U-Joint Question

My brother's 2001 Silverado has burned up 3 U-joints and he can't figure out what could be causing them to fail. He put in this last u joint 2 months ago and he has to replace it again this weekend. He doesn't take it off road, on very long road trips but he does do some light towing (yard debris). Any ideas? He is really getting frustrated..I own a 98 Burb so I can't really give him a hand.

Thanks :)

Has he had any supension modifications, lift/loering kits? Any tranmission/engine work that would have moved the alignment of the engine/trans? New add ons like shocks, sway bar, different sized tires?

Tell us what was stock and what was changed and we could get a better idea what is going on.

Well, can't help, but is it the rear drive shaft or the front, you said three u joints, there are four all together. I have been looking at changing my fronts, but how do you get them out? There are not retaining clips. If you heat them with a torch can you bang them out with a BFH?

The truck was hit in the front, which made him jump a median and hit a pole last summer and my hubby thinks that the wreck might have screwed up the engine/tranny alignment. Brian has had to replaced the same u-joint and I'm not too sure how he did it and his baby is stock. He wants to upgrade his suspension but can't do it until he gets this u-joint issue figured out.

The truck was hit in the front, which made him jump a median and hit a pole last summer and my hubby thinks that the wreck might have screwed up the engine/tranny alignment. Brian has had to replaced the same u-joint and I'm not too sure how he did it and his baby is stock. He wants to upgrade his suspension but can't do it until he gets this u-joint issue figured out.

I'd bet that's it.

Or it may also be a mis-torque of the retaining straps... Not sure what the torque specs are on these, but it would be good to confirm you're not over-torquing the straps and burning up the needle bearings...

Are the front ujoints replaceable? Or do you need to buy the whole shaft? Local auto parts looked at me like I was nuts when I asked for front u joints for a '99 4x4 1500 chevy!

Passed on this info to my brother, who is in Texas and he says he will check the retaining clips and have the alignment of the engine/tranny checked, so Thanks for all the help! Now how is this for irony...took my Burb in for some tranny service and found out that one of my u-joints is shot and needs to be replaced. All I can say is I am so glad the hubby decided to get an extended warranty:) I'll have my beastie back tomorrow....

If he had a front end hit it sounds like he needs to get hte truck on a rack to check the frame first and the engine/tranny second. Which area of the country we call TX?

I asked Brian about his frame and he says that it's straight but he is going to take it to a body shop to make sure then he is going to take it an offroad place to have the tranny checked out. The family lives in Killeen, Tx...I'm in Va Beach due to the hubby being stationed at NAS Oceana.

Austin/Round Rock, and the heat is just begining....