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Greesable U joints

whitexj98

whitexj98

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Cali
I started hearing a squeak from the front end, turns out it was the caps spinning on by 1.5 year old spicer 5-760x u joints, good thing I put in full circle clips!

Anyways they were completley dry so I need to find someone that sells a greasable u joint that dosn't cost a fortune or has anyone added a zerk to a 5-760x u joint?
 
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I've been looking for a solution to the same problem, and the biggest problem with the 5-760X u-joint, is it's sealed caps. Even if you add zerks to all of the caps, there really isn't any place for the old grease to go.
 
Yeah I had the same problem--one winter with the 5-760x and they were shot. I switched to the Alloy X-Joints which are solid like the 5-760x but have zerks in the caps so that you can service the needle bearings. They also ran dry over the winter, but I have been able to regrease them periodically and quiet them down. When I first installed them I was not able to grease them through the caps (too tight), but I am able to do so now that they have gotten some wear on them.
 
If the cap is spinning inside the ear of the shaft, the shaft is junk. The ears have stretched out and the metal has been weakened/fatigued.
 
Agreed with foxwar, if that is what was happening.

If it was just a lube issue, you can also get grease needles by going up under the seals. Although with that, you risk opening a path for grease to escape faster :D
 
Yea, good point the shaft is shot. I did put a new U joint in cause I need to drive the jeep home from school but will be getting some new shafts before wheelin.

On the gresable u joints, the parts store has precision "super strength" gresable ones. Any one had any luck with them? They were 23 bucks and rock auto has them for 15.
 
A greaseable u-joint that has crossdrilled trunions are weaker the solid non-greaseable joints, at least when referring to stock/replacement joints like Spicers. Some of the aftermarket bling bling joints are crossdrilled but ulitize stronger materails and design that make it a moot point.
 
most likely what happened to your joints was seal damage.

the spicer joints are very well known for going bad pre maturely if the seals are buggered up. if you take care of them they should be fine for 2 years or so.
 
Something also specific about 760's or 806's or other sealed non-greaseable joints are that the caps are specific to each trunion. The caps come preloaded with a certain amount of grease. Switching caps around could leave one side with not enough grease and another side with too much grease, both of which could lead to premature failure from lack of grease or blowing the seals out.
 
^^ They say that, but I rank that up there with making sure to put your driveshaft back in the same orientation it came out. Never actually seen it cause problems.

I would rather replace axleshaft u-joints once a year than ever run greaseable joints up there. I was breaking spicer 760's nearly on demand with 33s, last thing I'd want to do would be to make those even weaker by adding a grease fitting.
 
Depends on what you're doing I suppose. I use my GP to get around in the snow and through a field, I'd rather grease them than replace them. Yes it's the seals, water gets up in there and freezes that's the end of it
 
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