Gary Lewis Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 Pretty awesome that those U-joints have made it 40 years! You must have a BW 1345. They are aluminum cased. The 1356 wasn't introduced until much later. If I was picking I'd pick the 1345 over the 208 and the 1356. It is supposedly a bit stronger than the 208, doesn't have the oil pump problem of the 1356, and has a slightly lower gear ratio than the other two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlas75 Posted June 6, 2021 Author Share Posted June 6, 2021 Pretty awesome that those U-joints have made it 40 years! You must have a BW 1345. They are aluminum cased. The 1356 wasn't introduced until much later. One other thing I noticed while under the truck. Should the driveshaft turn with equal resistance in both directions? Mine did not. It turned much easier counter clockwise. After I removed the driveshaft I turned the rear yoke and it turned with equal resistance. I’m guessing the yoke on the t-case will spin easier counter clockwise. Is this normal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 One other thing I noticed while under the truck. Should the driveshaft turn with equal resistance in both directions? Mine did not. It turned much easier counter clockwise. After I removed the driveshaft I turned the rear yoke and it turned with equal resistance. I’m guessing the yoke on the t-case will spin easier counter clockwise. Is this normal? I've not experienced a transfer case spinning easier in one direction that the other. But the rear axle will if the brake shoes are lightly touching. Because one shoe is self-energizing, meaning if it touches it'll get pulled against the drum, they can spin easier one way than the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlas75 Posted June 6, 2021 Author Share Posted June 6, 2021 I've not experienced a transfer case spinning easier in one direction that the other. But the rear axle will if the brake shoes are lightly touching. Because one shoe is self-energizing, meaning if it touches it'll get pulled against the drum, they can spin easier one way than the other. The brakes on the rear axel example makes sense and thankfully mine spins with equal resistance in both directions. I haven’t actually spun the T-case yoke yet but I will before I put the driveshaft back in. I guess it’s possible given how tight the one u-joint was that it could be binding more in one direction vs. the other. We’ll find out tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlas75 Posted June 7, 2021 Author Share Posted June 7, 2021 The brakes on the rear axel example makes sense and thankfully mine spins with equal resistance in both directions. I haven’t actually spun the T-case yoke yet but I will before I put the driveshaft back in. I guess it’s possible given how tight the one u-joint was that it could be binding more in one direction vs. the other. We’ll find out tomorrow. My t-case does indeed turn with less resistance one way vs. the other. I’ll see if I can find out more about that phenomenon and report back. I did manage to remove the grease from the tag while under the truck today. 1345 it is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlas75 Posted June 7, 2021 Author Share Posted June 7, 2021 I spent a good portion of the day wrestling the driveshaft out from under the truck. Everything went well on the transfer case end but the rear axel end fought back. The 4 nuts all came loose rather easily but the U-bolts would not come out of the yoke. I sprayed them with PB Blaster and I heated them with a torch but still they would not budge. I finally ended up cutting them with a sawzall, removing the driveshaft, and driving them out with a punch. I’m glad the 90 degree day was accompanied by a decent breeze! Anyway, here are a few photos of the event. Also discovered I have a Borg Warner transfer case. I saw the name in the casting. I haven’t scraped the grease off the tag to get the model yet. I also noticed it has or had quite a leak. I wonder how much fluid is in it? Perhaps we’ll crack open the fill plug in the near future. Both U-joints say “Spicer Can” on them. What are the chances they are original? And here it is out on the driveway with the cups soaking in PB Blaster. I was able to remove all 4 retaining clips so that is a good sign. I received new U-joints from Rock Auto so hopefully tomorrow I can rent a press and swap them out. As far as condition of the current joints…the one at the transfer case was in better shape. The one at the rear axel is very hard to move in one direction. Hopefully tomorrow I can show the driveshaft re-installed. New U-joints are installed!! I had a helper today and I’m glad I did. It made things just that much easier. Like the driveshaft removal the U-joint at the rear axel fought back again today. We started with just the press and that did not work. We added heat and that did not work either. We were getting pretty frustrated and then I remembered a bar I made for just such an occasion. We gave the press another rotation or so and reapplied the heat. Finally it popped loose. I think it startled my daughter a bit as it was kinda loud! After that it was