Eating U-Joints, Hmmm?

[Lutzgaterr]

I have a 97 Disco, 100K miles, two-inch RTE lift, stock front/rear bumpers, TTs front/rear.
The problem is my chronic destruction of U-joints.
Front DS, around 40K, bye-bye. Then at 85K, bye-bye.
Rear DS, around 50K, bye-bye. Now at 100k, bye-bye.

So, my driveline geometry with only a 2-inch lift (stock bumpers) should not make be eat U-joints, right?
Could it be the slop in the T-case that is eating these things up? Yes, there is slop and she wines like a low-geared pig.

Maybe signs of Torque converter issues? She does not shift hard at all. I did the filter around 35K, and she gets annual synthetic changes in the tranny.

Heck, maybe with the slop only Dana Spicers can survive? BTW, Spicers are going on the rear today.

Man, I hate (cringe) putting that rig into drive with just one drive-shaft in, WHAM! Yea, idle is around 740 RPM.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[sven]

Maybe your CDL is permenantly locked?

 

[Gordo]

Bruce!!

I think this is normal in the enviroment we put them in. I go through them (spicers) pretty quick too. If we were great about greasing them everytime we hit the trails/IE WATER, then the problem wouldnt be as bad. Seems like everytime I grease mine a good bit of water comes out. Mine typically last about two years and I dont drive it except for the trails. I think that DAP sells the spicer/dana's and I have had the best luck with them. I did make the mistake of running non greasable ones once, they lasted 6 months or maybe 4 runs. Gordo

 

[Lutzgaterr]

Sven,
my CDL works fine.

Gordo,
I actually only greese these at oil-change intervals and use the red-Mobil 1. At least I am not alone. Are there others in our club expereicing the same?
I really questioned myself when I read others who have U-joints lasting years.
I am planning on a T-case rebuild in the future anyway since she leaks and whines.

 

[ptschram]

I think you're getting exceptional life out of your universal joints. My truck eats u-joints and front driveshafts. I'm on my third or fourth front driveshaft and someday will put a DII in it.

When there were no others available, I put a set of Chinese u-joints in my truck, they lasted about 100 miles.

I'm also on my third rear driveshaft. The last set of rear u-joints I removed, the bearing cap had spit a piece out!

For some reason, Rover owners seem to think u-joints should last forever when in actuality, they probably should be replaced every 25K-30K miles. Blowed up u-joints leave a trail of carnage.

 

[Gordo]

Bruce I think this is pretty common as I know Mike has been through a few too. Dunno if the lift has anything to do with it as my wifes D1 has the OME HD has never needed any (although Ive only put about 30K on it since weve owned it and did change out the Rotoflex when I got it with new ujoints in the replacement d/s). Then again it never goes off road. I just check mine everytime before I go out and grease them quite often. Seems to help.
As far as the Tcase goes, with the LT230 being gear on gear I wouldnt worry too much about a little whine! You sure it isnt in one of the diffs?

 

[Lutzgaterr]

Great, then I really feel better about my U-joint consumption, thanks to you both.
Gordo, I can only tell you that with the rear DS out, the whine has not changed tone or volume and of course the pitch changes based on speed.
You know Manard's blue Seiries Pickup, how that baby growls when moving forward, mine is starting to sound like that, not as pronounced as his, but that would the sound, if that helps any.
I have not had an educated-ear listen yet, but I will swing over to the Tranny-shop that does all of the LRs for Reeves. He has been through lots of LR drivelines over the years and he wants to hear mine. At least that will give me a good starting point.

I would love to rebuild with the GBR reduced gear-set, but not for that kind of $$$.

We all know how it is, we listen, we look, we smell, some even taste to seek-out those issues to prevent failures from suprprising us. My T-box is singing to me and that has me on alert status.