With no previous warning, when I got in the truck yesterday I heard a faint tapping noise at random (for those of you with Safety Devices racks, it sounded like a small branch hitting one of the bars). After 5 miles, I reached my destination... when I got back in the truck to head home, the tapping noise was no longer my concern. There was a very loud clanking noise and any speeds higher than 15 mph would nearly shake the truck to death - coasting immediately ended the shakes so I figured drive shaft was the culprit. Sure enough, the rear drive shaft had a seized u-joint. After pulling the shaft the clanking noise was still there. Couldn't figure out where it was coming from until I got under the truck with the parking brake disengaged. The parking break drum had come loose due to a very loose phillips head screw and I could only determine this when the parking brake was disengaged and not holding the drum in place. It appears the bad u-joint had shaken the brake drum loose - it was clanking around making tons of noise. After tightening the thing it just kept coming loose after every time i drove the truck a few blocks. I eventually put locktite on it to hold it in place. I was surprised how quickly the u-joint went - In 5mi went from slight noise to extreme vibrations with no previous noise/vibrations. Anyone else have issues with this screw not staying tight?
SKIP TO HERE FOR THE IMPORTANT PART: Always check the phillips head screw on the parking brake drum when replacing u-joints since the shaft is off anyway.
SKIP TO HERE FOR THE IMPORTANT PART: Always check the phillips head screw on the parking brake drum when replacing u-joints since the shaft is off anyway.
