having a machine shop press them on, grease them up. Cost you less than paying someone shop labor to take them off and put them back on.
let us know what you decide
|
|
-
|
|
|
Yes ... hood hinges and latch ...
"... you have tiny little set screws with the same thread size and pitch as a grease nipple. Replace them with the a nipple one at a time as you grease the joint. ..."
I know of a set screw as a screw installed to hold something on a shaft or rod and it keeps that something from pulling off. Example is a door knob or a fan blade.
Is that what you mean to describe?
It seems I read somewhere about allen head screws on U-joints. Are they the "set" screws you refer to?
Would leaving the zerk in place have an impact on the drive train balance?
I see a reference for moly-grease on the drive train spline.
Would GC rated grease be used for U-joints?
1988 244 DL, B230F, LH-Jet 2.2, 5 speed manual
|
|
-
|
|
|
"It seems I read somewhere about allen head screws on U-joints. Are they the "set" screws you refer to?"
Yes. When you remove one you will see that they are exactly like a set screw you can buy at a hardware store under that name.
"Would leaving the zerk in place have an impact on the drive train balance?"
If it weighs more than the screw you removed or has a center of gravity further from the mid-line of the rotating mass...yes. Would you notice the difference...likely not.
"Would GC rated grease be used for U-joints?"
Except wheel bearings (and BMW motorcycle tranny splines) I tend to use the same general purpose grease for about everything including my garage door wheels. It is a generic moly grease that came in a 3-pack with my grease gun. For wheel bearings I match the spec from the manufacture as close as I can and just use a can of grease instead of a tube for obvious reasons.
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be CB
on
Thu Feb 7 11:28 CST 2013 [ RELATED]
|
|
http://8.19.68.55/images/catalog/full/1209814.jpg
you can see in this pix where the grease fitting goes. The allen head will be found in the same location if the Ujoint is set up to take a fitting.
no it will not effect the balance...
use a lithium grease in your gun
|
|
-
|
|
|
It can be done on the car, with the rear wheels in the air and the tranny in neutral so you can rotate the driveshaft as-needed.
I bought a package of the grease nipples from McMaster Carr:
Type 303 Stainless Steel Grease Fitting Straight, 1/4"-28 Taper Male, 17/32" Overall Height (item 1293K21)
http://www.mcmaster.com/nav/enter.asp?partnum=1293K21&pagenum=2172
Some people leave the nipples in situ after greasing, others remove the nipple and replace the plug.
john
--
1989 245 244K / 1993 945 129K
|
|
-
|
|
|
two videos of U-joint replacement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOEdul7nscY&list=PLD47C7B7B5093483D
this one uses an impact hammer and large pull instead of a press ... though a heavy duty vise is in order.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1IOEL2hVBw
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be CB
on
Wed Feb 6 16:58 CST 2013 [ RELATED]
|
|
Labor = money
doing it yourself
Yr Time = ?$$$
got the shaft out, do it. won't have to do it later.. prob the U's have never been replaced.
as for the other part of the ?...no you can't damage the ujoints just by removing the drive shaft. But improper replacement can cause a vibration.
MARK the Rear shaft and the Front shaft with big arrows, so that they are put back together EXACTLY in the same orientation.
|
|
-
|
|
|
I take it then you do not find the cost and effort to replace the universal joints is high.
|
|
-
|
|
|
I just looked at a video on replacing universal joints.
That is one step above my current facility.
I have replaced the suspension bushing but it was a major operation.
The press was borrowed and the punches did not work once parts were taken off the car for direct match up. It was as much luck as planning that got the job done.
The video I saw is using a special punch. Is this something that can be done with a drive socket?
Has anyone fabricated a cradle to hold the U-joint while driving out the bearing caps - that does not require welding equipment?
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be CB
on
Wed Feb 6 19:18 CST 2013 [ RELATED]
|
|
Regarding the Center support bearing. Spending moneywise
If it's not making a ton of noise...rumbling, the bearing may just be dry.
It may just need a good squirt of grease.
You can just force some fresh grease into the bearing.
Use a grease gun with a needle attachment. Pull back the center support donut to expose the side of the bearing...there will be a black rubber ring shielding the bearings. slip the needle under or pierce the ring and pump in some grease.
|
|
-
|
|
|
This is what I did with excellent results.
|
|
|
|
|
