Drive shaft yoke (saddle) worn?

[BATZ]

Hey all, just wondering if anyone else has seen a bent yoke or seen the holes out of round??...... (the small part of the drive shaft where the u-joint is attached and then bolts to the rear end) also called a saddle.  I have a wicked vibration, the u-joint is loose enough to spin the caps by hand!  I pulled it all apart and replace the u-joint to find that the u-joint could be put together by just pushing it in by hand....when doing this I found that the yoke was also bent; when one side of the u-joint was installed the end without a cap almost touched the inside edge of the other side....what I mean is that the holes were not squared to each other like they should be, and what is kinda wierd is the yoke is bent apart,
Like this \_/  when it should be like this |_| , and when I think about it, I would expect it to be bent in like this /_\ from hitting the frame.                     
 Do you guys think it could be from the downward pinion angle pulling it out like that?  Is this normal?

[justfreaky]

I have heard some of the Dwarf Car guys complain of bad vibration. And, it did turn out to be the yokes in some cases.
If you can spin the caps by hand, the holes aren't square with eachother; I would think that the yolks are bent and/ or worn.
Remember that the yolks are an aluminum part, and the u-joints are a steel part. That can cause wear on the yolks.
If you can, You should also see about having the driveshat spin balanced... Just to make sure it is straight and in balance.

Steve

[BATZ]

The part that is bent on my drive-line is made of steel, thus the confusion....

[justfreaky]

Hmmm! Was thinking of the yolk that hooks on the engine side.
Check driveshaft for being straight and balance. 

Steve

[BATZ]

Ok, so I thought the vibration was from the u-joint....and then I had time to sit and wait for parts so my mind started wondering....
I go to the garage and start looking stuff over and I figured I would check a few things in the rear end area...I put the back end up in the air so I could run the car in gear and see if I might have a bent axle....and it appears that I do!! I found it!...not so fast.  I ordered an axle and had to wait a few more days for that....more wondering mind at work. So I go out to check a few more things....decided to swap tires around after reading about bent bead lock rims....and the angels started singing as a bright light was shining from the left rear tire(now with the right rear bead lock on it) while spinning with the engine running....it was wobbling on the left now.....

LONG STORY SHORT!!!!*****
Check the simple stuff first and work your way in before you order $300 worth of $h1T you don't need!  All I had was a bent rim...just bent enough to make my vision blurry when up to speed.http://

[JGRacing]

Was the beadlock bent from contact, or did it come from 600 like that? 

[BATZ]

It had to have bent from contact....but not one I remember
It was fine when I first installed it.