Re: Issue after replacing cush drive dampeners
At the dealership, the trade name for these in the shop was "money maker"
Just about every 4WD truck that rolled off a Detroit assembly line had them on the transfer case to the front diff. They usually crapped out around 30-40K miles since they started to use sealed U-joints (no zerks) around the early 70's.
Also, the clips (on the caps) where eliminated in the 70's and the joint caps where held in place by injecting molten nylon into the grooves and letting it harden.
To remove the joints, so you could rebuild the CV joint, a torch was used to melt the nylon. Lots of flames, smoke and pounding with a BFH.
Grease & melting nylon make a pretty big, stinky fire.
The new U-joints that went in had zerks in them and, clips where installed in the grooves instead of nylon to hold the new u-joints in.
Paid 4.5 hours to rebuild a front shaft. I could knock one out in about 1.5 hours.....still got paid 4.5 hours.
Caddy shop guys where getting 6.2 hours. Cadillac used them because it gave a much smoother drive. The folks that plunked down that kind of money for a Caddy didn't want it to feel like a Caprice running down the road.
Too bad Honda didn't put a zerk in the U-joint. A single shot (pump) of grease every 50-60K miles would make that joint last forever.
