I finally got time to replace my rear u-joint today.When I had the driveshaft in the vise I noticed one "arm" of the 4 in the u-joint was missing the needle bearings!It was just banging around in the bearing cap and it wore a pretty good groove in the steel.
It was pretty easy to replace,I don't know why I was apprehensive about removing the driveshaft,that was the easy part.
It rides so much smoother now.I put grease fittings on the other 2 u-joints and gave them some new grease while I was under there.
I think I'll do my pinion seal on my '90 now that I know it's not that bad of a job.
Sometimes you just have to go for it.
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philvo '86 245 218k,'90 240 198k,'87 SAAB 900 SPG 213k

"I think I'll do my pinion seal on my '90 now that I know it's not that bad of a job."

The preload on the pinion gear is set by a one-time-use "crush spacer" or something like that. If you fail to reinstall the pinion flange nut to exactly the same preload, you can damage things. I'm not sure if this applies to all 240s though.

Post a question about it and maybe porkface or other pros will ring in.
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Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.

>>Sometimes you just have to go for it.<<

You got that right.

It's funny how the tasks that seem so daunting at first end up being so simple.

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don hodgdon '89 744ti, '81 242t, '71 D-35...in pieces on a repairman's bench :-(

Food for thought... Thanks for the follow-up, Philvo. I've always though more folks should post their solutions to tricky problems.
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'88 244GL, '89 244GL, '90 244DL, '91 244, '92 244

How many miles were on your car and did you experience clunks at initial take-off's? What were the symptoms because I thought the clunk I was hearing in my 88 240 were the trailing arm bushings. I replaced those and I still have the exact same clunking! What a bummer that was.

Thanks

Adrian

215k or so,not too long ago.Only the rear u-joint was bad,the other 2 and center support were fine.I replaced my trailing arm bushings last year and I still have a clunk somewhere too.
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philvo '86 245 218k,'90 240 198k,'87 SAAB 900 SPG 213k

Worn torque rod bushings could clunk. Each time the power is applied to the axle, it tries to twist and those torque rod bushings take a hit.