U-joint confusion
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 289
Likes: 0
From: Wisconsin Rapids, WI USA
U-joint confusion
I just changed all u-joints on my '82. When I ordered the u-joints for the half-shafts from a well known Vette aftermarket company, I got the smaller u-joints for the drive shaft. THEN, when I went to a local auto parts store for the correct ones, we also found out that the driveshaft u-joint part number for the '82 Corvette did not fit-they were too long(cup to cup). Turns out I had to get u-joints for an '81 to fit my '82. ????? Do you think G.M. was using up leftover parts???? So, if you are changing u-joints in the future, keep this in mind. :crazy:
Racer
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 491
Likes: 0
From: florida
Re: U-joint confusion (Magnum '82)
I had the same problem when I did my driveshaft u- joints. I suggest you bring you old one with you so you can get a side by side verification. Thats what I had to do. lou :)
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 2,386
Likes: 3
From: far, far away
Re: U-joint confusion (Magnum '82)
Ran into similar confusion with my '81. If I remember it right, it goes like this: The 4-speed car (mine) uses different (larger) halfshaft joints than the automatic car does. On the drive shaft (propeller shaft in the Chevy books) the rear joint is the same regardless of transmission, but the front joint is different depending on auto or 4-speed; if it's an automatic, the front and rear joints are identical, but if it's a 4-speed, the drive shaft has a different (larger) front joint. Now this is where it got messed up. Every parts store I went to had it backwards in their computer. That is, their u-joint applications for the 4-speed and for the automatic were exactly backwards. For my 4-speed car I had to get the joints that the computer said were for the automatic (or vice versa). Probably just a programming error.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 21,457
Likes: 463
From: Massillon,Ohio USA
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Cruise-In VI Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Re: U-joint confusion (Gator81)
I also ran into this big time!!! Seems the '80 & '81 four spd cars had the '79 style large front u-joint with the smaller rear joint. Also seemed to have found out that the '80-'82 automatic cars WITHOUT gymkhana suspension took the small halfshaft joints where the '80 & '81 four speed cars, '80-'82 automatic cars with gymkhana suspension took the larger halfshaft joints(with the E-10 Torx bolt on the spindle flanges!!!
Also, like Gator said, when I went to the parts store, his computer show my u-joints reversed too-then I took the driveshaft in with me and showed him!!! :confused:
Also, like Gator said, when I went to the parts store, his computer show my u-joints reversed too-then I took the driveshaft in with me and showed him!!! :confused:
