U-joint issue

[69Bee]

I see what you mean about a yoke with retainer U-straps such as at the rear. Unfortunately this was for the yoke at the front. You would think Mancini would have thought about that since I purchased it with the yoke.

I would agree, but have to maybe chalk it up to just parts pickers. Not everyone will know what is going on, or maybe even care. Are those the only clips provided? If so, I would have to say they sent the incorrect part. I do not ever recall seeing the slip yoke with any other clip than the internal C-clip.

 

[69Bee]

Here are two illustrations from the 69 manual. This is the only way I have ever seen them. The only thing for replacement rear joints, I have never gotten the looped clips, just internal C-clips.

 

[AR67GTX]

The only thing I can figure is that the clips are placed loosely around the trunion before putting the caps on and then the little bump out part used to apply pressure and force the rest of it around the seal and seat into the groove. Seems like standard C-clips would work just as well except as someone said - they also used it with tie wire or something to keep the caps in place until installation.

 

[miller]

Did you get your u-joints mounted up okay? All the talk on various clips, only thing to worry about, is that a clip is in place. I've always been told not to swap around u-joint caps, since their mated to that shaft for sizing.
Usually just knock, or press u-joint in with one cap, and clip, in place, then the remaining cap, and clip.

 

[AR67GTX]

Did you get your u-joints mounted up okay? .

Yes, but it wasn't pretty. I don't replace u-joints all the time but I've done a few. I have an old Corvette so there are 6 right there I've dealt with a few times. But this one ate my lunch. The Spicer one wouldn't seat tight enough for the clips so I cranked down on my 12 ton press a bit more and blew out the end of the cap. Upon closer examination a couple rollers had fallen out of position in the process - keeping it from seating.

OK - I didn't like the strap clips anyway so I picked up a Federal Mogul u-joint and used extra care keeping the trunnion seated in the first cap while I pressed it in - then start the second cap and moved the trunnion from the first cap to the second one to keep the rollers seated in it while pressing it in. And - it won't go in enough to get the clips in again. So press it back out and damn if it didn't happen again - 3 rollers fell out and were chewed up in the cap. But at least the FM joint is heavier made so it didn't blow the cap apart.

By now I'm just pissed at the whole thing and dig 3 rollers out of the Spicer cap and stick them in to replace the ones in the FM cap even though they are slightly shorter. Finally get the whole blasted thing pressed together and clips installed. It's going back in the car for now. Maybe next winter I'll replace it again.

Don't know if it's just getting old or carelessness or what. Very frustrating.

 

[miller]

Sorry to hear all that. Yeah, I know sometimes they can be a pain to deal with, other times, things slip right into place.
Not knowing where some of these parts are made doesn't help either...some damn foreign country. Don't know about the Spicer parts. Always thought would be good parts, until I went through my 1330 strap BS. Never understood that one. But...is what it is.
I'd sure keep an eye on the joints. Be crap, running down the road, and it come apart!

 

[AR67GTX]

For what it's worth the Spicer joint looked pretty but the trunnion dia was slightly smaller than the FM, the rollers were shorter, and the castings were smaller and thinner. The Federal Mogul came from Mexico and looked like a typical rough casting but was beefier - tougher, slightly larger u-joint from what I perceived. However the Spicer rollers did seem to be made out of tougher less brittle steel. I tested that out with my press.

 

[miller]

Hear all that. I was pretty irritated when I bought my slip yoke. Got most of my driveshaft parts from driveshaft suppliers, as the yoke. Every one was listed a Spicer yoke, except the one I bought. Called 'em, asking who made it, and they refused to say!
Can only hope the stuff stays glued together for awhile.

Maybe (one of these days) us dumb *** Americans can get back to making our own parts.

 

[AR67GTX]

Me to - looked at the Spicer u-joint box and it didn't say where it was made. Had an Ohio city on it but didn't say it was made there.

Remember back at the start of this all the chatter about checking flex plate flatness?? I bolted the new one in today and torqued it down and set up my dial indicator. It had a couple ears that were out a bit more that the other two. I could just grab the ears and tug on them by hand a little and bring them into the same readings as the other two. Nothing to it - guess that's why they call it a flex plate.

 

[bm02tj]

A lot of ujoints only come with packing grease and need to be greased before install
and that helps hold needles in place

 

[AR67GTX]

I did that with red chassis grease but it seems less sticky than what was in the joints and after mixing with the grease in them may have actually held the rollers less securely which may have contributed to my problem. I would like to have used assembly lube but I doubt it has the properties to work in a u-joint.

 

[bm02tj]

spicer sells a grease I use and donot have trouble