What are the 3 common symptoms of a bad U joint?

Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Universal Joint (U-Joint)

Squeaking noise when starting to move (forward or reverse)
“Clunk” with a ringing sound when shifting from Drive to Reverse.
Vibration felt throughout the vehicle while moving forward at speed.
Transmission fluid leaks from the rear of the transmission.

Should you replace U joints in pairs?

Quality Matters. If one of your u-joints has failed, the right replacement parts will make all the difference. It’s important to replace your u-joints in pairs, even if one of them seem like it is still good. If one has failed, the other doesn’t have long to live.

How do you tell if you have a bad u-joint?

Signs of a Bad U-Joint

Clunking or Clanging. Your vehicle’s U-joint may eventually wear at connecting points to the drive-shaft.
Vibrations. If your driveshaft is out of balance, it’s often because of a defective universal joint.
Grinding or Chirping.
Loud Banging.

How many miles should U joints last?

How many miles should U-joints last? In most cases, you have to grease your u-joints every 5,000 miles or so. When you fail to service your u-joints on a regular basis, they will fail. You don’t have to worry about this problem with maintenance free u-joints.

Can you drive with bad U joints?

A car with a bad U-joint will break down in a few hundred miles at the maximum. But if you have a bad U-joint and you are having a transmission fluid leakage, you should not drive your car since the U-joint may break down anytime and will cause damage to the brake line, drive shaft, transmission line and other parts.

How hard is it to replace U joints?

Replacing these joints is a fairly straightforward job, though it takes some prior experience. To begin, you’ll need a universal joint pressing tool. You can also take advantage of the loaner tools program at your local Advance Auto Parts store. Then follow these step-by-step instructions on how to change U joints.