Got my drive shaft and half shafts (originals on my '80)back all clean and ready to be coated. The will install Spicer u-joints. These come with 3 sets of clips colored copper, green, and gray. Instructions say use the ones that match the originals -usually the copper. I measured the originals recognizing that rust and grim could be throwing them off some. I lightly scraped the debris off of them and then to get a decent measure i stacked 4 and put them in a vice to ensure they were pressed together. Total thickness was 0.243". I did four more and got 0.241". Consistent enough. Then I measured 4 of each of the new clips. The copper were thinner 0.238", while the green and gray were larger - 0.248 and 0.251".

Obviously none match. But given that this is a stack of 4, the coppers would appear to be maybe 0.001" thinner and with the possible rust/crud effect, they seem to be the way to go. But I'd just like to know what others may have found . Forgive me here for, as one of colleagues liked to say, "picking pepper out of fly crap".

 

You are correct - they are progressively thicker, in case you need to take up any extra space for a good fit. I just did my half shafts, and all took the COPPER clips. My solid spicers came with copper, white and pink/purple. On one of the outer flanges I actually put a white clip on one side as it fit pretty naturally once everything was in place. Main thing is to get those edges of the clips into the groove, under the lip, when installing.

 

other sites mention the same 3 sets of clips and say they come with an instruction sheet. You dont see an instruction sheet?

 

Thanks for the confirmation.

Did you have any problem pressing the cups in? I have reasonably decent tool which is made for pressing such items together. But as I'll be doing this for a first time sure don't want to mess it up. I'm using solids and I popped one of the cups off. It just seems a little strange to break a seal but it's the only way they can go in. I do know about making sure all the little rollers are properly aligned when putting the ends back in the cup and to ensure the cups start straight in. Beyond that?

 

There was, but I was just checking on any possible tribal knowledge.

 

If you drop a roller, the cup won't go in enough for the clip to fit. Therefore, if clips go in, you done it right...

 

I tape my caps across one set of opposite cups with electrical tape. I then carefully remove one cup and set it aside where it won't be disturbed, pull the cup you are pressing in, carefully feed it into the outside of the opening as far as it will go, feed the joint in from the inside, carefully back into the cup, and hold them together while you press it in. I lightly grease the openings before putting the caps in - helps them press in smoothly. I use a large bench vise, open it up, hold the shaft at 90-degrees and carefully press the first cap in as far as it will go (outside edge). Then, the joint will be captive and you can move it 1/2 way out of that first cap, feed your opposite cap in as far as it will go, slide the joint in to hold bearings, and repeat with the vise to get both caps to the outside of the openings, as far as they will go.

I then support the shaft horizontally (planks/boards work), support the bottom flat side of the yoke/cap on the back of the vise or a flat HARD surface, and you can rap the cap in to countersink it. I start with a plastic hammer, do both sides to sneak up on it, and you can finish with a deep socket that will fit inside the yoke opening... usually then with a heavy hammer. Just move it in small bits, so as not to get too tight and bind or damage the joints or seals.

Squeeze the clips with a heavy needle-nose while pushing them into the end of the yoke with your other hand. Make sure they sink into the outside edge of the grooves, under that lip. If one is tight and is close but won't quite sink all around, you can give it a rap with the socket and hammer and they will usually snap home.

Basic tools... Some guys have presses, etc. because they do more of these, but they can be done on your bench top with some patience.

 

Thank-you for the excellent write up. It is much appreciated.

 

Hi Vince, The copper ones they are the thinnest of the 3 and should be the correct ones. They will still be a very tight fit to install. They should cause the joint to be tight but still move freely without binding. Do not use a different color clip on one side of the joint and a different one on the the opposite side if the joint is loose. If you do the joint will be off center. They must match. The spicer instructions on the clip packaging should explain things.

When you install the drive shaft in the car the caps will be a tight fit and appear too wide to fit between the cast stops that capture the u-joint end caps when you install the u-clamps on the front yolk and rear flange. There is a cast taper on the inside edge flange and yolk where the u-joint caps seat that will cause the caps to compress the cap to body seal as you tighten the u-clamp down. The stop on the u-bolt will hold the caps on as you tighten it down. Work each side tightening a little at a time to seat the joint. As for the half shafts They most likely should have come with just copper clips. If you aren't I'd recommend you use the reinforcement plate the vendors sell to prevent warping the flange that connects to the wheel. PO of my car bent one and it was binding up the joint and vibrating the drivetrain. It took me a while to track it down. Tim

 

I just installed new Spicer solid u joints on my driveshaft. I used the copper clips.

 

Is the reinforcement plate something you put on permanently or just for the install.I did pull the half shafts years ago to grease the inside rear spindle bearings (let's avoid the debate on that ) and reinstalled the half shafts apparently without incident.

 

Good point. I just swapped out the one white clip for a copper clip, so all copper now. Although, they are only 0.0002" difference when you measure them with a caliper, and there is far more play/room than that at the insides between caps/seals and center of the joint.

 

It's a flat plate with a machined center circle to match the flange face that is bolted to the flange for reinforcement while you press the u-joint together. It comes off after you're done, Wilcox and others have them. Tim

 

I think the issue is the 80-82's may have a different set up for attaching the half shaft to the spindle. On my 80 you don't press the u-joints into the flange on the spindle. The spindle flange has a yoke the same as the differential and the u-joint is held to it with caps. When I look at Joe's photo a couple posts back, that connection between the half shaft and the spindle flange is not the same as mine.

 

Sorry about that. You are correct. I'm stuck in the 60's. Tim

 

I'm willing to trade

 

Nice try. I still have most of my memory. I think?

 

One can never be sure