Un-joints - I don't remember them being this hard!

[kc_doyle]

Re: Un-joints - I don't remember them being this h

Dale, I live in Wisconsin. Would you like me to bring it down? I'd be most happy to do so. Just send the tickets and I'm on my way. I was in San Juan when I was in the Navy and loved it. Gotta love the dark eyed girls. Also the rum was good.

 

[Harry_Ward]

Re: Un-joints - I don't remember them being this h

Back on topic:

gotta be a better way.

Dale,


Sorry no better way, You gotta stick your finger in there and get that needle bearing to stand up straight along with all his buddies and then smear some thick sticky grease on there to make them all stand at attention. If you see any gaps between the needles then some are missing. If you feel any binding as your sliding your cap on to the cross shafts you need to stop and pull back and start over.

 

[Tinster]

Re: Un-joints - I don't remember them being this h

Yup Harry, that one I learned the difficult way.

I posted the photo for everyone to be aware to
check under the caps.

thanks,

d

 

[dklawson]

Re: Un-joints - I don't remember them being this h

It's been years since I replaced the u-joints on the GT6 but I remember having this problem. I also remember lightly sanding the bores of the yokes and lubing them to assist during assembly. It helped but I remember it taking a lot of force. At the time, all my parts were coming from either VB or TRF.

As mentioned above, assemble the parts w/o the zerk and then grease them after installation. From memory, you can't leave the zerk in the joint as it limits the motion. The zerks fit a 1/4-28 tapped hole in the spider. After removing the zerks I put a short 1/4-28 set screw (with Loctite) in the hole to prevent debris from getting inside.

 

[DNK]

Re: Un-joints - I don't remember them being this h

Dale- As promised here is the info from my other forum

OK sports fans...here's the info. The needle from the 28 cup measured .077" diameter and .390" length. The one from the 25 needle cup measured .094" diameter and .405" in length!!

Checked the spindles w/o the cups and got 7mm for the 25 needle cup and 6.9 for the 28 needle cup. I'm still pondering what this means. I have not measured the cups to determine if there is some compensating offset there. I also have not identified the make/model/etc of each, but I'll do that and post later. Comments???
db


The manufacturer is GKN Automotive, Birmingham England. The product is called Hardy Spicer. All is the same EXCEPT a difference in what is identified as the MEE. For the 28 needle cup it's 1700040000730/0000730; for the 25 needle cup it's: 1911040000866/0000866.

Identified on the box as Origin in UK, but another notation on the bottom of the flap WHICH HAS BEEN MARKED THROUGH with a heavy black marker looks like JAPAN!!!!

I'll ask John Swauger at TRF what all this means!!

 

[Brosky]

Re: Un-joints - I don't remember them being this h

Dale, this only goes to prove, "that if it moves" check it before it you install it. I can remember seeing alternators that were installed and the tech never checked them to see if they turned freely. Just out of the box and on.

Five minutes alter, smoking drive belt (or worse) and do it again.

 

[dklawson]

Re: Un-joints - I don't remember them being this h

I don't wish to sound glib, however, what your dimensions mean is "don't mix the components".

The size and number of the rollers will be determined to match the OD of the spider's journals and the ID of the cup will be sized to match with minimal clearance. I'm sure that the size and number of the rollers will influence the load rating of the joint but I'm don't know the relationship.

Focus on the OD of the cups and the overall length across the lengths of the cups (side to side, flat cup surface to flat cup surface). Those are your key mounting dimensions for installation in the yokes.

 

[DNK]

Re: Un-joints - I don't remember them being this h

I think what the concern was that the OD was different and it was suppose to fit the 6. Was there a different sizes of yokes used in the driveshafts through production?

 

[Tinster]

Re: Un-joints - I don't remember them being this h

I just disected one the Roadster Factory
Hardy Spicer u-joint boxes and carefully
removed all the stickers and labels.

Nowhere is Japan or China or India to be found.

I belive the sticker printed:

"Country of Origin UK" is correct.

I too believe the problem is the OD of the cups.


d

 

[trfourtune]

Re: Un-joints - I don't remember them being this h

hi all,
i worked for the BC Forest service a loooooong time ago in their mechanical shop. we did many many u-joints and suspension fixed on the 4x4's and we used a hydraulic press. some were soooo tight sometimes the only way to get them out was with heat with the pressure on (torch-that's a 15 ton press). getting them back in is never as hard but we did clean the yolk first (spotless)no lube (usually too tight) . Replace the original packing goo with real grease to hold needle bearings in place and press.

I'll say this better- just to get your attention- replace the "packing goo" (you may consider it to be grease if you like) with REAL grease. That means disassemble the u-joint when you first get it before you do anything else,inspecdt it closely and count the bearings (factories screw-up too sometimes),clean it compleately with solvent and brake parts cleaner-don't get it on the seals- and re-assemble with quality grease.


when you get the first clip in you may need to press the u-joint from the other side to tighten the cap against the clip (this will give the clearance on the side you pressed to get the other clip in).once all assembled it will feel tight but it all loosens up pretty quickly.