John Dirks

Can someone give me a brand name, or better yet, some part numbers for strong, solid U-joints for my 76?
I understand I need 2 for the drive shaft and 2 for each half shaft.
Are they different U-joints?
Thanks.

mayberg

Next time I buy u-joints (ok, not this week, but the NEXT time) I'm buying Spicer. If you're not concerned about originality, go with the kind that have the grease zerks in the end cap.

GM

Smokehouse69

I'm going to disagree with mayberg, I think that Brute Force Solid U-joints are the best, but which ever you get, get them without the grease zerts. If a U-Joint fails, it is usually right through the area that the grease zert is drilled into.

Ganey

Brute Force solid U-joints available at Auto Zone.

:cool:

John Dirks

Are the drive shaft u-joints a different part# than than half shafts?

SteveG75

$83 for all 6 Brute Force at Autozone.

Yes. Don't have the part numbers handy but they can help you at the desk.

Paul L

Spicer was the choice of GM. 5-618X (drive shaft) and 5-627X (half-shafts).


[Modified by paul79, 8:33 PM 2/4/2002]

topless68

:yesnod: :yesnod:

8T1-7T9 BIONIC VETTE

Does AutoZone have a web page.....we don't have them here in Hawaii and I'm planning to upgrade the rear end shortly.....Thanks for any info..... :seeya Aloha Cappy

Steve Straus

http://www.autozone.com

CDaniel525

I just did mine a few months ago and went with Brute Forc....got them from a local Advanced Auto Part. One problem i had found was that they were made by the same company that sells the cheaperr ones with the zerk fitting, also with the same part number. Seems pretty stupid to me:confused: . So in 3 different stores i told them i wanted "Brute Force" u-joints, and each time they looked it up and grabbed a cheap one with zerks, till i had to remind them it should say Brute Force on the box cause like i said they were the same part number.....and each store only having one or 2 in stock wasnt helpful :bs
Just make sure they say Brute Force on the box before you buy them (if you even buy this brand :lol: )

Chris

Dave Sutherland

Be carefull when purchasing Spicer U-Joints. The 5-618X and 5-627X U-Joints are non-greaseable but they are not forged. They are produced by a sintering process called FPM (Forged Powder Metal). Basically, properly elemented powder is compressed under extreme pressure and heat until a metallurgical bond is formed. This process when done correctly should yield a u-joint as strong as a forged unit but will have a different configuration than the forged therefore not very good for judging purposes. Also, the driveshaft u-joint for 70 and earlier corvettes are different depending on whether you have a manual or automatic transmission. A common mistake made by many parts people. The configuration of the Brute Force are similar to the old Spicer Forged U-Joints and are a great value. Spicer no longer makes a non-geaseable driveshaft U-joint for manual transmission 70 and earlier. Hope this helps and if may facts are incorrect please let me know.

Rowdy Rat

Dave,

Your assessment of the current non greasable Spicer and "Brute Force" universal joints is correct. Spicer provided universal joints to General Motors during those years that GM did not manufacture them in house, but the configuration of the current Spicer unit is unlike anything that GM ever used in production. It is still a very high quality universal joint and if the appearance isn't an issue, it should be as durable as anything currently available.

If anyone is interested, I have a complete set of Spicer universal joints (63-82 halfshaft and 63-70 manual trans driveshaft) that I'll give someone a good deal on. Email me if interested.

Chris,

My understanding is that the "Brute Force" universal joints are manufactured by NEAPCO which supplies various grades of universal joints to the automotive aftermarket... For the most part, they are quality parts regardless of whether they are greasable or not. I was told Advanced Auto is in the process of switching to NEAPCO and as a result may have parts manufactured by another supplier (the local store that I purchase from did).

As you noted, inspect both the box and the part in question before purchasing.

Regards,

redvetracr

Maybe someone with a spicer book can look these numbers up 5-153X and 5-178X as i remember these are the "good" spicer u-joints. ...redvetracr

John Dirks

Rowdy Rat, you have mail.
John.

jump150

Well Spicer is now making a 5-760X thats like the 297's but apparently a little stronger and if you want to go over the top some 4Wheelers I know are using CTM's which will not break even if the axle itself does. I personally use Spicer joints in my Jeeps

http://www.pirate4x4.com/productreviews/ctm/index.html

Flareside

FYI, Lakewood sells very high quality, high strength forged U-joints, but they're not cheap. $45 each from Summit.

-Joe

Tom Johnson

If you decide on a u-joint that has a grease fitting go with the one on the end cap, not with the one in the u-joint, which will weeken the u-joint.

Paul L

If Joe Lucia is out there I would appreciate his comments on this subject.

Monty

Jump150,

Those CTM's look and sound impressive. I checked out the article you provided the link for - very interesting. I'm going to give him a call to see if he's got anything I can use.