New auto part woes

[NHtreefarmahfan]

Was wondering if anyone else has experienced this issue. was doing the rear U joint on my 1979 f150 tonight and noticed the clips never seem to go in right. Almost like they are thicker. Ended up reusing the old clips. This also happened to me a few months back doing front axle joints on my 2000 ram 1500. This was a oreilly brand joint...probably should of used a spicer I know  : anyway would love to hear if anyone else is dealing with stuff like this.

[Guydreads]

My issue was a little different but yes, I had something similar. I ordered a new water pump, aftermarket, and when it came, the interior diameter of the clutch fan to go over it (OEM) was too small. By like half a mm. Couldn't get it to fit, but I ended up sanding out interior of my OEM part (I wasn't too worried about doing that, car has 284k) and voilà it worked. Not the right way to do it though. Still works fine.

[kantuckid]

If they came out of that part they'll go back? :D Clean parts matters of course. 

[Dave Shepard]

How did you take the u joint apart? They can get deformed easier then you might think. 

[barbender]

What Dave said. The last u-joint I did, I didn't realize the bore on the shaft had gotten deformed a bit, and I ruined a new u joint while installing it. So I got to use the one I bought for the other side🤦‍♂️

[NHtreefarmahfan]

The joint caps came out easy with a medium hammer. And I used the same hammer to put the new caps back in. Cleaned out the ring grooves and the bores in the yoke. Maybe it's just something I did  ???but the old clips fit and the new ones did not. 

[Dave Shepard]

I've had a needle end up across the end, too.

[moosehunter]

When you are changing a u-joint the entire yoke should be cleaned VERY well. If I don't have a blast cabinet I use an assortment of wire brushs. The flat area that the c-clips set in I use a wide flat file to clean it up.
mh

[moodnacreek]

If you have not bent the yoke ears and think the new joint is centered use whatever clips fit. Some joints come with different clips for a select fit [extra clips of different thickness]    Spicer's with grease fittings can last a long time for sure.

[NHtreefarmahfan]

 

 Well it's back together and no more vibration so we will see what happens  :D here's a pic of the truck in question if anyone was curious... 351m 4 speed 

[Jack S]

Done a lot of ujoints in my life and found out early in my career that when reassembling either pressing or hammering in the new caps the yoke will quite often close up a few thousands and the clips won't fit. The easy solution is to open your vise up wide enough to be able to put the yoke in with a hex nut for a spacer on each side, fitting the bearing caps then tighten the vise tight to hold it. Now take a drift punch and hammer and whack the outside of the yoke to expand it a little and your clips will now fit. 

[JJ]

nice clean truck for NH roads.
I wish my 09 F150 looked that good :(

        JJ

[Peter Drouin]

Oiling 2 times a year will help a lot in NH with all the salt.

[moodnacreek]

Oiling 2 times a year will help a lot in NH with all the salt.

Years back I had a Triumph TR 3 and the owners manual said the drained motor oil was to be brushed on the undercarriage. That's how I got started and that's how I have kept my '91 f 350.                                                                              On u joints I always check for bind and if felt stress relieve side to side with hammer and socket.

[NHtreefarmahfan]

Thank you all for the kind words and advice   Bought the truck from Washington state back around 2015... was told they use sand instead of salt on the roads there. Only has 90k miles on it that I believe to be accurate. Certainly stood out in the high school parking lot among all the plastic bubbles of todays cars and trucks.  8) hope everyone's having a good weekend

[NHtreefarmahfan]

Ill have to get into that used oil undercoat routine that's a good idea.