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Front drive shaft U-joints

Treleaven

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Okanagan
I am going to rebuild my drive shafts(I run 2 fronts) and I was on Rock Auto to order the joints.

In the economy section of u joints, it lists 1 part number for the front and another part number for the 2 in the double cardon, but when you go down to the heavy duty joints, like Moog, they list 1 part number for all u joints.

I asked the local XJ owners and I got mixed answers saying they are different sizes and others saying they ran the same u joint in all 3 places.

The vehicle in question is a 98 AW4 with NP231
 
The high-end joints like Moog and AC-delco, all have the flat zerk fittings through the outside end of the bearing cap of the u-joint. That allows it to be accessible for greasing inside the double cardon, and also on the other end of the driveshaft.

Some other brands have the zerk fitting in the crossmember body of the U-joint, where it can't be accessed for greasing in the double cardon. Other than that, the U-joints are the same dimensions.

I like the traditional zerk fittings myself. The smaller flat ones that require a needle on the grease gun are kind of a pain. Spicer seems to be putting out a u-joint that has a traditional zerk fitting in the bearing cap, which is what I'm going to use when I do my front shaft.
 
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I use Spicer life joints that are sealed for life even though they are not listed for that application. The driveline guy at six states had never done it but couldn't tell me why they are not listed. I tried them and have about 75k miles on all my joints and they still seem tight.
 
Consider getting a new slinger for your centering ball while you are at it:

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1138113

Better yet, consider getting a greaseable centering ball while you're at it. Found out after I replaced mine with a crappy, non-greaseable Crown one that Dana-Spicer still makes a greaseable version. They can be a bit tricky to find, but they're out there. Dunno if they come with the oil slinger/dust boot/whatever, but I know my Crown one did.
 
To replace with factory parts

3 x Spicer 5-1310X u-joints
1 x Spicer 201544X centering ball
1 x Spicer 286418 seal

The greasable variants are

3 x Spicer 5-153X
1 x Spicer 211355X centering ball
 
I just got the Dana Spicer ones listed at just over $9 a piece on RA. I haven't installed them, but they seem high quality and they have the grease fitting in the middle. I thought I was purchasing non-greaseable ones, but no worries it'll work.
 
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