how to get RH front axle U joints "in phase"

[bhawk]

94 Ranger 4x4, Dana 35 axle.
I am going to be replacing the U joint on the RH axle shaft near the spindle. Last year I replaced the U joint on the RH axle stub shaft that comes out of the carrier (big job that was, and maybe I did not get the shafts together correctly as my son complains of a noise in 4 wheel drive).
I am reading the 94 service manual I have and it states "the model 35 axle does not have a blind spline. Therefore, special attention should be made to make sure the yoke ears are in line (in phase) during assembly".
What does it mean to have the yoke ears in line or in phase?
Assuming I have the RH stub shaft in the carrier with the yoke ears of the shaft that goes into the carrier at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock position, the next part of the stub shaft has it's yoke ears at 3 and 9 o'clock. So, when I go to install the RH shaft and joint into the splines of that stub shaft, do I line up the yoke ears of the long part of the shaft with the splines to the 12 and 6 o'clock position exactly like the first shaft that went into the carrier?
The pic in the service manual of all the parts seems to show the opposite, that is, if the stub shaft yoke that went into the carrier is at the 12 and 6 postion, the axle shaft with the splines on it gets inserted into the stub shaft with it's yoke at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I'm interested in this too. I wondered the same when I did my '91 ranger axle. IIRC, I decided stub at 12 and 6, splined at 3 and 9.

Richard

 

[railman]

to be "in phase" the ears on the yokes of the 2 halves should both be at 3 and 9 ( to use your example) with the 2 outer stubs at 12 and 6 ( the ones that go into the carrier and knuckle ) ....

personally, I use a straight edge like a ruler and use a paintmarker to make "line-up" marks to put it back together ( assuming they were in phase to begin with ) ...

if they are not in phase they will bind and cause nasty vibrations as well as premature failure of the u-joints.....

l8r, John

 

[bhawk]

Thanks for the reply railman. Are you saying the answer to my question as set out below, is Yes. ?

"Assuming I have the RH stub shaft in the carrier with the yoke ears of the shaft that goes into the carrier at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock position, the next part of the stub shaft has it's yoke ears at 3 and 9 o'clock. So, when I go to install the RH shaft and joint into the splines of that stub shaft, do I line up the yoke ears of the long part of the shaft with the splines to the 12 and 6 o'clock position exactly like the first shaft that went into the carrier?"

 

[railman]

NO....

the 2 halfs between the 2 u-joints must be in phase....in other words, when ya have the female and male splines of the axle put back together as 1 piece, their ears should be lined up together....

l8r, John

 

[bhawk]

Got it now, thanks so much railman.
What you describe is what is pictured in the service manual. It all makes sense now. Again, many thanks.
Now, to tear it apart tonight and install that U joint. I will be interested to see if I got it right last fall when I put it together then.