Two different U-Joints on half shaft?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Champaign, IL
St. Jude Donor '05
Two different U-Joints on half shaft?
I've been putting it off due to work/etc but today I finally tore apart the rear knuckle to replace the broken spindle. Not bad thanks to Scorp's illustrated tech tip. 
I pulled the rear halfshaft and decided to replace both u-joints while I was there. I cleaned up the little u-joint collars and bolts with a wire wheel and polished up my halfshaft and in the middle of this I made a discovery. The collars or straps which hold the u-joints are two seperate part numbers. This made me curious so I cleaned up my old u-joints enough to read the part numbers and they are also different. The u-joints and the straps look identical but are clearly different spicer part numbers. I ordered Precision (federal mogul) heavy duty u-joints to replace mine and apparantly one part will work for inside and outside? ... but I'm just wondering why they come from the factory different?
collars/straps # 0991 & # 0292
u-joints # U55 & # U64
tia
Joe
I pulled the rear halfshaft and decided to replace both u-joints while I was there. I cleaned up the little u-joint collars and bolts with a wire wheel and polished up my halfshaft and in the middle of this I made a discovery. The collars or straps which hold the u-joints are two seperate part numbers. This made me curious so I cleaned up my old u-joints enough to read the part numbers and they are also different. The u-joints and the straps look identical but are clearly different spicer part numbers. I ordered Precision (federal mogul) heavy duty u-joints to replace mine and apparantly one part will work for inside and outside? ... but I'm just wondering why they come from the factory different?collars/straps # 0991 & # 0292
u-joints # U55 & # U64
tia
Joe
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From: The Top of Utah
All 4 positions on all the half shafts on all C4's take the same size (1350) joints. The "U55" sounds like a replacement number (Neapco?) and I'm guessing the "U64" is Spicer. I'll bet some of these have been replaced before.
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Safety Car
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From: VA
Originally Posted by ToyC4
collars/straps # 0991 & # 0292
u-joints # U55 & # U64
u-joints # U55 & # U64
My original halfshaft joints are the same number all around.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Champaign, IL
St. Jude Donor '05
Thanks for the good info guys I feel a lot better now. 
The collars and the u-joints I'm removing are all spicer parts but it's possible one of the u-joints was replaced. The production date makes a lot of sense because when I was cleaning up my halfshaft today I noticed it was dated May or June of 92. Pretty cool ... my car must have been one of the last 92's. One of these days I'll stop being cheap and spring for the build sheet and window sticker from the museum ... maybe that will coincide with me finding a job 
on a side note when the spindle snapped it forced the wheel bearing to explode with the hub assembly
sealed wheel bearing no more! good thing these federal mogul (BCA) wheel bearing assemblies come with a year warranty That covers track use right?
The collars and the u-joints I'm removing are all spicer parts but it's possible one of the u-joints was replaced. The production date makes a lot of sense because when I was cleaning up my halfshaft today I noticed it was dated May or June of 92. Pretty cool ... my car must have been one of the last 92's. One of these days I'll stop being cheap and spring for the build sheet and window sticker from the museum ... maybe that will coincide with me finding a job on a side note when the spindle snapped it forced the wheel bearing to explode with the hub assembly
sealed wheel bearing no more! good thing these federal mogul (BCA) wheel bearing assemblies come with a year warranty That covers track use right?
Large Impressive Member
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
There is another Spicer number that can be used in the halfshafts that is recommended for extreme applications, SPL 30-2X I believe. There are also other numbers that would fit but would not be the specific Corvette part number which is 5-800X, the joint w/o a grease fitting and with the Enduron coating to prevent galling.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
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From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Originally Posted by Corvette Kid NC
There is another Spicer number that can be used in the halfshafts that is recommended for extreme applications, SPL 30-2X I believe.
I'll post a side by side pic when I'm done.
I believe the factory spicer units only had the coating on two caps... the ones that go in the aluminum yoke. I can't help but visualize some bean counter at GM ordering an intern to swap 10,000 coated caps for bare ones to save money.
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From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by Corvette Kid NC
There is another Spicer number that can be used in the halfshafts that is recommended for extreme applications, SPL 30-2X
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Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
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From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
That is the spicer number, it's on the box. Or is it SPL 300-2x? Anyways, that's the number. I also found it on some other catalogs besides tom's. Tom's differentials had his own numbers, but tom's differentials no longer exists anyways.
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From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by CentralCoaster
That is the spicer number, it's on the box.
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Team Owner
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From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
That's the ones. They seem too big at first, just keep pressing in the vise until you hear the seals snap into place. I put the circlip behind the ujoint so as soon as it moves into place, it snaps in. I'd hate to over squish it and have slop.
Thread Starter
Drifting
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From: Champaign, IL
St. Jude Donor '05
I posted this in Chris' post but I'll put it here too... now that I pulled the passenger side half shaft and polished it along with putting in the new u-joints and polishing up my u-joint collars and bolts with the wire wheel ... it looks so sweet under the car on the passenger's side that I'll have to do the driver's side whether it needs it or not 
By the way I went with the Precision brand (Federal Mogul) heavy duty "off road" u-joints and these bad boys are serious, I had to special order them at NAPA. The caps are all coated and they come with a high pressure zerk fitting which is actually in the center of one of the caps so it will work on the vette. They were double the price ($20) of the regular u-joint but you can't put a price tag on peace of mind, the stock ones were smelling burnt with 66k miles on the car now
By the way I went with the Precision brand (Federal Mogul) heavy duty "off road" u-joints and these bad boys are serious, I had to special order them at NAPA. The caps are all coated and they come with a high pressure zerk fitting which is actually in the center of one of the caps so it will work on the vette. They were double the price ($20) of the regular u-joint but you can't put a price tag on peace of mind, the stock ones were smelling burnt with 66k miles on the car now
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by C4Jimmy
I just received Spicer# SPL30-2X u joints(non zerk) for my half shafts... I hope this is right!!!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Somerset Co, NJ
Originally Posted by Corvette Kid NC
Yes, I verified this number at a Spicer dealer when I bought mine. There were none immediately available so I used the 5-800X joints.
(also, thanks CentralCoaster!)
Thread Starter
Drifting
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From: Champaign, IL
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by CentralCoaster
Zerk fitting on the end cap sounds like a good idea if there's no clearance issues.
I really want to do the other side u-joints now and replace the wheel bearing too just to cover my bases.
I was surprised at how easy it was considering I did it without a lift etc. I put the car two feet up in the air on jack stands and tore into it. I thought it was going to be an ugly job but everything came apart and went back together just like it was supposed to ... and I learned enough about the car that it will be a snap next time I need to pull the halfshaft for any reason
I really need to take a picture so you guys can see how sweet it looks with everything cleaned up -vs- dirty and corroded. 
