>From: Phillip <metaz76@earthlink.net>
>Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2001 16:30:21 -0400
>
>I have been saving the messages on how to change out the u-joints just
>incase, but now I am not sure if the u-joints are the problem. I have been
>getting the ticking noise from the rear end that changes with speed. But
>when I got under the car yesterday they seemed like they were all tight. I
>did find that I can turn the driveshaft a bit before it even moves the rear
>wheels, is this normal? I would have thought that it would be tighter, but
>my other car is front wheel drive so this is all new to me. Could someone
>tell me exactly how to tell if the u-joints are bad, or should I be able to
>tell be moving the tires and feeling the joints for movement? Thanks for
>the help!
>
>Phillip
>76 Spitfire 1500
>
>
The way you describe the ticking noise, it does sound like the
u-joints. They will clack for quite a while before actually
failing, but once they get to the point where you can actually
see and feel play, you're getting dangerously close to failure.
One thing to look for is a shiny ring around the top of the
uj caps which indicates that the retaining clip has play and
is rotating. Might be a good idea to change that one.
The clacking/ticking can also be caused by the thin circlips
that some mfg supply with their uj's. The thinner circlips
allow some movement and the sound you hear is the uj banging
the end of its travel. Travel it shouldn't even have...
I've found that half shaft uj's, with the relatively severe angles
that they are asked to operate under can have a fairly short life.
It seems like I'm changing them out at least every other year,
which is about 25,000 miles. They're pretty cheap, so you might
want to just go ahead and do them if in doubt.
The prop shaft uj seems to last longer.
Good luck!
Greg Rowe
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