Double check that a needle bearing did not fall loose in the cap.

 

yup once l learned the correct art of installing them l aint dropped a needle in 40 years / it takes patience and the correct procedure

 

I should have mentioned that the cross without the caps cannot be installed.  I wonder if I ordered the steering universal joints instead of drive shaft joints.

 

Spicer universal joint. Looks a little tall in there.

Part number

Made a huge mistake taking this ring off. Now it jambs the shaft from sliding.

Dake press doing work. I love this press!!!

 

This is so dumb....  From Autozone's website: 

Life Series. Rear Driveshaft, at Rear Axle, at Transmission. Front Driveshaft, at Front Axle, at Transfer Case

I should have went with Moog.

 

inside clips

 

specs

 

It is the cross that does not fit at the greaseable ends just like Autozone said.  You take the caps off and then insert the cross.  This I cannot get into the greaseable ends.

 

Have you done U-joints before? Like this could be a procedure issue. Otherwise, my bet is on one of the needles fell down when you were inserting the cap, and is laying flat on the bottom of the cap. I am assuming you held the new one up against the old one. If it is the wrong part, you will know right away, there is none that are close enough to mix up.

Can you post a pic of this, that shows all four caps of the u-joint?

 

if that is your picture , the cross IS in , but the caps may not be .  so what your repeating does not make sense to me .        using an arbor press or any press to do u joints is a recipe for disaster .  missalined , needles broke , stuffed into cap's bottom , crushed yokes ( even just a little ) ... taught how in '71 at a shop with many presses , but they weren't used for  u joints ..... I know the fsm and all u-tubeies use a press , or a vice AS a press , that is  wrong .

 

As long as the clip can be installed and it is tight against the inside of the yoke, it doesn't matter how much of the cap is sticking out.

 

I should have went with Moog.

God no! Spicer is the only option I would use or recommend. I've seen too many MOOG u-joints fail in months and too many OEM Spicer's last for 25+ years to ever consider anything else...

The Spicer 789X joint is the one to replace the Detroit-style 7260 joints. So unless you have dropped a needle in the cap during assembly, I'm guessing you have a non-factory shaft and yoke (not that uncommon considering the age of these trucks). The most common aftermarket part I see is a Spicer 1330 to 7260 conversion joint.

Do you have the u-joint you replaced to measure and verify?

What does the yoke look like on the rear?

 

Agreed, Spicer are pretty much the best U-joints you can buy.  Moog are just Precision joints in a different box.

 

The Spicers fit only at the non-greaseable ends of the shaft.  I cannot get the cross in on the greaseable ends, the other side of the shaft, eithe the caps off.

Shafts seem stock too.  Intermediate is a light green color.

 

if that is your picture , the cross IS in , but the caps may not be . so what your repeating does not make sense to me . using an arbor press or any press to do u joints is a recipe for disaster . missalined , needles broke , stuffed into cap's bottom , crushed yokes ( even just a little ) ... taught how in '71 at a shop with many presses , but they weren't used for u joints ..... I know the fsm and all u-tubeies use a press , or a vice AS a press , that is wrong .

How do you get the i joints out then?

 

It's possible that your shafts have had some pieces replaced over the years.  I always measure the old joints and yokes when replacing U-joints.  The stock joints would have been 7260 series joints, but it's likely your truck has had the slip yokes replaced which would probably make them Spicer style joints.

 

It's possible that your shafts have had some pieces replaced over the years. I always measure the old joints and yokes when replacing U-joints. The stock joints would have been 7260 series joints, but it's likely your truck has had the slip yokes replaced which would probably make them Spicer style joints.

I'll measure them today. The old ujoints that came out all looked the same. They weren't tall like I show in the picture. This is why I think Autozone is right. I also doubt all the the shafts were replaced.

 

please proof read your post/s  or maybe I'm slow on the uptake of a newer speak ?

I remove the clips , be they inside or out side ones , then support the horizontal sides of the u joint across the open jaws of a vice and tap the d/shaft  yoke down .    this pushes the u joint cap facing UP up out of the yoke almost all the way , flip the d/shaft 180 do the same again , when the second cap is almost out the cross will come out , and caps can be pushed out with a drift .

assembly  after deburring the yokes , install a cross , hold it so it protrudes from a cap hole , after greasing the needles , carefully install the cap over the cross's shaft , while holding the cross UP tap the cap down into the yoke , go a little too far , install c clip , flip d/shaft 180 , slide cross uo out of cap only enough to install opposing cap onto cross with out dislodging needles ,( or pulling it all the way out of first cap ) tap te cap downward , pushing the opposing cap outward to its proper location ( be sure c clip does NOT bind on high spot of yoke turn it if necessary ) . repeat for next 2 caps .

this takes practice , time , and care . after a few it becomes easy , and you become a pro ...

 

" thought" are you try,in to do the CV joint ujoints on the front shaft

 

" thought" are you try,in to do the CV joint ujoints on the front shaft

No

 

Original intermediate shaft. Notice the green paint. It looks factory. Even the universal joint end caps are green. So I believe it to be original.

The original universal joint I took out.

Spicer doesn't fit. No matter how I move it around. Believe me I tried all combinations.

Measurement of the yoke. 2.115 inches

Measurement of the original universal joint. 2.873 inches

Measurement of the Spicer universal joint. 2.940 inches

Picture of the Spicer measurement against the original universal joint. Notice the gap.

I measured the front drive shaft grease-able end. 2.116 inches

Measurement of the non-grease-able end. 2.121 inches

So this difference of 0.067 does not allow the greaseable end of the drive shafts to be used with the Spicer 5-789X universal joint.

Looking online the 2266909 universal joint is 7260.

 

The shafts were not painted from the factory.

 

The shafts were not painted from the factory.

Darn, I thought it was factory.

 

There is grease in the Spicers.  Should I add more? 

 

Do not add more grease.

Obviously its a ujoint issue since the cross dimensions are so different.

Go ahead and order a spicer greasble or head to ebay and get a NOS detroit/mopar u joint. One of my trucks, either the 88 or the 92 had the same problem in the rear of the rear driveshaft. Nothing was bent, just cant use the nongreasable for some reason on certain positions.
Heres the one you just pulled out
https://www.ebay.com/itm/MOPAR-NOS-3780250-Universal-Joint-U-Joint-Dodge-Plymouth-Chry-70S-In-Plastic/372867643280?epid=1922928304&hash=item56d0a4b790:g:yZUAAOSwtEZdNIzH:sc:USPSPriorityMailPaddedFlatRateEnvelope!04556!US!-1
I know I said to use the non greasble before- theres no rhyme or reason why the problem you have occurs. but its easy to fix t least. Just a big head ache.

Heres the spicer greasble
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dana-Spicer-5-1306X-7260-Series-Dodge-Universal-Joint-CP1306X-2298908-2298908/143401029932?epid=174574266&hash=item21635e112c:g:iRsAAOSwBYpdlcTe