The U-joints I ordered showed up early so the patio got cleaned off so I could do them. This is at the bottom of a dirt driveway with a water bar ( white rocks ) right next to it so when the water is to much the patio gets flooded and muddy, hence the shovel to clean it off. I guess I don't have an excuse to put off the other work anymore...
They got done but not with out a mistake or two in the process. I marked the shaft pieces but still managed to not pay attention while installing the U-joints .
Yup marked them with white paint.
But still managed this one. I flipped it around to double check I had lined them up for the carrier end but I saw this:
Well Now! I felt like a monkeys butt for that one. I had already taken the clips back out before taking the pic.
OK feeling like an apprentice again I lined them up properly:
This was not the last time I started putting it back together not lining up the marks. Putting in the rear section on the drive shaft at the carrier I just put one strap on and spun the shaft and saw the marks were not lined up properly again. OK I must be a gluten for stupid moments because I needed to spin it 180° and line the marks up. I did the rear end fine... It only took me screwing up the same way twice to learn.
At least the trucks come with a built in work bench:
On a Tech note, I found that a 32mm Hub nut socket fits the inner part of the Carrier bearing race to drive it on quite nicely. It drives on the metal not the rubber seal to allow for that press on necessity, though not much force was really needed to get it into position.
It seemed weird to drive the truck without that noise being there, almost like it was just part of the truck. The carrier was starting to go when I purchased the truck 3 years a go, I didn't know this at the time, and I only have put on 12K since owning it. On another note, what I had been thinking was clutch chatter has disappeared. No more shaking when letting the clutch out But this thing has done this off and on since I got it so time will tell if it was just the carrier and rear U-joints acting up.
EDIT: Dana Spicer U-Joints were in it, that is what they got replaced with, non greasable so I don't have to get under the rear of the truck every oil change. getting down once to put the jack under and to slide in is enough for my lazy rear end.