U Joint installation
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 266
Likes: 7
From: Sumner WA
U Joint installation
I'm replacing the U joints on my half shafts and am ready to put a new u joint on the wheel end and noticed there is a lump on one side of the u joint. I didn't pay attention how the old joint came out and am hoping one of you can tell me how the u joint should be oriented in relation to the half shaft. I think the lump was towards the half shaft oriented so the half shaft would apply pressure towards the lump under acceleration. Does it matter?
Ron
Ron
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,019
Likes: 0
From: down that one road next to that big tree
Re: U Joint installation (hotwilzz)
i hope these are decent U joints, unless you have a stock car & drive similar to my grandmother most of the $10 dollar joints fail within a year. a shop press also is a much better way to install them. using a impact socket and hammer works but i won't do it anymore personally. the bump your talking about is probably a greese zerk as stated above for greesing the U joint upon install, something like redline or mobile 1 greese would be nice but then again if it's a cheap joint it won't matter much as you'll be pulling it out again shortly anyway. the factory used a GREAT joint in production, after breaking a total of 6 half shaft joints since i bought my C4 i will never buy anything but spicer now. here's a pic of a few month old mid america joint
now here is a pic of a 12yr old spicer joint with 110,000 miles on it
now here is a pic of a 12yr old spicer joint with 110,000 miles on it
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 266
Likes: 7
From: Sumner WA
Re: U Joint installation
Thanks for the info. I ended up looking at the other side and making my best guess. I was too tired to pull the other side apart and get a good look. All I know for sure is that the bump was towards the tire. It probably doesn't matter. I looked for spicer u joints and couldn't find any. Somebody a while back posted that NAPA sold spicer and so that's where I bought mine. They were $29.99 each and say high performance on the box, but they aren't spicer. The originals I pulled out said spicer on them and were definitely shot. After removing the strap bolts and loosening the suspension I started seeing little things that looked like metal vermacelli on the floor. I finally figured out it was the needle bearings from the u joint falling out before I had taken it apart! It had been squeaking and started crunching yesterday which is what prompted me to replace it. I'm glad I did! All's quiet now.
I wouldn't have had the guts to try this if Scorp hadn't posted that excellent "how to" a while back. Scorp, if I lived closer I'd buy you a beer.
Ron
I wouldn't have had the guts to try this if Scorp hadn't posted that excellent "how to" a while back. Scorp, if I lived closer I'd buy you a beer.
Ron
