> I have the drive shaft out of my TR3A and one of the bearing caps fell
> off.
That's a bad sign, right there. The caps should be a (light) press fit in
the yokes, if one "fell out" then the yoke is worn and should be replaced.
Normally the only way for the yoke to wear is for the bearing to seize, so
that would also indicate a bad bearing.
> The bearing surface of the shaft is "cloudy" in appearance. I
> would expect it to be shiny. Is this an indication that the u-joints
> should be changed?
I would. U-joints are cheap, you've already got it apart, and it looks
dubious.
> Normally I change u-joints when they begin to clank
> in reverse.
My TR3 experience has been that they start vibrating a long time before they
clank. Apparently the angles are small enough that the caps tend to turn in
the yokes when the bearings go bad, rather than tearing up the needles until
the joint is horribly loose and clanking.
Randall
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