:ball: :ball: DAMN u-joint snapped today!Was at a test and tune tonight getting ready for tommorrow and my second pass with the damn drag radials and it snapped.Luckily doesnt look like any damage to the yoke just the clamps or clips that bolt onto the yoke are shot too.So where can I get some good quality ones I dont trust the local stores right now.
By the super joints from Advance Auto. They do not have the grease fittings...They will be the closest to original older u-joints which did not have them either. IF you keep breaking u-joints ...you have a bigger problem. Your drive line geometry is off.
OO well this is the first time ever its broke.I think it was a mix of it being old and drag radials lol.
Just old... No mix...lol. We use stock u-joints all day long racing and pull the fronts 1.40 60 foot never destroyed one yet. Another thing to check is how much pinion angle deflection you are having at launch. YOU may need a traction bar set-up to limit movement OR at the very least urethane bushing install. Jim
Do you have the 3r series joint or the 1310 series joint... The better joint, or the best joints would be.. 5-795 for the 3r series and 5-785 for the 1310..
both, conversion joint if your asking me... 1310 has the 1 1/16" u-joint cap and short width. Mec r3 side has the 1 1/8" cap and wider. neapco number is 3310-3...I think I will have to double check that. Jim
Actually the 3-3130 Neapco combination 3R/1310 is greasable. The "Brute Force" u-joint is not. 1-0153 is the 1310 series standard u-joint and the 2-3011 is the standard 3R series for NEAPCO. Call an actual DRIVELINE REPAIR SHOP for the BEST QUALITY u-joints. I'm sure the gentleman from Long Island Driveline Shop (supershafts) will agree. Bottom line is that driveline shops don't normally carry the off-shore brands. Reputable shops don't want comebacks. Also not to be the bearer of bad news but most often when a shaft comes out there is damage but if you're the lucky kind, and it does happen, then you won't have any more issues. Don't forget ALL the clips. 13 yrs of building / repairing driveshafts you could say i've seen a few.
Oh god speed70 you would be in total shock at how many of the shops that have a name are using china junk...... It disgusts me how many are screwing themselves and have no idea... Makes it impossible for me to compete with there prices, but there screwing everyone and themselves When spicer has no money to do anything and all we have is china junk that breaks, then they'll be happy... Even some of the driveline manufacturing companies are using china crap.... Very disgusting times, extremely disgusting times.... i wish spicer would stick it to all the shops carrying the china junk and pull there dealer/WD status from them... Cali72 drag radials and conversion joints do not go together well....see your local driveline shop, and HP and conversion joints don't work well together either....also get the weld yoke changed to match the end yoke on the rear since you sent the shaft to the floor it at the least is going to be out of balance....so you'll be seeing them anyway
See now thats a shame. You try to send people in the right direction and yet some shops are selling the same low quality u-joints? Wow! I left Henderson Driveline in 2004 after 13 years. When i left i'd noticed the standard greasable spicer u-joint caps were getting sloppy on the cross but we carried Neapco exclusivly and i'd give your rep crap if i didn't like something Neapco was doing. I've gone back and helped them out a few times since when an employee was out with a back injury and they still use the same quality stuff. I know some people think they're more expensive but i guess other shops using cheaper, less quality parts would be able to keep their prices lower. Its good to know some shops have not bowed to the pressure.
I have seen many shops, even the heavily advertised...supposed best.. It is Sad, though i don't know for sure, but even neap has some joints that are mysteriously looking like the china junk metal imports.. So far it seems to be some of there new joints for some of the visteon crap that ford went with... So it's only a few...but No weld yokes or anything like that yet... But it is the big reputation shops sending the spicer/neapco/rock-meritor stuff overseas to be copied... When do these jerk off's realize there screwing themselves and every other US citizen... It won't be long before i start naming them all... Watch what you buy threw summit and jegs and even some other BIG name performance places.... There is a ton of china junk being sold there....more then half the slip yokes and joints...
Again I have to say we put ourselves in this position. When you go out to shop ...Just about everyone that asks me for parts are most totally fixed on price first then quality. I would love to carry JUST ALL AMERICAN parts...But AI would have a very small obsolete inventory. We are here already. I do not know how in the HELL were going to dig out of this mess unless WE THE PEOPLE DO IT. ASK FOR THE PARTS ...YES, BUT also be willing to pay the price. Look at the Fabcraft gears...SUPER expensive...YES, BUT they are TOTALLY AMERICAN GEARS...(design, forging, machining, and sold by...AMERICAN WORKERS start to finish. So start supporting and lets put our money where our mouths are. I DO understand it is truly difficult. I do try to help by giving the best deals I can to all the sites I am on and offer the best customer service I can. PAY PAL AND CREDIT CARDS are also sucking this country dry too. If you do not have the money do not BUY... don't dig a hole for your self. HEy back to u-joints... I looked at my car that I race and the front joint is greasable and the back conversion is not and is the super joint with red urethane grease cups. So one is cross drilled and one is not...Still holding up fine. Again I will have to say that drive line pinion angle loads will destroy a u-joint lickity split... limit that movement when drag racing or hard acceleration. I am sure speed70 will agree with that.
In drag racing you want no angle when the driveline is under power...You adjust the pinion negative so that when under power you are at 0 degrees, in fact in all forms of racing you want no angle in the joints....every degree costs hp to turn it, and the higher the rpm of the shaft the less the angle HAS to be...
Ah, Super you beat me to the answer...LOL! I just don't get on here enough anymore. Most of the time premature failure or u-joint angle breakage is from more extreme angles such as a lifted 4X4 but there is a possibility a changed out rear has the incorrect length control arms or in the case of leaf springs the perches were welded with the pinion angle set wrong. Most of your cars still utilizing factory angles will not have a problem. Just don't drag race your car 80's style jacked up stink bug! Ooooh, but i like seeing my chrome cover...LOL! :grin: Really the bottom line is to buy the right quality u-joint for the application and install it correctly. Also in some cases have the yokes (diff or d-shaft) changed or upgraded to stay away from combo joints. This way the shaft can be checked for straightness and balance ensuring longer life. Amen...Peace out...as the kids say...
Wow this post got long on!!! So I guess Ill update. I got a spicer u joint and put it in and then ran a 13.17 at the track but instead of driveline failure I had an electrical fire!! But thanks for the info!
