• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

U joint U-bolts a must upgrade front and rear?

L

LifteDLife97

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Long Island
Im upgrading all my u joints in my 97 cherokee, thanks to the help of some guys on here i finaly figured out my u joint setup. Now i was reading soemthing about u bolt clapms instead of factory clamps and bolts. Is it smart to do this upgrade where ever i have the clamp setup? or just in the rear yoke as show in this writeup
http://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/rear-yoke-u-bolt-conversion-28141/

i know its a diff forum but we all fellow mud slingers. So is it advised to go throug and upgrade all spots witht this u bolt or just the rear yoke?
 
I did this in the rear after I blew a u-joint going down the interstate and jacked up the threads on those little bolts. It really is an easy conversion to do, took me 20 minutes including drilling out a broken off bolt in mine.

Not sure one setup is any better than the other, but it was the better option for me than replacing the whole pinion yoke. In my opinion I wouldn't bother doing it just for the sake of doing it, I still have the original straps on the front.
 
oh really .. yea well i dont wanna i=encounter any snappin or breaking. I saw a post on upgrading to the u bolts .. I guess if its not broke dont fix unless you see fit. Anybody else have any issues concerns, comments?
 
That doesn't sound too tough to me.
 
ehall said:
to me the u-bolts seem like more of a pain than they are worth, have to torque them evenly on install, and have to reach behind the pinion to work the nuts
Click to expand...
Strap style are held in with a very small bolt . The bad point of that is if you are out on the trail and break a u-joint .You could shear off the bolts in the yoke . With the U-bolts if you break one replace the bolt and keep moving .

Yes it is a little more work but well worth it IMO
 
I did the conversion on my C8.25. Very easy. The results I see are the inreased strength due to the increased diameter of the u-bolts compared to the bolts. If a u-bolt does break, it is much easier to replace compared to having a piece of the bolt stuck in the threaded yoke.
 
I swapped mine out on my 8.25 mostly due to the fact that a strap failed on me, and I did not have a new yoke to swap in. I was with someone who had some spare u bolts though, took about 30 minutes to do, so far, so good. if something bad happens to the front I will do one there too.
 
I have also convertered to the U-bolt style in the rear after a strap style failure on the trail. has anyone broken a strap style connection on a front while still running a D30?


jim
 
Any updates to these............
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=980365
PICT2952.jpg
 
Seen those posted before... I'd run em if I could justify the expense.

FWIW, you should never reuse a strap, always get a new strap kit. The straps deform when tightened properly. They're 6-7 bucks a set on alljeep IIRC. Another option is Spicer forged straps, you can reuse those, I'll see if I can find where I saw them.

EDIT: no such thing, was having a brainfart... they're cold-formed retainer straps. Still can't find them anywhere.

bearing20retainers.jpg

you can reuse the ones pictured on the left, but the ones on the right must be replaced every time.
 
Last edited:
Like I've said before, I've never replaced my straps when removing and replacing driveshafts, and I've removed them many times before. I've never had a problem with going through u-joints, having a strap fail, or anything like that.
 
i've never had problems either and still reuse the straps every time, like begster
 
Straps suck .!.:D.!. I have reused straps before with no problems. Ive chewed out straps and bolts on the 30 in my trail rig and was running poor mans strap griddles (strap with a washer/metal welded to cap it). Never had a problem out back on the 8.25's ones. My bone stock street jeep, on the other hand, will spit out straps/u joints at will out back. Never again will i go back to jsut straps, id rather use flange yokes/u bolts/poormans strap griddles (in that order). i just find it too easy to stretch stock straps.
 
You guys chewed and spit that topic up.. Defiantly hti good points. I dont rock climb as do most of you< so i guess stickin with straps wouldnt hurt although i will buy some fresh ones cus to reuse 12 year old straps on fresh joints dont seem fit to me..

As far as how you guys did this u bolt upgrade< did you just drill out the stock factoy yoke with a 5/16 drill? thats how i was plannin on doin it if i did. Any input on that setup?
 
I use a flat flange on my 8.25 and u-bolts on the D30. I will change to flat flange on the front as soon as I can afford the parts. Flat flanges are the ultimate in strength which means the best reliability.
 
I've never had a catastrophic failure with straps, but the last time I was under the Jeep I noticed I needed to replace a u-joint, and the u-joint u-bolt kit was only $4 more with shipping than the u-joint alone so I'm switching to u-bolts on the front.
 
((((((((((IMO))))))))))))))
Jeeps with more flex tend to bind the U joint and straps as the angle increasers This can really suck with a bad piston angle to start with. Plus big tires and a fat foot on the skinny pedal don't help.
PS I also think straps just don't fail all at onces. But are pounded to death over time. I spend way to much time under my Jeep checking for junk like this.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

H
The all inclusive guide to ford 8.8 swap
Replies
7
Views
6K
Havoc_protocol
H
Lawn Cher'
Garage sale, lots of stuff in NJ
Replies
15
Views
1K
Lawn Cher'
Lawn Cher'
B
Pinion Yoke & Transfer Case, Damage Following Driveshaft Failure - Thoughts?
Replies
9
Views
2K
Hypoid
Hypoid
C
1999 XJ 4 door lifted on 35s with Dana 44s & extras – under 76K miles
Replies
5
Views
5K
Gjeep
G
RWKHausSupply
$375 - Chy 8.25, Dana 30, 35, 44 - Front & Rear Gear sets & Full Better Master kits
Replies
8
Views
2K
RWKHausSupply
RWKHausSupply
Back
Top