Drive Line Problems and Solutions

[JoeMoe]

Hi, my name is Joe and I'm a Certify Drive Line Specialise. Own and operated a Drive Line Repair Shop for 22 years, just sold and retired 6 months ago. Just purchase my third MH and this one is a 40 ft American Dream diesel pusher.

What I would like to offer here is Free information regarding Drive Shaft problem, like how to check it if you have a Bad U-Joint, how to identify what size and type U-Joint you have on your unit. If you have a Vibration and someone told you it your Drive Shaft, how you go about checking it out yourself to determine if it the Drive Shaft that causing the problem, or a bad tire. Drive Shaft repair on the road are very costly, and very easy to avoid if you know what the sign are and do periodic check up and service once in a while.

[Hooligan]

Welcome to IRV2, appreciate your offer. We always need reliable information.

[Gary RVRoamer]

Would you be willing to write something up, so we could put in the the site's FILES section for future reference?

[JoeMoe]

Well you could use what I wrote above, There tons off difference type of problems that can be cause by Drive Line issues, and I really don't mind giving Free advice to my fallow RVers if they tell me there shaft problem and I could advice them how best to fix the problem without costing them a Arm and Leg. Road repair are very expansive these days and with proper advice most of it could be prevented. That what I call prevented maintenant. Just have to know how to check and service a Drive Shaft.

[RVluvin]

Welcome Joe,
You mentioned periodic checkup and maintenance, I get underneath usually in the spring, squirt a little synthetic grease into the u-joints, try to wiggle the drive shafts to ensure no excessive play or movement, is that sufficient or should I be doing/checking for something else?

[JoeMoe]

Well RVluvin you have a good start, just a few things I would add

Check for U-Joint free play before you grease your u-joints, and check all direction. The best way is to Jack up one rear wheel, put the transmission neutral so you can spine the shaft by hand. Laying on your back underneath the shaft, grab both hand behind the u-joint and try to lift up, then turn the shaft 1/4 turn and lift up again, keep turning and lifting until all four side of the U-Joint are check. Then repeat for all the other U-Joints. Now the part to determine what is Excessive U-Joint Play. U-Joint Should Have NO FREE PLAY WHAT SO EVER if it have free play, it should be replace.

Now let say that your U-Joint are all good with no free play and you want to grease them. The proper way to grease a u-joint is to keep putting the grease to them until grease come out of all four cup at the seal. This is so to squeeze all the water out and also to make sure that no water have room to get back in while driving. Now what I do after greasing is wipe the excessive grease off with a rag so not to grease the underneath of the chassis.

If you do that every 3 to 4,000 miles or twice a year, you should have no problem with u-joint while on the road. Joe

[slickest1]

Good advise Joe!

[TRAILERKING]

Originally Posted by JoeMoe

Hi, my name is Joe and I'm a Certify Drive Line Specialise. Own and operated a Drive Line Repair Shop for 22 years, just sold and retired 6 months ago. Just purchase my third MH and this one is a 40 ft American Dream diesel pusher.

What I would like to offer here is Free information regarding Drive Shaft problem, like how to check it if you have a Bad U-Joint, how to identify what size and type U-Joint you have on your unit. If you have a Vibration and someone told you it your Drive Shaft, how you go about checking it out yourself to determine if it the Drive Shaft that causing the problem, or a bad tire. Drive Shaft repair on the road are very costly, and very easy to avoid if you know what the sign are and do periodic check up and service once in a while.

What year is your American Dream?

[JoeMoe]

My is a 1998 model, first year that they added a few electronic to the engine. What years is your, it the same color as mine.

[TRAILERKING]

Originally Posted by JoeMoe

My is a 1998 model, first year that they added a few electronic to the engine. What years is your, it the same color as mine.

Mine's a '99 with a slide. I beleive a '98 has no slide?
I'm liking it............Slowly getting all the Bugs and Kinks out of it.