The T/A replaced the number 1 u-joint on my driveline and now...

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by codyschmidt, May 12, 2014.

  1. codyschmidt

    codyschmidt Light Load Member

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    Back in January 2014 I took my truck into the T/A for a p.m. and while they were under the truck greasing the tech noticed that my number one U-joint had movement and recommended it get replaced...I got the U-Joint replaced and all was good for about a week and a half. I started to get a vibration under the truck that week and a half later So I took the truck back to the same shop that replaced the U-Joint and told them about the vibration and they went under and sure enough the U-Joint was loose and they needed to fix it again. All was good...I had another PM done at Speedco on 5/3/14 and I had the tech at Speedco check the u-joints and look for movement or play in all 3 of them. All was good still. BUT THEN....

    On 5/6 I was driving along in the right lane and all of a sudden a bad shaking and vibration started and I started to work my way onto the shoulder but I had lost all power to the truck and within 15 seconds lost all my air pressure and all the brakes locked.....I was lucky enough to be all the way on the shoulder at that point, so I got the triangles out and I went to look to see what happened.... The number one u-joint came loose from the driveline and the driveline came loose from the yolk and somehow wrapped around my airlines and wires going under the truck and cut them in half, It had cut the main powerline going from the batteries to under the hood and that is why no power....Also the driveline punched a hole in my airtank going along the drivers side. I cannot say for sure what the driveline actually did when the u-joint came loose because I was not looking at it going down the road, I can only speculate because I do not know if it bounced up off the road and took out the lines or it took them out and then hit the road.

    All I could see was the damage that was done from it and the u-joint laying on the ground under the truck.

    So I guess my question is....Did the T/A tech not do a good job when the U-Joint was replaced and fixed again?? Can I go after them for the cost of repairs from all the damage that was done because the u-joint came loose? Or is it just a lesson learned and cover the cost?

    I have pictures of the damage, I just could not figure out how to post them here for you guys to see in case you were wondering
     
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  3. codyschmidt

    codyschmidt Light Load Member

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    one thing I did not mention, I had the cruise control on and set at 69 when this happened
     
  4. tow614

    tow614 Road Train Member

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    To be honest.. this is something you should be checking on a pretrip... and yes I do look at my driveline...

    improper installation can be a problem but since you went for awhile I doubt it. Anytime you have parts replaced where nuts and bolts need to be torqued you should keep a close eye on them for some time to see if they come loose.
     
  5. codyschmidt

    codyschmidt Light Load Member

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    I did keep an eye on it, I got under the truck at the end of the day to see if there was any play, and I also had them check it with the PM done just a couple days before
     
  6. tow614

    tow614 Road Train Member

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    In that case..it could be a defective ujoint.. I worked in a driveline shop for years and my best friend owns a driveline shop in columbus ohio. I have seen it before. Difficult to say without seeing the parts.
     
  7. OldHasBeen

    OldHasBeen Road Train Member

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    Sounds like they did a poor job of installing the new u-joint, in all of my many miles of driving never had a u-joint go out.
     
  8. Superhauler

    Superhauler TEACHER OF MEN

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    or with it being the second u-joint, it may have a warped yoke on driveshaft causing the u-joints to fail. or a worn yoke that lets the u-joint cap or cap's to move around. with should of been checked by the (parts replacer) that did the work.
     
    KeithT1967 Thanks this.
  9. sdaniel

    sdaniel Road Train Member

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    Sounds like the yolk was bad ? If the caps in the yolk are not tight ! It would cause the vibration . Then new U joint was not a fix .
     
  10. tow614

    tow614 Road Train Member

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    Superhauler and sdaniel are correct however nothing you can do about it now but fix it and move on...
     
  11. sdaniel

    sdaniel Road Train Member

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    Correct! And me and the other poster must have been typing at the same time . With the same idea. They say great minds think a like !
     
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