Solid Spicer 1350s fit super tight, very stiff rotation
 

Installed Spicer 1350s in my half shafts as part of my frame off 10 years ago. At the time, I noticed that it was very difficult to install the caps far enough into the half shaft flange in order to get the clips in but I managed. After installing, the movement of the u-joint was very stiff and actually difficult to move by hand. I shrugged it off and finished all of them, which were all very tight as well. I figured they would loosen up as time went on.

Well, for various reasons, the car has been driven only a 1000 miles since then with the last eight years in storage. So, now I'm doing a frame on "mechanical" restore now and have removed all of my rear suspension. To my surprise when I broke down the half shafts, the u-joints were just as tight as the day I installed them. This time, I figured it was due to sitting for eight years. Well, just went to install the new 1350s and they are super tight just like the last. I only did two so far because I wanted to get some feedback.

Has anyone else encountered this? As an anecdote, I removed the little flat plastic washer on the floor of the caps on one and it alleviated most of the tightness but doesn't sit well with me to do that.

Thanks,

Mark

Newly installed in a good yoke and flange they will be slightly snug but certainly not binding, if you notice it in the flanges then I would suspect they are bent. You should not have to remove the plastic inside the cap. The copper clips should be used.

Bent makes sense but since they are cast iron I would think they would break rather than bend. I guess I might have to order a couple half shafts. :(

Ecklers part # 25-253479-1

You should buy or build this tool to keep the flange from bending

The tool is handy, but an old school trick I learned from my father years ago is to take a chisel and whack the joint... I've posted a picture below... If you are that tight you don't want to run them this way but if you whack then on each installation side it should seat them and free them up. The yoke is not cast iron it's cast steel and it is susceptible to bending if you don't use something mounted to them as suggested by Pete to keep them from bending.... Try giving them a whack as pictured below and if this doesn't work then you've bent the flanges. Click on the link below and it'll give you an idea of what I"m talking about. The joint when installed should be free moving in any direction without any binding... But cracking it a few times may achieve the needed result. It's a matter of thousandths and this will make sure the joint is fully seated.

http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/w...-joint-pic.png

Willcox

Willcox ...The tool in the previous post was for the companion flange. Just to be clear, the tightness I was referring to was on the axis of the u-joint that attaches to the half shaft ends not the companion flange that bolts to the wheel assembly. I've heard of companion flanges being bent but not the half shaft ends. Seems to me the only way those could be bent is if someone went crazy with a vise or hammer. I've done many u-joint R&Rs and never encountered this problem. I'll give your tip a try ... hopefully it works. Thanks!

Hi Ernie,
I know you sell the tool but I couldn't find it.
Could post your part number?
Thanks, Pete.

To seat the joints, place the end in between (2) 2x4's and give it a good shot with a 24 oz hammer.

I've found that when installing u-joints, give the yoke a good smack or two with the hammer of your choice. Usually when you push the caps in, it tends to bind things up a little bit. Don't get mad, get a bigger hammer. Lol

Just put a chisel in there and give them a good whack... they should seat... :) If they feel cranky, I'd do it in all four corners and hopefully it'll work. For some reason the picture won't post to this thread, I've never had that issue before.

Pete,

They went on back order so the link might be turned off... I just checked though and it's back on. But if you don't have the tool, you can easily take the flange off the spindle and use it as well, you'd just have to re-toque it when installing it back.

https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...ate-tool-63-82

https://willcoxcorvette.com/media/ca...vette-part.jpg

:thumbs:

JeffW ... Using a bigger hammer seems to always work! :D Smacked joint on all 4 corners (thanks Willcox) and now its much better.

I had the same issue with moog u joints. After I finally got the clips to seat I came across DIFFERENT u joints that came with 2 or 3 different thicknesses of clips. SOrry I can't recall the specifics right now but you aren't the only one who has this problem. I believe I came across them on Rock Auto site. I just chalked it up to imported quality control. I ended up grinding down the end caps ever so slightly on the corners so I could get the clips in. I made sure they all were seated properly, then gave them a coat of black paint. If they begin moving the paint will be gone and it will be obvious. SO far haven't had any problems.

I told you it would work... Seems a bit brutal, but it's always worked and always will.. :D

I believe the joints with 3 different thickness of clips are Spicers which are probably the best made in the world right now. The copper colored clip set works best for fit on your C3.

I had the same issue word by word as you describe. The clips just "Barely" went into one flange on one side and the other side they just wouldn't go in at all and it was determined that the flange was bent. I ordered a flange,and the clips and Ujoint went in as they're supposed to. After about 800miles plus I lost the halfshaft that the flange wasn't replaced and the clips had barely went in. the sideshaft with the new flange is still intact. The car is a frame off Resto mod and decided against buying a flange and just upgraded to the 3" sideshafts from VanSteel. I sleep better now!!...Hope that helps!!




https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...4cf278dfff.jpg