I thought I read some where that the u joints in 04 and up are not replaceable or you need a special tool. Is this true? I figure start with the cheap stuff first to find the driveline vibration

 

The ujoint are not servicable when they break they are scrap. I would know I broke mine and had a new one built that's servicable and rated at 1000 hp

 

I mean can you replace u joints or do you have to replace the drive shaft, if that's the case it just may catch fire, LOL

 

you have replace the entire driveshaft my new one was $625 but it has servicable 1 ton ujoints and a servicable carrier bearing rated at 1000hp

 

Ford does have a u-joint repair kit now available to service the rear drive shaft.
Part No. 4L3Z 4635-AB. It comes with complete instructions.

 

I don't see how you get the u joints out they are built into the drive shaft

 

The Ford u-joint kit provides a special cutter to remove the stakes from the u- joint bores.

 

This has to be one of the dumbest things I have heard of. It's a simple U-joint why does Ford feel the need to make things complicated. Standard U-joints have been working great for years.

 

It's a way to make more money off of you. The average owner would take it to the dealer and buy a new shaft for big bucks, whereas you and I and most of the members here would find a way to replace the stock joints or just buy an aftermarket shaft that has replaceable joints.

 

Well in my case mine actually broke at the pinion flange and there is a label that says scrap if dropped o well I love my new drive shaft

 

Yeah, mine has that sticker on it too. I even have the extended warr from ford, but if I had to pay for a new shaft, it will be a rebuildable one from someone else other than ford.

 

Well the kit from Ford is $110, comes with 1 joint so I need 3, thats $330, if the vibration is the carrier bearing you have to buy the whole driveshaft at $650. Thanks alot Ford I hope you saved a little money by screwing us in the long run, My buddy owns a trans shop and will redo the whole thing for $300, arghh

 

Hey Pat, I was under my truck yesterday changing out my rear shackles and I noticed my driveshaft has actual snap rings holding in the u-joint caps, so it appears I can put in an off the shelf u-joint w/o a special kit from ford.

 

For some reason, just stumbled on this thread and it got me to wondering. I have a '07 F150 4x4 also, but could not recall ever actually looking close at the U-joints though I had read it could have either type of retaining ...
... staked and thus non serviceable ...
... or ...
... with snap rings which are serviceable.

I went out just now to the shed and crawled under neath and took some pics, mine has the internal snap rings retaining the joint bearing cups.





They must use "rust friendly" steel for the whole shaft assy.!

The ones on my '77 don't rust like that? Not the bearing cups and snap rings .... not even sure the driveshaft is that brown.

 

You guys are gonna make me go outside in the rain and crawl under my truck now LOL. I never knew there was a such thing as a non changeable joint. I never understood why they stopped putting zerks on them either.