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1993 K2500(HD) driveline rebuild: have questions

GM Guy

GM Guy

Manual Trans. 2WD Enthusiast
Messages
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Location
NW Kansas and SC Idaho
Hello folks,

It finally warmed up a little, so I am working on the truck. It is the 1993 K2500(HD) ECLB in the signature, and it has a slide on yoke on the t-case, a short driveline, the carrier, the slip yoke, then the universal for the rear driveline. rear driveline is solid, one piece, no slip joint.

there has allways been a vibration while accelerating, and when you let out on the clutch with a load, a metallic clink/clunk.

just looking at it this summer, I thought I had the clink/ clunk figured out: the rubber is all collapsed in the carrier bearing, and I figured high torque loads sent it sideways, and the driveline hit the carrier shell, letting out the noise. (the rear end needs a pinion seal, but doesnt seem loose, and all u-joints were complete (not smooth and free, more later) so I figured it about had to be the carrier. been running it this whole time this way.

This past winter, about a month ago, I thought I had been hearing noises from behind the cab. kinda squealy.

here a week or so back, I took my sister to her job (snow, etc. didnt want to drive, and I had business over in the town she works at anyhow) drove fine, with the slight vibration on accel. go to the town, 30 miles away, let off to slow down, and it vibrates worse, and down below 20, really shakes and vibrates. I found that when accelerating, it would vibrate horrible, and when I let off and rolled back into it, it somehow fell into place (assuming carrier rubber further going to crap) and smoothed up. got under, didnt see any change, so drove it home. pulled it in the shop, and it sat till today.

I finally pulled it today, and found out some more.

the front u-joint was rater stiff on one axis, but fine on the other (side to side fine, up down stiff) the rear, although replaced by a greaseable, was rather loose, and the seal was giving way on the middle one, and I can see something metallic. the slip joint seems tight (rubber looks bad, but is not leaking)

the slip joint, according to the service manual, has a dead spline and a bridged spline, so according to the manual, is only assembled one way.

looking at the yokes today, the rear one is a 1 piece welded unit, and is fine. the front, equipped with the slip joint, is not. It is about half a turn off, and is not in time. I am hoping it doesnt match the manual, and hopefully I can just re-clock the splines and be ok. otherwise, it has been wrong since new, and I need to find a new front driveline (unfortunately I know where one is in Idaho, as long as an identical truck but with 4L80E was the same).


So, I ask you folks the following questions:

1) Is there anything holding the slip joint together? I cant seem to get it apart. does the piece with the grease fitting un-screw? if so, right or left hand threads? Is there a rubber seal that is replaceable?

2) does anyone with a 2 piece driveline recall a dead spline and a bridged spline? If no, is it just regular splines that you can assemble however? maybe just a dead spline without the bridged spline?

3) does the carrier bearing just press on the shaft?



any input appreciated, thank you!
 
Carrier bearing is pressed on.
The drive shaft is 'out of time' from the factory. A good driveline shop told me this.
I would suggest you have a bad u-joint and center bearing.

Given all this you should have a shop straighten and balance the drive shaft as well as do u-joints and center bearing.

I had a drive shaft that did not have a locating spline and was too short. However they are supposed to have a locating spline.

The shaft comes apart at the splines - rusted from no grease? As I recall the slip joint is on the rear section to the center bearing.
 
Is there a reason not to DIY? should a GM shop be able to do it? I have all parts, just labor to do the actual shaft is all that is needed. we have a press.
running down the road it is smooth, just accelerating and decelerating was the issue, so I think the balance is OK.


slip joint moves freely and has been greased by me. yes, the slip joint is behind the carrier bearing, but still on the front shaft.


is there a good reason as to why it is out of time from the factory?
 
Put one end in a vise, grab the other end and yank on it. It should come apart eventually. The seal tends to hold them one as well as any wear in the splines.

There should be a cap/seal on the female end on the slip joint.
 
so is the slip yoke seal replaceable then? Is the part where the grease fitting is removeable? Is it what holds the seal in?

depending on the splines, would there be a reason to not go back to the factory position?

thanks for the input folks, much appreciated!
 
The seal pops over a lip on the tube end, thats how any I've worked on are. The tube is welded to the yoke, the weld has to be ground out. the tube is a friction fit over a flange on the yoke.

The yokes must be parallel to each other, or in line. This is for the yokes on the slip joint.

You should not do it if you are not comfortable.

Edit: I have seen some slip joint seals that thread on. It is obvious though.
 
Out of time appears to be designed that way and intentional. Trust me - it vibrates less with a poly center bearing set the factory way. Likely you are not running a poly center. The poly center gets rid of the launch shudder with a trailer. That special bearing support material vibrates more (bad) past 75 though. Inland empire driveline offers these at a high cost. Worth it for heavy towing on launch.

Get a can of paint or a white paint marker and scribe all the parts so you get them in the proper factory time on reassembly. Again it should have a master spline, but, I have seen one that did not. Both for 1993.
 
ok, so put it back together the way it came apart (obviously marking it with a metal marker) and nothing prevents, or will be damaged by pulling the slip joint apart?

We have PTO shafts on farm equipment, so we have changed a few universals, so I think we ought to be fine as far as changing the u-joints.
 
ok, got it tore down, definitely the u-joints. one was frozen solid on one axis, the rest were stiff.

I am debating about leaving the carrier alone, as the bearing is fine (spicer original! :) ), and the seal would be damaged pulling it off the splines, and the seal is no longer available. I got the number from GM, so we will see if I can find one on ebay. thinking about cramming some silicone in the gaps of the rubber in the carrier.

Seeing how froze the u-joints were, I am convinced this is the root of all my problems, and I doubt the 30 dollar timken replacement carrier will last very long, as new rubber seems rather shitty.

but, if you guys think the seal wont be damaged and still seal OK even after pulling it and pushing it over the splines, I will probably change the carrier.
 
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