Universal joints
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,360
Likes: 59
From: Meldrim Georgia
Universal joints
Went to O'Reilly's parts store picked up all six universal joints. Jack the car up and pulled the half shafts. And I was sold the wrong universal joint. So I rap one of the old U joints in a rag and go back to O'Reilly's. He matches it up to 1989 Camaro. Drive back home 15 miles and they fit. So now I pull the main drive shaft and only one fits. So back to O'Reilly's to get one more universal joint. 5 u joints are the same and one is smaller. Didn't get it finished I'll be back at it tomorrow. If anyone's interested in the information for 1980 u joints from: a Rileys partnumbers for 5 of them is 270 and 1 is 280.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 61
From: Southern NH
what transmssion do you have (T350/THH400)? sounds like a conversion joint. I have one on the front of my driveshaft because I am using a TH400 yoke with my Richmond 5 speed
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,360
Likes: 59
From: Meldrim Georgia
When I bought the car I was told that a Chevrolet dealership put a created motor and a new transmission in it. They only have eight thousand miles on them. The drive shaft looks old to me. All I can tell you is the main drive shaft has two different sizes universal joints . I think the transmission is a T350.
Last edited by havesometo; Apr 20, 2013 at 11:21 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 28
From: Burkburnett TX
Oreillys part numbers are just wrong. I made two trips when I did halfshaft joints and just made two trips yesterday when I did the driveshaft joints. The ones they sold me were too long. We even looked it up in their paper books and its still wrong. Ended up with dial calipers on the old joints and got them that way. I figured because mine was an 82 it was different, but sounds like its wrong for more than that.
edit: fwiw u joints from the driveshaft of a 2001 f150 4x4 are the same as 82 halfshaft joints. I had one new one sitting on the shelf from a truck I worked on. In case anyone was wondering.....
edit: fwiw u joints from the driveshaft of a 2001 f150 4x4 are the same as 82 halfshaft joints. I had one new one sitting on the shelf from a truck I worked on. In case anyone was wondering.....
Last edited by Arkyvette; Apr 21, 2013 at 07:24 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,248
Likes: 67
From: Warrington PA
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
Oreillys part numbers are just wrong. I made two trips when I did halfshaft joints and just made two trips yesterday when I did the driveshaft joints. The ones they sold me were too long. We even looked it up in their paper books and its still wrong. Ended up with dial calipers on the old joints and got them that way. I figured because mine was an 82 it was different, but sounds like its wrong for more than that.
edit: fwiw u joints from the driveshaft of a 2001 f150 4x4 are the same as 82 halfshaft joints. I had one new one sitting on the shelf from a truck I worked on. In case anyone was wondering.....
edit: fwiw u joints from the driveshaft of a 2001 f150 4x4 are the same as 82 halfshaft joints. I had one new one sitting on the shelf from a truck I worked on. In case anyone was wondering.....
"the 82 uses the same part # for all 6 joints, there is no differenece like in previous years that used 1 size for the halfshafts and another size for the driveshaft. And of course it would depend on your transmission to determine which ones you use.....
U-Joint(s) for an 82
...SPICER Solids part# 5-1330X for all 6 joints"
Last edited by 74 LS4-454; Apr 28, 2013 at 07:28 PM.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 437
Likes: 3
From: Alvin Texas
My '82 has the smaller joints on the drive shaft and the larger ones on the half shafts, the same as the manual trans had.
O'Reilly's catalogs are confusing! They throw all automatics in the same lot on one listing, then in another line they have the '82 separate and correct.
Not unusual to have a conversion joint on trans swaps.
O'Reilly's catalogs are confusing! They throw all automatics in the same lot on one listing, then in another line they have the '82 separate and correct.
Not unusual to have a conversion joint on trans swaps.
Last edited by bpassmore; Apr 21, 2013 at 02:45 PM.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,248
Likes: 67
From: Warrington PA
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
My '82 has the smaller joints on the drive shaft and the larger ones on the half shafts, the same as the manual trans had.
O'Reilly's catalogs are confusing! They throw all automatics in the same lot on one listing, then in another line they have the '82 separate and correct.
Not unusual to have a conversion joint on trans swaps.
O'Reilly's catalogs are confusing! They throw all automatics in the same lot on one listing, then in another line they have the '82 separate and correct.
Not unusual to have a conversion joint on trans swaps.
I was under the impression that all 82's used 1 size joint. It seems that all of the parts stores listed 1 size on their web sites, and the place where I purchased verified that they were 1 size for all 82's. Now I know my 74 uses 2 sizes as the driveshaft size is different from the halfshaft size.checked the GM parts book and it seems like the 82 uses a DANA 5-447X for the 1/2 shafts and a DANA 5-282X for the driveshaft, if I am reading that correctly, just have to find a conversion chart to see if 1/2 shaft #'s are the same as the SPICER 5-1330X and what the driveshaft # would equate to.....
Last edited by 74 LS4-454; Apr 21, 2013 at 03:56 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,248
Likes: 67
From: Warrington PA
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
Oreillys part numbers are just wrong. I made two trips when I did halfshaft joints and just made two trips yesterday when I did the driveshaft joints. The ones they sold me were too long. We even looked it up in their paper books and its still wrong. Ended up with dial calipers on the old joints and got them that way. I figured because mine was an 82 it was different, but sounds like its wrong for more than that.
edit: fwiw u joints from the driveshaft of a 2001 f150 4x4 are the same as 82 halfshaft joints. I had one new one sitting on the shelf from a truck I worked on. In case anyone was wondering.....
edit: fwiw u joints from the driveshaft of a 2001 f150 4x4 are the same as 82 halfshaft joints. I had one new one sitting on the shelf from a truck I worked on. In case anyone was wondering.....
My '82 has the smaller joints on the drive shaft and the larger ones on the half shafts, the same as the manual trans had.
O'Reilly's catalogs are confusing! They throw all automatics in the same lot on one listing, then in another line they have the '82 separate and correct.
Not unusual to have a conversion joint on trans swaps.
O'Reilly's catalogs are confusing! They throw all automatics in the same lot on one listing, then in another line they have the '82 separate and correct.
Not unusual to have a conversion joint on trans swaps.
One listing had Spicer 5-790X as replacements for the 82, which is now replaced by part # 5-1330X but others do show different listings for the driveshaft.....
Last edited by 74 LS4-454; Apr 21, 2013 at 04:45 PM.
Spicer 1310 drive shaft, 1350 axle 4 sp & 82 auto. Some early Vetts had a 1330 on the drive shaft.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,248
Likes: 67
From: Warrington PA
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,248
Likes: 67
From: Warrington PA
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
82 halfshafts u joints are 1 3/16" (cap size) and 3 5/8" (length)
I ended up getting MOOG #231 (made in USA) solids.
Waiting to see what size the driveshaft are after I remove it.
I ended up getting MOOG #231 (made in USA) solids.
Waiting to see what size the driveshaft are after I remove it.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 216
Likes: 0
From: Eugene OR
Just a little extra info that may be helpful... or not 
I took my driveshafts to a driveline specialist. (Oregon Driveline here in Yoogeen, Orygun) They put in heavy-duty U-joints and balanced the whole setup for me (even painted them) for just a few more bucks than the U-joints would have cost.
I took my driveshafts to a driveline specialist. (Oregon Driveline here in Yoogeen, Orygun) They put in heavy-duty U-joints and balanced the whole setup for me (even painted them) for just a few more bucks than the U-joints would have cost.