wtf u-joints

bj-666 · Mar 17, 2005

alright i'm getting very agrivated now, i have torn threw my second set of u joints in my d30. this is the second set in about two months. first set was a set of napa u-joints and i figured there were just not as good as spicer joints. so after installing a set of spicer 760's non-grease able, i figured i was good for a little while. any way here are the details first off it's all happening in a 96, hp d30 4.56 and an aussie. the joints are very far from maxed out when turned all the way to lock. i try to limit my skinny pedal with the wheels turned or in reverse. o yea i have 33 ltb's. i just can't see how with the tire combo and ease of use i tear thru both u-joints in a trip and a half thru moderate trails.

HTeK · Mar 17, 2005

Are you spitting the caps?

ChuckD · Mar 17, 2005

Did you use the same shafts, it's very likely you stretched the yokes on the first kil.

bj-666 · Mar 17, 2005

Q:Are you spitting the caps?
A: no one side is welded in and the other has full circle clips both failed. on the napa joints i demolished previously the bearings turned to shavings after one run.

Q: Did you use the same shafts, it's very likely you stretched the yokes on the first kil.
A: same shafts but the yokes are still in good shape and the joints press in nicely as i said above the driver side has the caps welded and the pass side has full circle clips

JJacobs · Mar 17, 2005

Are you stress relieving the shaft assembly after the ujoints go in? A.K.A. beating on the yokes w/ a BFH until things move with little or no resistance?

bj-666 · Mar 17, 2005

yea i know what you mean. they move freely not super loose but not tight.

looks like i just need to go with alloys and ox joints ahha

thanx for the help guys keep it comin

BrettM · Mar 17, 2005

bj-666 said:
Q:Are you spitting the caps?
A: no one side is welded in and ...failed.

your welds failed and it spit the cap anyway, or the trunion failed? where are they breaking?

bj-666 · Mar 17, 2005

sorry i guess i shouldn't have said breaking they are wearing out extreeeemly fast.

i just rembered i have left the dust sheilds out the last times i have done u-joints, they fit inbetween the hub and knuckle could this be it. i doubt it, they are only sheeet metal and there was no resistance for the hup to slide in the extra 1/16"

BrettM · Mar 17, 2005

define "wearing out"

bj-666 · Mar 17, 2005

i haven't pulled the latest set out of the heep yet but i assume they are like the napa ones, the bearings turned to little chunks, in those it was funny to see the hundreds of broken bearings tumble out. almost like they were way over stressed, i know this is possible but after every run come on i know people running 37's on these same joints who beat on them harder than I.

Roxtar · Mar 17, 2005

bj-666 said:
sorry i guess i shouldn't have said breaking they are wearing out extreeeemly fast.

i just rembered i have left the dust sheilds out the last times i have done u-joints, they fit inbetween the hub and knuckle could this be it. i doubt it, they are only sheeet metal and there was no resistance for the hup to slide in the extra 1/16"

Am I getting this here? You installed the ujoints without the seals and the bearings wore prematurely?
Sounds exactly like what should have happened. Without the seals what's to keep the grease inside and the grit/water outside?

Edit: disregard this reply. I just realized what shield you're talking about. No, that won't effect them.

ECKSJAY · Mar 17, 2005

A) What was the history of welding caps and circle clips? Were you running one side of each last time like this one?

B) If so, realize that there is a preload issue due to the fact that full circle clips are NOT the same thickness as the original c-clip...so the caps will have a tendency to move around and wear out MUCH faster. Yes, even a matter of a couple of weeks. On the street, no less!

C) Have to be careful welding the caps. Too much heat will cook the innards and will wear very quickly as well, same as above.

Answer A's question and we'll go from there.

bj-666 · Mar 17, 2005

i welded the caps because i heard good things about the strength gains. that is the same reason i did circle clips (for the strength) and was kinda doing a compairason. between welding/circle clips. pre-load seems the same before and after the circle clips.

how do bad unit bearings make joints wear faster. ( this was a reply to this same question from PBB)

for clarification the dust shields i was speaking of are the ones that guard (haha) the rotors from dust not the u-joints.

ChuckD · Mar 17, 2005

bj-666 said:
i welded the caps because i heard good things about the strength gains. that is the same reason i did circle clips (for the strength) and was kinda doing a compairason. between welding/circle clips. pre-load seems the same before and after the circle clips.

how do bad unit bearings make joints wear faster. ( this was a reply to this same question from PBB)

for clarification the dust shields i was speaking of are the ones that guard (haha) the rotors from dust not the u-joints.

You still didn't answer "A", I'm curious myself. I've been running the same set of shafts and joints for quite some time. No welding or full clips, but of course no front locker.

bj-666 · Mar 17, 2005

sorry guess i dont' get the question what do you mean history of running them. i've been wheeling for just over a year now i started with whatever was in the shafts when i purchased the jeep changed one because it was making noise (very old) that one worked fine for a while. cracked the cap on that one.... changed gears to 4.56 decided to put new joints in while they were out (used napa ones) those "failed" (bearings were shot, Both joints) replaced with spicer 760's figured they would be better (welded drivers side circle cliped the pass side for strenth compairason) both spicer joints "Failed" (i beleive it is shot bearings again but don't ahve them out of the truck)

i have a post going on pbb they said possible bent housing or bad unit hub but how would that effect the joint it is designed to operate at vairying angles.

all of this would make sense if it happened every 5k or even every 3k but when it consistantly happens under 500miles i am a little confused:rattle:

H.C.96.X.J. · Mar 17, 2005

i know you from the run with nejpz, you should pm jeepgod he's pretty smart when he's not joking around.

i was in the blue stockish 96 xj, but i used to have the lifted rolled 89.

Rev Den · Mar 17, 2005

Silly question...you DID lube them right?

Rev

woody · Mar 18, 2005

Rev Den said:
Silly question...you DID lube them right?

Rev

After JonJ asked about loosness, I was thinking lube too :sunshine: I've been known to scoop the needles out of each cap, clean up & rebuild with fresh (Mobil1 synth is great) grease before installing.

All I've used since I've been into wheeling XJs (over 5 yrs) have been the US- made NAPA HD u-joints in the larger 5-297/760 size. I have tried the solid-cross as well as the greasable-cap versions...and both have always held up. (some PM replacements, but no failures.)

davelbert · Mar 18, 2005

Pardon my logic but it seems that if you weld your caps that the heat and added metal from your welder (wire or stick) would seem to knock the relationship of bearings to shaft out of true possibly causing premature wear. Wouldn't the small movement at the caps afforded by using clips only allow the joint to true it self?

not a snipe. Just curious.

Dave

bj-666 · Mar 19, 2005

anyone with new ideas i'm still stumped and need to figure out a solution so i can continue to wheel.

ps anyone got a hp44 with warn shafts and ox joints for sale???:laugh3:

wtf u-joints

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