What u-joint brand for the front wheels, do people recommend? (Most reliable/strongest, affordable.)

Now the question is... How many of you personal have broke a grease-able joint? Be honest...

 

ZERO for me... I wore plenty out but never broke a grease-able u-joint.

Here is another question... Why run a weaker product when a stronger, and generally longer lasting, product is available for a negligble price difference? 

 

I've never broken a greaseable u-joint, buts it's hard to break something I don't use. 

 

Once ce we turn the power up the OEM u-joints become undersized. A little added strength isn't bad. 

 

The he new trucks with 850-900 lb/ft run 1550 series u-joints. How many of us has that much torque to the ground? How many of those run bigger u-joints? 

Edited June 3, 20168 yr by AH64ID

Not sure what brand as the joints on mine were in there from the PO.

I've never broken a U joint of either type.

I'm putting well over 1200 ft-lbs to the ground on stock sized joints. My brother is putting well over 700HP to the ground on stock joints. Neither of us have had an issue with our greasable joints.

 

Being in multiple design classes, the drilled out portion of the U joint decreases strength by very little. Almost all of the strength comes from the outside portion of the joint.

I have not broken either. I like not having to grease them. Just one less thing to do. 

I've snapped plenty of axle shafts on my trail rig, or broke the ears off the yoke, but the cheapo greaseable joint is just fine. 

Now when I replace axle joints on my pickup, I'll pony up for the sealed spicers since they are a pain to replace and grease. Driveshaft U joints I get the cheaper ones,easy to replace and service. 

 

I broke one decades ago, but it was a smaller series on a higher HP gas truck.  Yes, breaking a u-joint is going to be very uncommon but I couldn't say if u-joint deflection was ever a variable in trunnion wear or why yoke ears break.  Who knows.....

 

And yes, the most strength lost is in the zerk hole whereby installing them with the twisting force pushing on the hole rather than pulling on it is important.

 

Other than that.....I dont buy garbage parts because its cheap or the only thing they have. 

Edited June 3, 20168 yr by KATOOM

You can always buy them with a greasable cap as well. Even stronger  

 

Everyone has their opinions! As long as it works for you, who cares right?

Most of us will have no problems ether way if used properly,  but I do know that greasable ones to make them stronger have to be installed with grease zercks facing a sertain way but can't remember exactly. 

53 minutes ago, TFaoro said:

Everyone has their opinions! As long as it works for you, who cares right?

 

Until we're talking about a truck someone picked up used.  Then.....we all care what the PO did.

The PO is always a lazy slob that never did anything "right"

ive never broken one but running 35" tires while crawling on rock in colorado, i dont want to take a chance. I dont hammer down on things but peace of mind knowing i have strong parts is nice

The pumped grease will go to the quadrant with the least resistance (worn) ..... leaving the other three quadrants somewhat un-lubricated.

Prefer Spicer Sealed ......

I just got new ones put in my rear driveshaft. The shop I went to does a lot of work on bigger trucks I believe. They recommend either Spicer or Neapco. They said the neapco are just as good as the spicer and they only had greasable neapcos in stock so that's what I went with. I like greasable parts because I know I will grease them. That place told me cheaper ones are not made to as tight of tolerances and sometimes don't fit right in the yokes.