Need help identifying these drivetrain parts

[sm625]

These parts are from a 2002 Silverado 1500 V6 2wd with a 8 ft bed.

This should be the end of the driveshaft. And the broken piece attached to it is the front u-joint.

Here is a closer look at the damage:

And I think this is a slip yoke, also damaged:

I guess my main question is, is the slip yoke itself damaged and in need of replaceemnt, or can I just replace those small circular parts that go inside it? Oh, and what are those two small parts that go inside the slip yoke? Do they come with a slip yoke when you order the part? Worst case, will I need anything more than a slip yoke and a u joint? The driveshaft fell off while the vehicle was parked so it shouldnt be damaged.

 

[Gillbot]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_joint

 

[Gillbot]

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa...Z6o242?itemIdentifier=64133_0_4225_2379,32969

 

[Gillbot]

Though that yoke looks busted to me, hard to tell from the pic. Better off getting a replacement shaft.

EDIT, if the busted part is the slip yoke, replace it. Thought it was part of the shaft.

 

[iamwiz82]

Replace the U Joints and I would replace that slip yoke as well.

 

[bruceb]

Easiest way to fix it is find a local shop that specializes in driveshafts. If you can't find one, ask your local transmission shop where one is. They will all the parts and tools to change those parts. The slip yoke is not easily done by a home mechanic, but the U-Joints can be done at home. You will need the driveshaft out of the truck to do this.
From the photo the slip yoke has failed and it looks like it is welded to the main driveshaft tube.

 

[pcgeek11]

The slip yoke and universal can be done at home with a vice and basic hand tools if you know how to use them. From your questions I see that you do not have the skill to do so. Take it to a drive line shop and pay them for the required repairs. They can also test the drive shaft to see if it is bent from falling out while going down the road.

 

[Gerle]

The driveshaft fell off while the vehicle was parked so it shouldnt be damaged.

He said it fell out while the truck was parked.

 

[pcgeek11]

He said it fell out while the truck was parked.

Wow. How the hell? Never seen of just fall out while parked.

 

[sm625]

I know, I got lucky that it broke where it did. But I knew it was failing, I could feel it. Once I was in my driveway, I put it in reverse and that is when it broke completely.

 

[sm625]

Upon closer inspection, we determined that the yoke came from the factory like that. I am guessing they cut a notch out of the yoke to save $2 in assembly time or some bs like that. (You can remove the entire driveshaft and yoke in literally 1 minute without even needing to jack the truck up.) As a result, the u-joint broke out of its cup at that weak spot. Here is ironclad proof that GM designs their cars to break. A failure like this could easily take out the whole entire drivetrain in one shot. I am the original owner of the vehicle so I know for a fact that it came from the factory just like this.

 

[boomerang]

Upon closer inspection, we determined that the yoke came from the factory like that. I am guessing they cut a notch out of the yoke to save $2 in assembly time or some bs like that. (You can remove the entire driveshaft and yoke in literally 1 minute without even needing to jack the truck up.) As a result, the u-joint broke out of its cup at that weak spot. Here is ironclad proof that GM designs their cars to break. A failure like this could easily take out the whole entire drivetrain in one shot. I am the original owner of the vehicle so I know for a fact that it came from the factory just like this.

I'm sorry, but I have to take issue with you on this. You have one of two things that happened here. One likely and one unlikely.

Here is what is unlikely: You have a yoke that was damaged while being forged. It should never have made it into production. It is not possible to machine that surface in that manner.

Here is what is likely: What you are seeing is the groove that was worn into the yoke by the u-joint after the needle bearings disintegrated. The u-joint being harder that the yoke made that groove.

When I saw your post initially days ago, my first reaction was that the u-joint had to have been making one hell of a racket for a long time. You have to ignore something like that for a considerable period of time for the drive shaft to have just fallen out. I don't know if you have the radio blaring all the time or what, but just putting it into gear should have resulted in a very loud clunk.

 

[sm625]

No way. It was clearly machined. There is no way it could have worn into the yoke. Absolutely not possible. The large green section is actually below the cup, so if the ujoint did wear into the yoke then it could not have worn below the point where the cup broke. If I had pictures from all angles, and with the cups out, it would be easier to see. At any rate I'm going to take it to the dealership and demand an explanation.

 

[boomerang]

No way. It was clearly machined. There is no way it could have worn into the yoke. Absolutely not possible. The large green section is actually below the cup, so if the ujoint did wear into the yoke then it could not have worn below the point where the cup broke. If I had pictures from all angles, and with the cups out, it would be easier to see. At any rate I'm going to take it to the dealership and demand an explanation.

Ah, I see what you're saying. My mistake. No more pictures or explanation needed.

Not being argumentative now, just explaining. Do you know anything about machining? The square corners are what makes me about positive it was not machined that way. There is no way an end mill could have machined that surface because the opposing cup retaining boss is in the way. That is unless that surface is not perpendicular to a centerline established by the bored holes for the two cups. There is a way it could have been machined but it would have to have been set up specifically to machine it in that fashion and machined with a slot cutter. Just Google "slot cutter" and you will see some pics. It would have had to have been set up specifically for that operation. It would not be part of the normal machining operation.

The issue with using a slot cutter is that in order to machine that surface, the diameter of the cutter becomes critical because it would have needed to create that flat surface without cutting into the surface on the other side of the cup while the arbor cleared the casting itself. Impossible, no. Slot cutters need to be used very slowly and would be avoided at all costs in a manufacturing operation of mass quantities.

Having replaced a number of u-joints in my time I don't see how that slot would assist in assembly at all. I do know for certain that u-joints do not last forever and that the ones without grease fittings typically last a shorter amount of time.

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck but I feel you are going to get blank looks at the dealership. They did not manufacture your 12 year old Silverado and they certainly are not going to warranty a part that took 12 years to fail. Even if a replacement part ordered through the dealer has the same slot, once again, it took 12 years to fail.