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Universal Joints

Milk Dud

NAXJA Forum User
Location
York, PA
So I put a set of pre greased sealed u joints in the front axle shafts of my 95 XJ about a year ago. When I was doing the regearing I noticed the one was binding. I took it apart and the bearing were rusty. My question is should I use a set of 297 spicer joints with a grease fitting or get a set of 760 spicers without the grease fitting. I have stock shafts from a 98 so would it really be necessary to have a stronger joint without a stronger axle?
 
It is convenient to have grease fittings becasue you don't have to disassemble the fitting to grease it but if the stronger one does not have a grease fitting then it may be worth your while if you need the strength. For a few bucks more you can get stronger u-joints with grease fittings. You will want to do the full circle clip mod either way, it greatly enhances the longevity of the axle shafts.
 
keep in mind if it has a grease fitting it is hollow, and may not be as strong as a non-greasable one
 
I went with the 760 from Alloy USA. They've got the stronger solid center and grease fittings out at the end of each cap. They were about the same price as the spicer 760s as well. Only thing that sucks is Alloy USA went out of business so I got a few spares just incase.

I'm going to try and grind the yoke out a bit to accept the full circle clips
 
I thought Alloy USA was bought by another company after they went under and they are developing there product under there new name.... Was it Yukon?
 
I'm pretty sure the Alloy USA Joints I got are overkill for the stock axles. It would be pointless to buy $200 joints for throw away axle shafts. Hopefully by the time I break a factory shaft I'll have the cash for a set of alloy shafts and CTM or Yukon Joints. But since I wheeled it for like 3 years with the small 260 joints, with no issues besides water getting inside the caps and destroying the bearings. I'm assuming these greasable 760 joints will last me quite a while.
 
I went with the 760 from Alloy USA. They've got the stronger solid center and grease fittings out at the end of each cap. They were about the same price as the spicer 760s as well.

x2.

the Alloy USA x-joints are excellent. i have compared them side-by-side with the spicers and they are FAR better. they are thicker and heavier and, as stated above, they are not hollow, so that alone makes them stronger. plus, since each cap has its own grease fitting, you have the best of both worlds.
 
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I'm going to try and grind the yoke out a bit to accept the full circle clips

i don't think you need to. my full-circle clips nestled in exactly where the standard clips fit.
 
x2.

the Alloy USA x-joints are excellent. i have compared them side-by-side with the spicers and they are FAR better. they are thicker and heavier and, as stated above, they are not hollow, so that alone makes them stronger. plus, since each cap has its own grease fitting, you have the best of both worlds.

No, they're not. I just compared Alloy USA joints side by side to Spicer 5-760x joints. The Alloy USA joints have a slightly smaller cross than the Spicer. Try and install an Alloy cap on a Spicer cross... no go because the Spicer is bigger. Dollar for dollar, the best joint you can throw in there is the Spicer.

And yes, you need to grind or machine stock shafts to accept full circle c-clips.
 
As far as I know their is no such thing as a 760 joint with the hollow center for grease. I think he might have been comparing the Alloy USA X-Joints to a Spicer 297. If that's the case I can see why the center would have been smaller.

As far as the strength difference between the Spicer 760 and the Alloy X-Joint, I can't verify which is stronger. I have heard some people say the Alloy USA ones are stronger and vise versa. All I know is I went through a few spicer 260 non gresables and a set of 297 non greasables. I didn't break them but they were shot within a year cause the bearings got water in them and got rusty. I play in too much mud to have a non greasable joint.
 
As far as I know their is no such thing as a 760 joint with the hollow center for grease. I think he might have been comparing the Alloy USA X-Joints to a Spicer 297. If that's the case I can see why the center would have been smaller.

yes, i was comparing the greasable spicer to the Alloy-X. of the two, the alloy-x is heavier and stronger.
 
I was putting the last cap in today and before i put it in I looked inside it to verify no needle bearings were out of place or missing. When I did I noticed it was missing like 2 or 3 needles. Is their any way to get replacements? I really don't wanna spend another $35 for a joint.
 
I was putting the last cap in today and before i put it in I looked inside it to verify no needle bearings were out of place or missing. When I did I noticed it was missing like 2 or 3 needles. Is their any way to get replacements? I really don't wanna spend another $35 for a joint.

Got your old caps with the needle bearings still?

You could clean and use them, Ive done it before with no ill effects, on both the driveshaft and front axle shafts.
 
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