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Re: Spitfire Wants Another U-Joint

To: "Charlie B." <cb1500@erols.com>
Subject: Re: Spitfire Wants Another U-Joint
From: msecres@ibm.net
Date: Wed, 03 Dec 1997 20:19:53 -0800
Cc: triumphs@Autox.Team.Net
References: <3484DF3B.420B@ibm.net> <3485D88C.6E74@erols.com>
Charlie B. wrote:
> 
> Martin,
> 
> > What's the best way to check for a bad u-joint?  My Spitfire needs a new
> > one, on the left half-shaft, or so I am fairly certain.  Would be nice to
> > know for sure before I go disconnecting the rear brake line ...
> >
> 
> As far as I know, the best way to check a U-joint is off the car. The
> joint needs to be rotated through its full range of travel without
> binding or displaying excessive play.
> 
> Unfortunately, U-joints can partially seize, limiting range of smooth
> travel. That's the hardest to diagnose.
> 
> Obviously, if the joint is completely worn (really worn or broken
> roller bearings), you'll be able to detect the excessive play while
> still on the car. Replace U-joints in pairs unless you just replaced
> both joints and one was just defective from the git-go.
> 
> Something else to watch for upon replacement. Watch out for excessive
> play between the end caps and the circlip. Motorhead warned me about
> this problem about 3 years ago, and it's happened to me once. Symptom:
> You install new joints, and within a couple hundred miles the joints
> start clicking again--the spider sliding back and forth in the yoke.
> Sometimes the circlip is just a little too thin, other times there's
> just a little too much play--then you gotta shim with very thin stock.
> 
> Torque Boy

Dear Tor-bie:

Darn good suggestion.  Here's the story -- around this time last year, I 
replaced the 
Spitfire's prop shaft joints, and the one on the left half-shaft; running out 
of 
inspiration, I put off dealing with the right half-shaft until another time.  
That time 
came a couple weeks ago, and I replaced the right side "U."

As my Uncle Rudy would say ... "do you follow??"

So it was with dismay that I noticed almost immediately after getting the car 
back on 
the road that I was getting more clunks and clickety noises from the rear of 
the car ... 
but it's hard to say which side.  Sometimes it sounds like the left; sometimes 
like the 
right.  If it's the left side, that would mean that that axle's u-j has failed 
after 
just one year ... not likely or encouraging.  Maybe what's happened is that 
Driveline, 
Inc., installed the new right axle joint with some end cap play.  I'll 
investigate 
further this weekend.  (Got a beer cap I can cut up)

There is another possibility, though, and not fun to contemplate:  i.e., the 
noise was 
never coming from the right axle shaf (even though it's time was due), and it's 
been a 
problem with the "new" one on the left side all along.  If I were a Murphy, I'd 
think I 
was on to somethin ...

--
Martin Secrest
74 Spitfire
73 GT6

PS:  Thanks to all who offered the good u-j diagnostics (!)

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