troc

are the high cost of OEM universal joints worth the price? Granted the parts stores pieces are crap. Are Spicers acceptable replacement. If I tow my 33' with the Pep boys crap I am sure they will explode. Thanks guys ,Cort

bgchuby01

just use replacements made in the US. spicer are as good as new from the factory

mikes280

i have never broke a spicer. for what it is worth i am a tech. have been for 28 years

R Addiction

I'm with Mike. Work for GM, technician 26 years, and the u-joints are not worth the money. Get the spicers and be done with it.

fabricator

Generally speaking, the 'parts' you can buy at Autozoo or Discount that are 'white box' or no-name brand are JUNK. I'm with the others - use Spicer and you'll be fine. Places like NAPA, Parts Depot, and others like them will carry good, name brand parts you can trust. I've been wrenching way too long, seen too much......

Chris Sunkin

Spicer makes them for all the heavy trucks so they certainly know what they're doing. The Spicer is every bit the quality or better than the OEM piece.

Don't forget to install them with the drive torque turning into the grease fitting.

troc

Thanks guys for all the input, Chris I dont understand what you meant,I looked like the spicers had the zerks in the centerline of the joint?

Chris Sunkin

The joints have a grease fitting between two "legs" of the tee. That has to be in the drive side of the driveshaft twist.

Look at it this way- consider the rotation of the driveshaft, then place the fitting ahead of the ear that's pushing. Basically the drive torque should be sqeezing the fitting. If it's pulling away, it can crack the joint. I've had them pressed in by "pros" before and they were wrong when I picked them up.

I'f I'm not explaining this correctly, let me know and I'll take another shot. In essence, you want the drive torque to go into the fitting, not away from it.

troc

Very good i understand Chris. ,but it a moot point on a spicer because they have two zerks 180 apart. would not one be squeezing while the other is spreading? Thanks again Cort

Chris Sunkin

No, at 90 they would.