Best U-joints
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,458
Likes: 1
From: Collinsville MS
St. Jude Donor '08
Best U-joints
Since I now have it all in the floor, I have decided to go ahead and change all the u-joints. Any recommendations on which to go with, greasable or non-greasable? Also a brand name and supplier would help, none of the local parts houses here have enough of them in stock to sell me what i need in a name I recognize.
Also looking at tapping a hole in the diff cover and putting a plug in. Anybody done this and had a bad result?
Also looking at tapping a hole in the diff cover and putting a plug in. Anybody done this and had a bad result?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 6,347
Likes: 418
From: Seattle Area WA
The only ones to use for dead on reliability are Spice solids with no grease fitting. PM sent.
I tapped my differential case per GTR's instructions and so far no leaks, being a tappered pipe thread, you don't want to over tap it.
I tapped my differential case per GTR's instructions and so far no leaks, being a tappered pipe thread, you don't want to over tap it.
Last edited by Scott Marzahl; Dec 18, 2007 at 09:15 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,911
Likes: 2
From: gold coast queensland
why do you drill a hole and plug it in a diff? is that so you can drain it and refill easier?
i have greasable uni,s in mine. they have been going strong for 2 years now . i cant remember what brand they were but i only give them grease every 6 months. i have a 450 hp motor and flog the hell out of it and nothing has broken yet so they must be fairly strong.i do wonder sometimes how they do hold up especially with that little saddle and two small allen keys bolts holding them in place. it just looks so weak to me.
i have greasable uni,s in mine. they have been going strong for 2 years now . i cant remember what brand they were but i only give them grease every 6 months. i have a 450 hp motor and flog the hell out of it and nothing has broken yet so they must be fairly strong.i do wonder sometimes how they do hold up especially with that little saddle and two small allen keys bolts holding them in place. it just looks so weak to me.
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 10,674
Likes: 122
From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Strange Engineering makes a high impact 1330 and 1350 U-joint. A little pricey but since I am not going with the 1480 series that is what I plan on. Brute Force solids worked real good behind my other motor.
NCM Grand Opening Veteran
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 20,979
Likes: 384
From: South of giving a damn
St. Jude Donor '11, '17
Neapcos are very good. Van Steel sells these & maybe Napa.
Never go with greaseables. Even if you ignore the strength issues quality non-greasables are good for 100,000 miles. Greasables state that they must be greased every 5000 miles. You judge where your time is best spent.
Spicers are excellent, except they have gone to a hard plastic seal that is extremely easy to break.
Never go with greaseables. Even if you ignore the strength issues quality non-greasables are good for 100,000 miles. Greasables state that they must be greased every 5000 miles. You judge where your time is best spent.
Spicers are excellent, except they have gone to a hard plastic seal that is extremely easy to break.
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 10,674
Likes: 122
From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Neapcos are very good. Van Steel sells these & maybe Napa.
Never go with greaseables. Even if you ignore the strength issues quality non-greasables are good for 100,000 miles. Greasables state that they must be greased every 5000 miles. You judge where your time is best spent.
Spicers are excellent, except they have gone to a hard plastic seal that is extremely easy to break.
Never go with greaseables. Even if you ignore the strength issues quality non-greasables are good for 100,000 miles. Greasables state that they must be greased every 5000 miles. You judge where your time is best spent.
Spicers are excellent, except they have gone to a hard plastic seal that is extremely easy to break.
Solids are the only way to go. Got my Brute Force u-joints at AutoZone believe it or not. $17 ea.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,458
Likes: 1
From: Collinsville MS
St. Jude Donor '08
I was leaning to the non greasables, reason being, when I bought the car I got under it to do a lube job and the alemites were missing in every single ujoint. They were all crudded up. Thanks for all the input, I am checking some sources right now...
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,364
Likes: 103
From: Centerville Louisiana
brute force cheap and you can get them at any auto zone no shipping charges like everything else you need
Racer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 377
Likes: 0
From: Holmen Wisconsin
I just tried the Spicer joints and had nothing but problems with the black plastic seals breaking. It's very frustrating spending $150 for the "best" u joints and they didn't even make it in to my car.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
Likes: 54
From: Taylor Michigan
All you really need to distinguish a good joint from a shell we say not as good, is to remove a cap and see if it has small needle bearings. Also a solid cross is stronger than one with a zerk fitting in it. There are not very many U Joint manufacturers still in business as opposed to sellers brands, many are repackaged by the name appearing on the box..
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,458
Likes: 1
From: Collinsville MS
St. Jude Donor '08
I went by autozone this morning to get some undercoating and asked them about the Brute Force, they are supposed to have them in tomorrow for me to take a look at. Anything bad with these, I saw where they were recommended... I was going to order online but this way I can just carry them back if theres a problem.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,246
Likes: 4
From: Bay Area CA
I went by autozone this morning to get some undercoating and asked them about the Brute Force, they are supposed to have them in tomorrow for me to take a look at. Anything bad with these, I saw where they were recommended... I was going to order online but this way I can just carry them back if theres a problem.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,364
Likes: 103
From: Centerville Louisiana
I went by autozone this morning to get some undercoating and asked them about the Brute Force, they are supposed to have them in tomorrow for me to take a look at. Anything bad with these, I saw where they were recommended... I was going to order online but this way I can just carry them back if theres a problem.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,154
Likes: 3,959
From: Connecticut, USA
[QUOTE=RunningMan373;1563239798]Spicer. seen the pictures of the so called brute force ones? look cast. The spicers look drop forged. getting these installed now. Think GTR1999 had a brute force tear in half on one of his.
That was a 1980 NAPA zerked joint that cracked in 1/2 on a 3k shift- 18k miles. Do a search on my handle and you may find the pictures of go to the other forum they're posted there. I'll be installing new Spicers in a set of 3" shafts this week. I still use them.
That was a 1980 NAPA zerked joint that cracked in 1/2 on a 3k shift- 18k miles. Do a search on my handle and you may find the pictures of go to the other forum they're posted there. I'll be installing new Spicers in a set of 3" shafts this week. I still use them.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Solid Spicers without a doubt!! That's all I use on my race car!! Never broke a solid spicer but I did break Brute force and Neapco ones...
