Lifted truck carrier bearing question

[Dodgentwo]

Ok, the truck has a 6 inch Fabtec lift on it that was there when I bought the truck.
My question is when trucks are lifted, what needs to be done with the drive shafts to compensate? Its an 03 4 door long bed.
There are a couple metal "spacers" between the carrier bearing and the mounting bracket, which I assume was to compensate for the angle? Are these needed/recommended or no?
I am asking because I had the carrier bearing go out, ripped the rubber apart and the bearing was all ate up. Replaced it, ten days later the rubber is ripped out again. Trying to figure out what is causing this. Are the spacers not needed? Are more needed? Or is something else causing the bearings to go bad?

[triton]

a spacer is needed to drop the carrier 3" for a 6" lift. The stock bearings are crap and way too expensive. Here's a part # for a OTR Spicer bearing for about $40... 210391-1X

You can also get this for maximum adjust-ability.....

http://www.oneupoffroad.com/ouoprodu...elinedrop.html

[Supershafts]

There seems to be an issue with the stub and slip, what happens is the increase in lift gives the diff more leverage to wrap, when the housing comes up it pushes the shaft forward, when it returns the slip slides back, but not always does it slide forward, so it kinda acts like a ratchet....
There is a galling effect happening at the stub slip..could be related to possibly the length changed and it is riding differently on the stub, though i have had trucks do it either way

A few days, a few weeks and the hanger bearing is pushed out...

You can experiment with more shims at the bearing, and re-grease the stub and slip, but with the increased movement it becomes a problem


You can have a 1 pc shaft made which is what i have been doing for trucks in the 80's 90's and current... You'll get away from that problem and get increased performance and mpg

[Supershafts]

Originally Posted by triton

a spacer is needed to drop the carrier 3" for a 6" lift. The stock bearings are crap and way too expensive. Here's a part # for a OTR Spicer bearing for about $40... 210391-1X

You can also get this for maximum adjust-ability.....

http://www.oneupoffroad.com/ouoprodu...elinedrop.html

Actually the factory AAM bearing is a encapsulated bearing and rubber, and isn't easily pushed apart.

If You remove the ladder bars you'll have the SAME exact problem, the hanger assembly while it is quite adjustable is not why you don't have the same problem, you went the opposite way and rather then the 1pc shaft you did the ladder bar

[Dodgentwo]

That drop looks pretty impressive. The spacers on mine are not 3 inches. I would guess closer to 1 inch maybe a little more. Im sure that is contributing to the problem some. Also the spicer bearing I got was not that part number. I have to wait until monday to take the shaft back to the spicer dealer and get it taken care of. I'll make sure they order this part number this time

[triton]

Originally Posted by Supershafts

Actually the factory AAM bearing is a encapsulated bearing and rubber, and isn't easily pushed apart.

If You remove the ladder bars you'll have the SAME exact problem, the hanger assembly while it is quite adjustable is not why you don't have the same problem, you went the opposite way and rather then the 1pc shaft you did the ladder bar

I can appreciate that you have knowledge with suspension..etc but, the OEM bearing is a piece of crap. Not only that but, the dealer charges an arm and a leg for them.

I've been through 3 oem bearing.... with and without the ladder bars. The problem with the bearing is when a load is put on the truck, it changes the drive shaft angle which in turn tweaks the bearing. Try to sled pull, drag race too often or even tow heavy loads long enough and the oem crap will fail.

The Spicer part # I posted is just one of several OTR bearing that will work on our trucks. It's built twice and tough and is over all bigger. Since installing the new bearing, mounted into the drop bracket... I've not had a problem again. The bracket can be adjusted several different ways to assure the bearing is at the correct angle.... something just a spacer isn't going to do.

[Supershafts]

.

The hanger bearing is there for the only reason that steel can't run in one continual length.... So how do you get power to the rear...

You make 2 shafts and support the shaft with a hanger bearing...

The hanger bearing see's no power, it only holds a shaft in place.

WHEN a load is put on the truck the rears pinion angle changes.

When the rears pinion angle changes by rotation it moves the shaft forward

When the shaft moves forward the AAM design stub and slip gall/bind for some reason and it shoves the front shaft forward more into the trans.

Pushing the hanger bearing JUST ever so slightly out of the rubber cushion

When the LOAD subsides the rear rotates back down, pulling the rear shaft and the slip actually does as it should have and slide off the stub shaft.


The next time you hammer it under load and wind up the axle it pushes it forward some more...

(Again) Pushing the hanger bearing JUST a little more so slightly out of the rubber cushion

Repeating this over and over in 1 day and you can lose the shaft in 15 minutes, or 1 day, or 1 week, or 1 month....or 3 months

Lifting the truck enables the rear to rotate more pushing the shaft further forward and needing less time to push the bearing out the of the rubber..

The AAM design bearing is MUCH harder to push out of the rubber, since it is part of the bearing unlike or compared to the 210391, 210088 or the 210433, which will ALL work on this particular app...




OP have a 1 pc AL shaft made, do not waste your time with anything else... don't add bars or any other gimic hanger assembly

[triton]

a one piece is fine, as long as you don't race with it. Too many have already been there and have gone back to a 2 piece. That's a lot of rotating mass for drag racing.

The slip yoke on the rear shaft has plenty of play in it for the pinion movement you're talking about. That's the only place you'll have in/out movement since the bearing is pressed onto the shaft off the t-case. Yes, pinion movement plays a part in it but, since the oem set up is fixed in place, any up/down movement puts tension on the bearing which in turn destroys it. Dropping the bracket is a necessity on a lifted truck and having the bracket like I do ( pictured ) makes aligning the bearing even more accurate.

Bottom line.... even the OTR bearings aren't very good. When someone finally comes out with a urethane bushing around the bearing.... I believe we won't see them failing as much.

[Supershafts]

Put a urethane bushing in place of the rubber and YOU will not drive the truck anymore, or atleast enjoy driving it...


You are not understanding the problem....

How does the bearing get pushed out of the rubber ?

I know what the problem is and i just explained it to you.. I have fixed many a truck with this problem.


Has nothing to do with the hanger bearing...

The problem is not the material of the cushion part of the bearing, going to a solid rubber cushion or a urethane cushion is not the fix, far from it...

When someone does wrap urethane around the bearing, that person that buys it will just wish they went to a single pc AL shaft or CF...and been done with the problem the 1st time and not spent money on adjustable hanger bearing mounts and hanger bearing after bearing, and ladder bars..when they could have gained performance and mpg lost all that weight and not had any vibration issues anymore or hanger bearings....and in turn made money.


.

[Dodgentwo]

Well I replaced the bearing, and it lasted about 11 days. Went back, and spicer put another one on, supposedly a stronger one. It lasted 17 miles. Was not getting on the truck AT ALL. I barely drove it normally. Took it very easy on it.

So I was going to have a 1 piece made. Then the guy tell me that my axle wrap is likely causing my problem. Said that if I go to a 1 piece the wrap will just push the shaft into my transfer case and mess it up. Now, I am in El Paso,Texas so I have a lot of difficulty believing half what anyone tells me as most of them are clueless. I dont plan on the truck being a race truck. I wouldnt mind taking it down the track to see what it will do, but wont be a weekly thing.I play on the streets some with little cars that wanna play.

I can get a regular drop bracket for like $75 bucks, not the one above, just a regular drop one. Will this really make the difference i need?

So will the one piece be a good idea or not? If axle wrap is causing the bearings to fail, is the one piece going to mess up my transfer case? I plan to put some ladder bars on it when money permits.

I guess im just trying to find the best/ most permanent fix to my problem. Taking the shaft off every week to replace bearings is getting old.

[Supershafts]

a 1 piece, the wrap will just push the shaft into my transfer case and mess it up

You know ask that mental patient what is happening with the front shaft now, it is being pushed into the t-case and bottomed out, it's just not slamming it

If a jack ass makes the shaft so it has no room for slip and makes it so all you have is a half inch of room, then yes you'll feel it bottom out on the end of output shaft...

If they are competent then it won't have any issues no matter what you do...

Amazing, sounds like some of the mental patients that shouldn't be in the driveline business around here..

[senck243]

dodgentwo doghousediesel.com has the one piece shafts new bolt in for about 575. thats with all new u joints. i see its been a while what did you end up doing?

[cquestad]

Funny...I have 200k on an OEM set up...

5 inch lift...and big power. Wonder what everybody else is missing here? hmmm...lol