D35 u-joints "in phase"? Applicable to other TTB axles as well

[Shran]

For those of you have taken TTB axles apart multiple times... is it important to have the passenger side u-joints in phase with each other? Meaning that the u-joints are all clocked the same... as is important with driveshaft u-joints.

I am troubleshooting a weird clunk/pop noise that my buddy's Ranger is making in 4 wheel drive only. It started making the noise after he put larger tires on it. He bought the truck from me and I had done a lot of work to it, including a t-case rebuild. We went through the front end and replaced the u-joints in the axle shafts and installed a different 3rd member. Noise seemed to be fixed. He drove it for a few months and then had 4.56 gears installed, and we just finished installing a 5.5" Duff lift. Now the noise is back.

I'm kind of wracking my brain here and am not coming up with much other than maybe the front shaft joints are out of phase on the passenger side and binding up. I have always just disregarded that and have never had a problem. Everything from the t-case forward is new, close to new or in excellent condition.

Thoughts?

 

[Curious Hound]

Yes. They must be phased properly

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Someone posted a good video on what happens with out of phase. It important to have them in phase.

 

[Shran]

Thanks. I'll look into it. I'm sure we just slapped it together and they're out of phase. At this point it is the one thing that makes sense.

 

[4x4junkie]

I've had a light-medium popping or snapping type noise on mine for over a decade & a half (generally happens under light-moderate loading). Never been able to find it's source. I had a theory maybe it was loose wheel bearings allowing the hub to wiggle relative to the end of the stub shaft, but every time I've checked them they've been tight. Never have found any metal particles or grindings anywhere either. At this point I just ignore it.

A different noise I had once was a fairly loud BANG under heavy load. This one turned out to be insufficient torque on the radius arm-to-axle bolts, allowing the assembly to slip back & forth.

Specs:
Stock shafts
Spicer 5-760X u-joints
Warn #37780 Jeep locking hubs
Timken SET-37 bearings
External circlip eliminator spring (inside the stock boot)
P-side shaft u-joints are in phase.

 

[Shran]

Does it matter how the shafts themselves are oriented? By that I mean, as long as the u-joint trunions are in phase with each other, does it matter how the shafts are clocked? Excuse the crude picture:

Note how the outer and outer slip yoke are clocked vs the inner and inner slip yoke. Are both correct? Does it matter? "A" seems like the correct way, I just want to have this straight in my head.

 

[Snoranger]

You want “A”.

 

[Shran]

Perfect. Thanks.

 

[4x4junkie]

Agreed, "A"