just the mundane process of replacement of a U-joint. They were a little tighter than I would like to see them but no tighter than the originals. So back under the truck I went and reinstalled the driveshaft. After everything was reinstalled, I started the truck and ran it in drive (with the tires removed) up to 45 ish mph. It was pretty still. No vibration to speak of. I think between the U-joints and the tires/balancing we should have the vibration issue licked. Now…while I was running it in drive I would apply the brake and then wait for the rear axel to stop and then shift into park. I noticed a clunking noise a few times so I enlisted the assistance of my other daughter who is 6. I had her watch the passenger side rear drum for me. I put it into drive and let it spin. I asked her if it was spinning and she said yes (which it should have been). Then I pressed the brake fairly hard and I saw the drivers rear stop fairly quickly. I asked if her’s had stopped and she said no, it was still spinning! Clearly the passenger rear has some issue. Maybe it just needs an adjustment? Beyond that I’m guessing I’ll need to remove the axel and drum to see what is allowing it to continue to spin with the brake pressed pretty hard. I’ve never had one of these apart before. Anything to watch out for? I think it is a Dana 61 but I have not been able to locate the tag yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted June 7, 2021 Share Posted June 7, 2021 New U-joints are installed!! I had a helper today and I’m glad I did. It made things just that much easier. Like the driveshaft removal the U-joint at the rear axel fought back again today. We started with just the press and that did not work. We added heat and that did not work either. We were getting pretty frustrated and then I remembered a bar I made for just such an occasion. We gave the press another rotation or so and reapplied the heat. Finally it popped loose. I think it startled my daughter a bit as it was kinda loud! After that it was just the mundane process of replacement of a U-joint. They were a little tighter than I would like to see them but no tighter than the originals. So back under the truck I went and reinstalled the driveshaft. After everything was reinstalled, I started the truck and ran it in drive (with the tires removed) up to 45 ish mph. It was pretty still. No vibration to speak of. I think between the U-joints and the tires/balancing we should have the vibration issue licked. Now…while I was running it in drive I would apply the brake and then wait for the rear axel to stop and then shift into park. I noticed a clunking noise a few times so I enlisted the assistance of my other daughter who is 6. I had her watch the passenger side rear drum for me. I put it into drive and let it spin. I asked her if it was spinning and she said yes (which it should have been). Then I pressed the brake fairly hard and I saw the drivers rear stop fairly quickly. I asked if her’s had stopped and she said no, it was still spinning! Clearly the passenger rear has some issue. Maybe it just needs an adjustment? Beyond that I’m guessing I’ll need to remove the axel and drum to see what is allowing it to continue to spin with the brake pressed pretty hard. I’ve never had one of these apart before. Anything to watch out for? I think it is a Dana 61 but I have not been able to locate the tag yet. Helpers can be a huge benefit. Looks like you have a good one. On the u-joints, did you rap the bottom of the U with a hammer after installing the joints? That tends to spread the U and loosen of the joint. As for the D61 axle, I've not had one out so I don't have any suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlas75 Posted June 7, 2021 Author Share Posted June 7, 2021 Helpers can be a huge benefit. Looks like you have a good one. On the u-joints, did you rap the bottom of the U with a hammer after installing the joints? That tends to spread the U and loosen of the joint. As for the D61 axle, I've not had one out so I don't have any suggestions. Gary, what do you mean by “rap the bottom” of the u-joint? I did tap on the yoke rings numerious times thinking the vibration would help them settle in. I’m just not sure where the bottom is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted June 8, 2021 Share Posted June 8, 2021 Gary, what do you mean by “rap the bottom” of the u-joint? I did tap on the yoke rings numerious times thinking the vibration would help them settle in. I’m just not sure where the bottom is. Pardon the crude drawing of an and to a driveshaft and the u-joint, but rap where the red arrow is pointing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted June 8, 2021 Share Posted June 8, 2021 Pardon the crude drawing of an and to a driveshaft and the u-joint, but rap where the red arrow is pointing. And be sure not to overtighten those U-bolts. If you do the caps will distort and the needles will be toast in short order. (I've learned this lesson too many times now! ) I forget what the torque figure is, but it isn't as much as you might think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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