The Universal Joint Operation

As Dale and I were removing the drive shafts, we were careful to mark the position of each shaft so we could correctly put them back together. However, one of the U-joint bearing assemblies came off and we had a hundred little “needle” bearings running around on the driveway. These guys are the size of pencil lead, about ¾ of an inch long. Well no use crying over spilt bearings, we can always get a replacement U-joint. Or so I thought. You can see in the picture that 66 years of grime adds up.

With the frame finished, the brakes on, and the suspension installed, it was time to work on the drive shaft.  The first order of business was to replace the U-joints. Well as y’all know, I have a special needs truck, that being one of the ¾ ton persuasion. My internet search for the U-joints turned up some complicated Universal joint sub-system assembly for $150 each, I needed three, and to top it off I wasn’t sure if this was even the correct part.  I had Iooked in all the usual parts stores, tried eBay, and even went to physical stores. Nothing, zero, nada, zilch!

Time to use a lifeline and take it to the SHOP. I loaded the parts into my PT Cruiser and was off to see the Wizard. This was new ground for me, taking my shaft into the shop. After three trips from the parking lot, my parts were all on the counter. This is when Heidi, that’s what I call her, an older German looking blond lady with a long pig-tail. She came out and asked what I needed.  I will make a note that a German looking man in a pristine blue shop apron was five feet away from the counter working on something at the same time. I tell Heidi that I think my U-joints need to be replaced, however I am not sure and wondered if she could look at my parts and advise me on what to do. I am glad her name was not Dr. Ruth.

Well Heidi examines my U-joints and drive shaft and I explain that I made a terrible mistake and spilled my needle bearings all over the place. She said that it happens all the time and then looked at the U-joints. This is where she says that “he” would know what to do. Did I mention that “he” was five feet away! So Heidi and I are having this diagnostic discussion, me who knows nothing, Heidi is trying, and the Wizard is behind some invisible wall.  Finally after about 15 minutes of bumbling discussion with Heidi, “he” walks over, looks at the U-joints and points out to Heidi that they need to be replaced.  Why am I not surprised.

About a week later I received a call to say that the parts were replaced and that I could come pick them up. This time the Wizard was talkative and we were discussing the repair process. Turns out the old U-joints were really rusted together. He spent a week spraying Liquid Wrench on the parts just to loosen them up. When I commented that I would have replaced them myself if I could have found the correct U-joints, he calmly informed me that there was no way a Pilgrim like me could have done it, since – okay here it comes – he had Special Tools that you even had to have a certificate just to be able to purchase them.

Well I have to tell you, the $120 dollars I spent for this work was worth every penny. Just look. I have to tell you that the pretty blue bands on the U-joint surly comefrom the rubber bands they use on Maine lobster claws.

As you can see I have one piece of the drive shaft connected to the transmission and doesn’t it look grand.

Happy Day



Buy America

Okay I know what you are thinking, enough with the patriotic proselytizing. Bear with me. As I was digging into the parking brake subsystem and I mean subsystem, this is not just a couple of parts, it is a big process.

Of all the parts you can only see one and that one holds the parking brake components in the cab – the Parking Brake Support. When we took the cab apart two of the bolts broke because they were rusted in place. No big deal, I naively think. Ha ha, parts 13 cents, labor a thousand dollars!

As I am working on the Parking Brake Support it is time to remove the two snapped off bolts. The standard technique is to drill out the broken bolt and remove the remaining pieces. Well it is hard to hit the center of the bolt with a hand held drill and dull bits.  I did drill two holes, “mostly” in the center, you remember what this means – not in the center. With a little work I was able to extract the remaining metal from the first nut and after I rethreaded the nut it was perfect.

But Mister Mechanic Man, you said there were two broken bolts, what about the other Bad Boy. Well I had to use the advanced technique which was to get a bolt extractor. Sounds easy, but of course I don’t have one, so off to The Home Depot I go to stimulate the economy. The made in China extractor set costs $9 and the made in USA set was $30. Stinginess overcame my better judgment.  I mean aren’t they the same?

Well, the little voices in my head were at a consistent drone – you blew it Bubba! The way these tools work is that you insert them into the hole that is mostly centered and since they are opposite threaded, they catch on the bolt part and then you simply unscrew the part. What could be better, well that is the demo anyway.

In the reality show, I started twisting and had some good turns going especially since I was using a three foot cheater bar, I felt like Conan the Barbarian. In the mean time the voices in my head are screaming – STOP!!!  But my testosterone fueled mind set was unstoppable.

You guessed it. The extractor broke. Look I work out at the gym and I moved up from the pink dumbbells to the light blue dumbbells just last week. Still I shouldn’t be able to break the extractor, after all it is made from super hardened steal. Remember your early Greek lessons, with a lever you can move the world, or at least break any tool or bolt.

Now back to the hardest metal in the universe. How do I now get the fragment out of the nut? Well I try to drill it out, however no drill bit I have can even scratch it after all it is made from Kryptonite.

Well when I took in my kingpins to R&R Speed Shop, I also brought in this problem. They said, sure we will have ol’ Hal look into it.  Great, they have real tools so they should be able to do the deed.

Well mister frugal notices that the Parking Brake Support can be purchased for $40 dollars from the internet parts stores. I call R&R to ask how they are doing and mention this fact, they quickly abdicate and say I should buy it since it will take $80 for ol’ Hal to just look at it and he will probably just get it mostly fixed. Aggghh!

I am now on to plan D, Brian asks to play with it, what did I have to lose, he had to be better than ol’ Hal. Remember Brian has more Man tools than God, he takes his WWII flame thrower to the bolt and burns through everything. Turns out he uses a secret Ninja trick to only blow out the bad parts and leave the nut intact, sweet - you should see him toast marshmallows. He brings in the part the next day and it is perfect.

Next time I am buying USA tools from a Ninja. I promise.

It Is About Time

It has been three weeks since the last post and it is about time for an update. I made major progress this Saturday. With business trips, swim meets, parties, and the real reason – waiting for parts to be shipped, time marched on. But the planets aligned, the chicken bones fell in place, and the 13 year cicadas hatched - big time progress.

I cleaned the bell housing and transmission of all the greese; I just can’t kick my chemical dependency and my favorite tool, the wire brush. The engine mounts were delivered and I was surprised to see that they were made in India. They worked but clearly were just adequate. Makes me wonder if these were made in Slumdog Millionaire.

The piece de resistance was the drive shaft fitted out with new u-joints.

Just look at it now!!!!!

The front end is mostly done: steering, brakes, suspension, drive shaft. What a beautiful sight.  I do expect the rear springs next week so the frame components could be done in a few weeks.

Happy Day