This thread is just for pointers and not sure if i should be posting it here,Thought it might be useful for anyone who was curious and wanted to DIY.

I just replaced my U-Joints on my rear drive shaft because of a vibration i have had for a couple weeks now. Pretty easy and straight forward to do.

Symptoms: clink or clank going into gear, squeak squeak squeak going down the road, a bad vibration that you could feel in the steering wheel and on the floorboard but would go away if you let up on the gas and return immediately once you stepped on the gas pedal.

Cure: Remove rear driveshaft by removing the 4 u-joint strap bolts in the rear,(on mine) which take a 7/16" quarter inch drive socket & ratchet , once removed and pry'd away from the rear yoke,slide the shaft out of the rear of the transmission.

Factory Joints like mine had to be heated to get them out because they glue them in..i used a propane torch and heated around the outside until the glue came out of the holes in the sides and didnt take long at all to get apart..make sure you clean off the old glue and then install your new ones. make sure you mark the yolks for realignment purposes, reinstall shaft and tighten the bolts...grease the fittings when your done.

I used Spicer u-joints part # 5-3147X..costs 16 bucks a joint but well worth it..I wouldn't recommend useing advance or autozone u-joints but thats my opinion.

 

Thanks for a good write up, reelbroke2. I've got a driveline vibration in my 99 tblazer. It's got automatic 4wd and I cannot tell where the vibes are coming from. Next weekend I'll put it up on jackstands and check the ujoints.

Drive safe.

 

thanks, your post was helpful. My 98 blazer was having the same symptoms and it ended up being the same thing.

 

My99 blazer has these same symtoms but when i checked the drive shaft there was no looseness ,everything seemed tight . Should i just change them anyway? Do you replace both universals ? Thanks Jim

 

I have a vibration in my steering wheel at about 65-70mph. Also when I am driving or even with my blazer parked it makes a squeaking noise in the rear, is that the u joint? I thought it was my leaf springs until I read your post. I own a 97 4door AWD, any difference with the u joints? I have never replaced them before and don't want to mess anything up.

 

SO I am in the middle of trying to get the drive shaft out, I have removed the 4 bolts at the rear and can't seem to get the shaft to slide forward! what am I missing I have been using a pry bar and it's not moving. please help I will give someone my number if they want to call me and help with the problem.

 

I just replaced my rear axle front ujoint for the second time. Bought the heavy duty ujoints from NAPA both times. This time though without the grease fitting. The old joint happen to fail on the bearing with the grease fitting. I wouldnt have greased them anyway.

When trying to locate the vibration I put the rear up on jack stands. Lots of backlash in that drivetrain. Transfer case sounds like a rattling bucket of bolts. If I put the car in nuetral and turn back and forth it has alot of backlash. Sounds like a problem waiting to happen.