I was out running some errands yesterday in my neighborhood and suddenly heard a strange noise, kind of a chirping one so I pulled off into a strip center parking lot. I jacked up one front wheel until it just cleared and spun it to turn the drive shaft and could here the chirp so I crawled under and continued to rotate the tire. Couldn't be 100% sure but it sure sounded like my double cardon joint at the front transfer case flange.

Being a true LR owner I carry a complete tool kit so I removed the 4 nuts and bolts for the flange and dropped that end of the drive line only to confirm it was the cause of the noise. My son was nearby and came to get me and I removed the other 4 bolts and headed home hoping my vehicle would be ok there for the night. This drive shaft was custom built 6 months ago here in Houston and I assumed it was still under warranty.

Took the drive line back when they opened this morning and sure enough it is the centering ball that is binding, the u-joints are fine. My plan had been to grease the entire shaft at every oil change and the first oil change since I installed the shaft last November was due this week, even have the oil and filter waiting in my garage. The guy said it seemed most unusual for one to fail so quickly and noted all the red dirt on the shaft (left over from SCARR) and said it was possible that dirt and water got in and degraded the grease. I did drive through quite a lot of red mud there 2 months ago but I would have thought the dust shield on the centering ball would have kept dirt out.

Lesson learned and like the sound of a tornado I won't soon forget the loud chirp I heard. Moral is make sure you have a rebuilt stock or custom front drive line that has 3 greasable u-joints zerk fittings and also a needle grease zerk for the centering ball and grease at least as often as your oil changes. I have all 4 grease zerks and still had it fail so be aware of a bad chirping sound that means your drive line is about to go out. After all it is a mechanical part and even with lubricant anything is possible and even a
Tom Woods could fail under the right circumstances . Glad it happened nearby and hadn't failed last weekend while doing 75 mph on the freeway!

 

You should grease it before and after every wheeling trip, in addition to oil changes.
Way to stay alert and catch it in time, though!

 

Yes, I realize that now!

 

there are also some good waterproof greases out there these days