Universal Joints

[96vetteLT4]

Anyone replaced their u joints? How long and any problems installing them...thanx....Gary

 

[jsinga]

About any C4 with over 80k miles has had it done or needs it. I've done my 87 twice. The first time it will take you the good part of a day. The last time I did it in about 3 hours and was looking at other stuff while I was under there. If you do a search there is a good set of pictures of the job. Get the car up as high as you can on some good jackstands. The tie rod ends will come off if you take the nuts out and give them a good wack on the side. All the books say take the strut rods off at the center. If you take them loose at the outside you don't move the camber adjustment. You don't even need to take the wheels off. Get the straps off and have someone pull out on the wheel and they shaft will fall right out. The u-joints are held in with clips so you don't need a press. A big vice is nice. I've done it with just a hammer, big sockets for drivers on a block of wood. Just don't get cheap u-joints. Pack them with some more good grease. Forget the ones with zerks, they aren't as strong and I don't know how you would get in there to grease them anyway.

JS

 

[96vetteLT4]

thanks..i'm debating on doing them....

 

[wx briefer]

Get the spicer heavy duty. As stated above, forget the aftermarket ones with the zirk fittings. The problem with most u-joints arise from water displacing the grease in the cups. This happens during high speed rotation in a wet environment (rain). The spinning joint acts as a centrifuge. Since water is heavier than grease, the water goes to the end of the cup and grease is displaced out toward the center of the joint. Spicer joints have a better seal that discourages water from entering the cup. I am not saying that Spicer is the only one that has the better seal, but I know that they are one that does. Besides, while redoing the clutch on my 92k mile original joint LT4, I found the joints (GM uses spicer) to be OK. I did replace however since I was in there.