Driveshaft Universal Joint Routine Replacement?

[EddieC]

Pushing about 110,000 miles, most for any vehicle owned so the question is are universal joints routinely replaced as a matter of maintenance before failure?

 

[Geotrash]

Pushing about 110,000 miles, most for any vehicle owned so the question is are universal joints routinely replaced as a matter of maintenance before failure?

Not by most of us. I have 222K on the ones on my ‘07 and they’re still snug. Not much angle on these the way they’re set up.

 

[swathdiver]

I keep checking mine and they keep being good!

 

[EddieC]

Maybe I'll add, if it's apart for other work, should they be changed as a matter of fact since the driveshaft is disconnected anyways?

 

[OR VietVet]

Maybe I'll add, if it's apart for other work, should they be changed as a matter of fact since the driveshaft is disconnected anyways?

I was just gonna say that. I had my driveshafts out before a recent 5k+ mile trip and did all u-joints while they were out and 143K miles. They were good but I did them anyway.
When they do give up the ghost, it is never in your driveway.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

I changed mine at 125,000 miles, trying to hunt down a 'clunk'. The universal joints were good, and the 'clunk' turned out to be my front differential support mounts.

 

[gooffeyguy]

I still have the OE u-joints in both my 2001 (240k) and 2012 (135k)

 

[EddieC]

I am getting the impression that they don't easily go bad.

 

[swathdiver]

Maybe I'll add, if it's apart for other work, should they be changed as a matter of fact since the driveshaft is disconnected anyways?

They don't because they are sealed and solid. I am going to replace mine when I put in the larger axle. Tossing around the idea of upgrading to 1410 u-joints like the GMT900 2500 SUVs and K2s run with their higher torque motors. Always wanted to enter a tractor pull contest with mine and don't want to be that guy who drops a shaft.

 

[donjetman]

I've has both of my driveshafts out twice since I bought the vehicle 4 yrs ago with 130k miles. the 2nd time was recently and they still don't need replacing with 179k miles now.