UJ or Bearing

[Kenny]

Really bad vibrations when getting above 35 in the 90, 2.5NA, 1989. There is some movement at the end of the front prop shaft, but I cannot tell if it's the bearing in the transfer box or the UJ. I know what is involved changing the UJ, but what about the bearing.

Also how long should a UJ last on average as I'm sure that this one is only 2 years old.

TIA

Damian

[turtle]

I been through a few UJ's on the props, ever since I put a 2" lift on the motor.

[strapping young lad]

you can get castor angle altered radius arms from QT services

and i THINK Matt Lee engineering sell altered angle swivel housings for the same purpose too.

[Mace]

Kenny

I had the same vibration on my NAD last week. I discovered it wasn't just the UJ's but also the splines on the props which were worn. I was told that any movement at all in any of the joints will cause the vibration. Trouble is I did another 100 miles on them before I finally took them off and by which time they were completely knackered.

So, i bought and fitted two shiney new props from Paddocks for 130 squid and it's now total free of all vibration. Try removing the front prop, stick it in difflock and go for a drive, you'll soon know whether it's the prop or not.

I was amazed at how much better the engine now pulls when it doesn't have to go the the vibration 'wall'.

With 2" lift on a 90, you can buy extra wide yoked props from Scorpion which should help the UJ problem long term. The standard prop yokes weren't designed to run at that angle.

Hope this short essay helps  :D

[Kenny]

How can you tell if the prop is Knackered ?

Damian

[Sharpshooter]

The best way to tell if a prop is worn, is to look at where the uj fits into the prop. There are circlips, and if you can see that the cups have been spinning them this is a 9/10 way to tell. Another way is to get under the landy, grab hold of the prop with both hands, and give it a good push and pull. If it moves much more than 1/8 of an inch in any direction, change it. The new ones have a grease nipple on them, if you keep them well lubed they should last quite a while.  I used to change loads of props in my old job, and the main cause was lack of lubrication. They should be greased at least once every two weeks.

[muddyweb]

Adding a suspension lift will increase the UJ angle at the transmission end of the propshaft, this will cause propshaft rumble, and increased wear.

Adding caster-correction will *not* improve this situation.  In fact, but returning the caster to it's normal location, you will actually increase the running angle of the axle end of the propshaft.

These increased angles will cause rumble, and premature wear in both the UJ's and in the splines of the shaft itself.

I don't know how much the Scorpion shafts are, but I get my propshafts made up by Dunning & Fairbank : www.propshafts.co.uk

They will do a Land Rover length propshaft with wide angle flanges and a long-slip yoke for less than a genuine LR shaft.  (And they are better quality)

[Kenny]

Visited the garage today (I really must learn how to do this stuff myself) and the steering UJ was knackered, replaced, rear UJ knackered, replaced, wing mirror fell out, forgot to replace, lamp lens, replaced and it's still covered in mu. Didn't even wash it.

Damian