Looking for opinions on a problem with my Dakota

[ScottD]

Although I owned a Shelby Dakota for eight years it was really problem free and my experience with diagnosing problems on a RWD or 4x4 vehicle is pretty limited.

Something in my drivetrain is squeaking on my 90 Dakota Sport 4x4. When the rear driveshaft spins, the squeak is there. In neutral it is gone. It is most noticeable in 1st and 2nd gears and when under load, if I'm coasting it seems to disappear or dissipate. I tried to grease the u-joints and it takes the strength of the Incredible Hulk to get grease into them. Last night I noticed the oil seal where the rear driveshaft goes into the transfer case is leaking. My hypothesis is that the grease dried up in the u-joints and there is a mild vibration there (note - I don't feel a vibration when driving) that created the oil seal problem. I'm thinking new oil seal and u-joints will solve the issue.

Am I on the right track here? I'd appreciate any thoughts and opinions. I'd like to get this straightened out as I have the truck looking good but when I pull away from a stop all you hear is eek eek eek eek :-)

Scott
86 GLHS #408
89 Daytona C/S competition package
90 Dakota Sport convertible
92 Spirit R/T
04 SRT-4
05 Neon SXT 5spd
Walkersville, MD

[QC DSM ESiT]

The seal you are refering to is called your rear pinion seal. It is know for going out on alot of the Dodge trucks. In fact I just put one into a 04 Ram just yesterday. Its pretty easy to do so I would do that first and then see if that fixes it. You are going to have to take the driveshaft off of that seal anyway so if you really want to replace the U joints that might be a good time to do that too. Hell when you take out the driveshaft you could even take it to a place and see if they can balance that too. You say you have a vibration on the driveshaft but if you don't want to take it to a place to have it balanced then I would make a mark down the driveshaft all the way to the diff. otherwise you could throw everything out of balance even more.

[JDAWG]

rear u joint scott, get napa heavy dutys

[turbovanman²]

Yep, U-joint(s)

[ScottD]

Thanks for the responses guys. Who would balance a driveshaft? Is that something a machine shop typically does?

[JDAWG]

not all, machine shops have the stuff, not sure who in town here does

[ScottD]

Local machine shop wanted $85 to press in u-joints. Is it me or is that a total rip off?

[JDAWG]

Scot Gunthers is a rip. All the machine shops around here are. I asked Jimmy and he said they just use the bench vise here.

[ScottD]

Yeah, Gunther's is a rip and so is that guy over by the fairgrounds. I have a good bench vise so maybe it is something I can do myself.

[turbovanman²]

If you brought me the driveshaft, I would charge like $40, if you brought me the truck, $106.80 plus parts and tax.

[paisley_pirate]

regarding driveshaft balancing...

normally the best place is a driveline place. There should be one around near a metro area (we've got 2 here in Wichita and 1 in Hutchinson... ) They can balance shafts, and also do custom builds. I had one balanced and checked when I switched the truck from slant 6 to 318 (thought I needed length change, I was wrong) and it cost me $80 labor. Well worth it... it was smooth as silk after that (they installed new joints with it, now that I think about it)

U-Joints would be my bet, too.. (fwiw) I've had a few Dodge pickups over the years, and every one of them had the freaking squeak at one time or another...

[turbovanman²]

Why do you want it balanced?

[ScottD]

If it was cheap to do I was thinking of doing it since I will have the driveshaft out. But I'm going to put the new joints in and go from there, I'm hoping that fixes it.

[ScottD]

Thanks to all who responded to this.

I got the u-joints and a new pinion seal in on the transfer case tonight and all is well.

Woo hoo!

[turbovanman²]

Thanks to all who responded to this.

I got the u-joints and a new pinion seal in on the transfer case tonight and all is well.

Woo hoo!

Pinion seal is on the rear diff, extension housing seal is the transfer case or transmission one.

Glad to hear its fixed, :thumb:

[ScottD]

Ahhh, I thought they were both just called pinion seals. Nobody at the parts stores knew what they were called, in fact I ended up getting the wrong one from NAPA and had to make a last minute trip to Advance Auto last night before I could finish the job.

[turbojerk]

Thanks for the responses guys. Who would balance a driveshaft? Is that something a machine shop typically does?

I've gotten 3 driveshafts balance at York Mack (in west York)....I think it ran about $40+


T

[ScottD]

I'll keep that in mind. I just threw it back in and it seems fine, I'll hit 70-75 on Route 15 on the way home and see how it does but it feels pretty good.

[Vigo]

Just a bit of random info on pinpointing noises: Things tend to move at different speeds compared to each other. I.E. you can tell just by watching a truck roll by you whether that noise is in the u-joints or the brakes by comparing their speed to the frequency of the noise. the driveshaft and u-joints typically go around 3 times and change for every one revolution of the wheel. This situation is just an example of the concept. I work in a transmission shop, and obviously a transmission has numerous parts moving at different speeds, but you can use the idea other places too. enough blabbing for me.