Front Axle Shaft U-Joint's Alignment

[1993Saturn]

I pulled out the axle shaft from the slip joint on the passenger side front axle. Now that I am ready to put it back together, I realize I didn't mark the spline alignment between the 2 parts. It is too bad they didn't cut a key spline.

Does the orientation of the 2 splined shafts matter? The reason for this question, is not because there is already a matched wear pattern that has set in the 2 splined parts and you don't want to alter their happy family.

I want to know if the 2 U-Joints have to be aligned with each other, as if they were on the same horizontal and vertical planes?

I've spent too much time on this front end rebuild to screw it up because of this.

 

[Foxracin]

I have had mine apart a few times it just put it back in anyway. Havent had any side effects or anything of that nature. Most of the time its not even spinning anyway unless in 4wd so it will not matter.

 

[Maniak]

I didn't bother marking the orientation on the front axle on ours either..

When I reinstalled them I tried to set the u-joints opposite each other

I just check my spare set and I didn't mark those either(took it apart to fit it in the parts box)..

So far, (only 1 year) I have had no ill affects. Of course, its not like they get used at high speeds or even very often (compared to the rear shaft)

~Mark

 

[little x]

I feel like I remember reading that your supposed to install them parallel to each other to keep them from binding at droop. That's how I have mine installed.

 

[1993Saturn]

I feel like I remember reading that your supposed to install them parallel to each other to keep them from binding at droop. That's how I have mine installed.

I can see the logic to that approach. They can't bind if they are both working together. That is the way a rear driveshaft is, right? so there must be some logic to it.