Driveshaft play - normal or not?

[tsviatko]

I have some play in both my driveshafts. Tried twisting them today and that's what I got. The play ends with an audible clunk noise.

Now I know I have a bad CV joint on the left side since there is loud clicking when I turn right. But there's nothing like this when turning left so I assume the right CV joint is still fine.

The question is why the play on both sides? Does that mean that both of my CV joints are bad? Or is there some play even in brand new CV joints?

 

[Pat]

If you are talking about universal joints on yourdriveshafts it is easy to check them out.just get underneath with a pair of stillsons and attach one on the driveshaft and the other on the forward yoke and wriggle and jiggle them and you will soon see if there is any play there

 

[tsviatko]

Well, the play is there. I didn't even have to use stillsons. I can feel it using my hands only.

Now the thing is does this mean that my CV joints are bad? Isn't some play there normal?

 

[BobMurphy]

Well, the play is there. I didn't even have to use stillsons. I can feel it using my hands only.

You have a sealed CV joint at the outer end of your driveshaft - the end that bolts to the hub and allows the front wheel to steer.

That would normally be firm with no play detectable.

The inner end of the driveshaft has a "Tripod Bearing" in a tulip-shaped housing. I would expect there to be some backlash there.

The 'Tulip housing' connects to the differential - I would expect there to be some backlash in there too.

What Pat is suggesting is that you hold the driveshaft firmly and look for play between it and the front hub/wheel. Is this what you are doing (i.e. eliminating any play from the inner-end) ??

If you really can feel slack in the outer CV joints by hand I suggest its time to change them.

Bob.

 

[tsviatko]

I am able to rotate the driveshaft some with the truck sitting firmly in place. That means there is some play both in the inner and in the outer end of the driveshaft. I was kinda expecting the inner end slack, too. The outer end slack is what bothers me. If you guys can't feel one on your trucks then it's really time to change these CV joints.

 

[MisterCruiser]

Should there be in + out play on the inner cv joints? ie: If you grab the driveshaft at the inner cv joint area should you be able to "slide" the driveshaft / joint out towards the wheel and back in towards the transmission?

 

[BobMurphy]

Yes - the inner tripod bearing has to move in and out a bit as the suspension moves .

Bob.

 

[MisterCruiser]

Thanks Bob. I had another look at it with my friend. I have up + down play on the inner CV joint as well as the in/out play that we're saying is normal. When I grab the inner cv tripod housing and move it up / down it makes a noise, little clunking, like the same noise with the in/out play. My friend reckons there should be no up/down play and so i went ahead and removed the driveshaft to investigate further. I have up/down play on both but I removed the passenger side as it is the worst.

I'd appreciate your thoughts on the below pics below and my questions on them.

Should I have up / down play on the tripod casing?
Is that bearing rub mark highlighted in pic just normal mark or is it a sign of something not running straight?
It's not very obvious in the pic either, but there a little blue marking at the inner spline end of the shaft and also some of the splines look a little bit rubbed, but not bad at all, but could all be a sign of bad bearing and not running straight I'm thinking.

I removed the dust seal from the driveshaft outlet of the transfer box, but I don't see a bearing that I can remove from the outside, is it inside?
Is that piece with the holes in it a bearing?
It's not easy to see in the pic, but there's 2 score marks highlighted, are they a sign of something not running straight?
Also, there a sharp / razor like edge on the bottom semi-circle of the outlet hole highlighted in pic, this suggests the driveshaft isn't running straight and rubbing the surface?

Does the above pics all point to a worn bearing in the transfer box where the driveshafts sit in and if so how do I change these bearings?

 

[MisterCruiser]

I've confused myself, haha Is the "box" that my front driveshafts slot into the transfer box, the gearbox or the front diff? I was thinking it was the transfer box, but now I'm thinking it's the diff?


Edit: Ok, Iv'e figured out it's my front diff that is the box that has the driveshafts in it and started a new thread in relation to rebuilding the diff. excuse the blonde moment there haha