Replacement Driveshaft Yokes

Driveshaft yokes provide the means for connecting a driveshaft to other components. Driveshaft yokes are used in vehicle drivetrains, at the transmission, four-wheel drive transfer case, and at the differential(s), and on Power Take Off (PTO) systems at the engine or transmission on a truck or tractor and at the implement being driven. Because driveshafts typically operate at an angle to other components, and on vehicle drivetrains must be able to move up and down with suspension movement, they are attached to yokes with universal joints, commonly called U-joints. There are several types of driveshaft yokes, each configured according to application and where they are used in the drivetrain, and if you’re in need of one you’ll find it right here on our digital shelves.

As the axle housing moves up and down with the suspension, the distance between the differential and the transmission or transfer case changes slightly, therefore slip yokes are commonly used to connect driveshafts to transmissions and transfer cases. The slip yoke has internal splines that mesh with the transmission/transfer case output shaft splines, and the barrel (the external surface) of the yoke rides on a bushing in the transmission/transfer case housing. This enables it to slide in and out of the housing as the axle moves. The ring and pinion gearset in the differential takes the power from the driveshaft, turns it 90 degrees, and transmits it to the wheels via axle shafts. The ring gear is mounted to the differential case and the pinion gear is attached to the pinion yoke. The driveshaft U-joint may attach directly to the pinion yoke or the pinion yoke may be the flange type and bolt to a U-joint yoke on the driveshaft.

The cross and roller U-joint, sometimes called a cardan joint, is the type of U-joint most often used with driveshafts and yokes. It consists of a cross, or trunnion, with needle roller bearings in hardened steel cups at each arm of the cross. Two cups that are opposite one another are pressed into corresponding bores in the driveshaft. The other two cups may be similarly pressed into bores in the yoke, or the cups may fit into saddles in the yoke and be retained with caps and bolts or with U-bolts and nuts. Clips fit into grooves at the edge of each bore to retain the cups, although some factory installations use injected plastic for retention. Lubricant is retained with a seal at the base of each cup.

A cardan U-joint’s output speed fluctuates when it’s driven at an angle. The increase and decrease in speed with each revolution can result in torsional vibration. On applications where the operating angle is severe, a double cardan U-joint, sometimes called a Constant Velocity (CV) joint, may be used instead of a single U-joint to reduce or prevent torsional vibration. This type of CV joint should not be confused with the fixed and plunging ball type and tripod type joints that are mounted on halfshafts and used on front-wheel drive applications. Double cardan joints consist of 2 cross and roller U-joints in a center yoke, also known as an H-yoke, connected by a ball stud yoke with a centering end yoke or flange yoke. The second U-joint cancels the change in shaft speed of the first U-joint, thereby countering output shaft speed variations.

Driveshaft yokes are generally very reliable components and typically last the life of a vehicle, but in the harsh undercar environment, where they are exposed to debris, the elements, and road salt, there is always the potential for damage. The U-joints that join the driveshaft and yokes are the common wear components. Nevertheless, the splines in slip yokes can wear and cause a clunking noise. The barrel of the slip yoke can also wear where it contacts the housing bushing. The seal contact surfaces on slip yokes and pinion yokes can also become grooved from long-term seal contact, resulting in a leak that may persist even if a new seal is installed. If you encounter any of these situations or need a replacement yoke for any reason, we have the components to restore reliable drivetrain operation and vehicle performance. All our yokes are made to original equipment specifications, so when repairs are completed you can count on the performance and durability your vehicle was designed to deliver.