Alternative to UJ's

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the_wolf

the_wolf

Well-Known Member
Posts
16,791
Location
Stonehouse, Scotland
I've always wondered why there doesn't seem to be any modern replacement or equivalent to normal UJ's. I might be wrong but they're not still used on modern propshafts are they? I'm positive I remember an RAC guy telling me this. For such a vital bit of kit it doesn't make any sense to me why they're still so vulnerable and have to be replaced fairly often when compared to other high wear parts.
 
the_wolf said:
I've always wondered why there doesn't seem to be any modern replacement or equivalent to normal UJ's. I might be wrong but they're not still used on modern propshafts are they? I'm positive I remember an RAC guy telling me this. For such a vital bit of kit it doesn't make any sense to me why they're still so vulnerable and have to be replaced fairly often when compared to other high wear parts.
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I don't think they have UJ's on my Mercedes sprinter van which is probably why it cost me £1500 when they needed replacing.
 
Often thought of getting a local transmissions company to make up a pair of props with cv's and see how they fair.
 
If CVs were used how would they be bolted to diff and box? Also they would wear eventually and need to be replaced, cant imagine this would be easy or cheap. They would certainly be a lot more robust though
 
211598101SHAFT.jpg
 
the_wolf said:
I've always wondered why there doesn't seem to be any modern replacement or equivalent to normal UJ's. I might be wrong but they're not still used on modern propshafts are they? I'm positive I remember an RAC guy telling me this. For such a vital bit of kit it doesn't make any sense to me why they're still so vulnerable and have to be replaced fairly often when compared to other high wear parts.
Click to expand...

I don't have to do with cars much, but they are still widely used on farm machinery, every pto shaft has them.
Not quite sure why you say they have to be replaced often, I hardly ever change them. Probably because I am always at them with a grease gun.Think Ive changed about half a dozen of my own in 28 years landy operating. And that is old vehicles in tough conditions.
 
But that's the thing. They always have to be greased and they do wear out. For such an important, high stress component you would think that a tougher and more durable replacement would exist, one which requires less ongoing maintenance. Don't get me wrong greasing them takes two minutes and changing a UJ is easy, even though I hate doing it. I'm just wondering why there's no alternative for landys
 
the_wolf said:
But that's the thing. They always have to be greased and they do wear out. For such an important, high stress component you would think that a tougher and more durable replacement would exist, one which requires less ongoing maintenance. Don't get me wrong greasing them takes two minutes and changing a UJ is easy, even though I hate doing it. I'm just wondering why there's no alternative for landys
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proper maintenance is all, you should grease after every time green lane to get the stuff out of them. 200-300K miles is nothing on a proper maintained UJ;)
 
I had a CV joint on the front prop of my Durango....it needed cleaning and greasing everytime you went through muddy water. The UJ on the rear prop never needed touching in 275,000km.
 
Thor1950 said:
proper maintenance is all, you should grease after every time green lane to get the stuff out of them. 200-300K miles is nothing on a proper maintained UJ;)
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Certainly every time you drive in extreme water, mud or dust. Last time I did mine some drops of muddy water squeezed out of the rear UJ on the rear prop as the grease pumped in. This will be due to driving through floodwater.
I have a friend who operates a Def in really bad conditions in Africa, and she will do them daily if needed.
 
the_wolf said:
But that's the thing. They always have to be greased and they do wear out. For such an important, high stress component you would think that a tougher and more durable replacement would exist, one which requires less ongoing maintenance. Don't get me wrong greasing them takes two minutes and changing a UJ is easy, even though I hate doing it. I'm just wondering why there's no alternative for landys
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I am afraid that is the way landies, and all older stylie machinery, works. You spend a lot of time, and a little money, doing the simple jobs of greasing and oil changing, and you will get excellent reliability and component life.
Alternative is Japcrap, you do nowt, it runs for ages, but when it does let go, they will charge a fortune. They have you by the balls, the parts are unique, not the sort of stuff you can get from any bearing supplier.
 
U/js are still used as they do a good job and are cheap.
Problem with cv shafts on our vehicle set up is once gaiter is split thats it game over, of course if you never go in the mud fine.
Often see trucks at work with a million k on the clock on original prop and joints
 
They still use UJ's a lot - good things, fit good ones and they last for ages, cheap and easy to replace too - also easy to blast some extra grease in from time to time. Going back when a LR called for a service every 5000/6000miles first disco's etc, on the LR job sheet everything with a grease nipple on it was meant to be greased, prop splines, UJ's steering arms - this forces out water and dirt and freshens the whole thing up, can't do that on a CV - also a UJ will work when badly worn, CV's let go sooner.

A lot of bigger American 4x4's use them at the wheel instead of a CV - makes them cheaper to repair and makes them more durable because they are quite well sealed, a CV needs a gaiter that's water tight to work and if water or other debris get in it's stuck in there, a UJ will often fling it off.

Disco's still use CV's for the props too, I will guess RR's as well.
 
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discomania said:
They still use UJ's a lot - good things, fit good ones and they last for ages, cheap and easy to replace too - also easy to blast some extra grease in from time to time. Going back when a LR called for a service every 5000/6000miles first disco's etc, on the LR job sheet everything with a grease nipple on it was meant to be greased, prop splines, UJ's steering arms - this forces out water and dirt and freshens the whole thing up, can't do that on a CV - also a UJ will work when badly worn, CV's let go sooner.

A lot of bigger American 4x4's use them at the wheel instead of a CV - makes them cheaper to repair and makes them more durable because they are quite well sealed, a CV needs a gaiter that's water tight to work and if water or other debris get in it's stuck in there, a UJ will often fling it off.

Disco's still use CV's for the props too, I will guess RR's as well.
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them ball swivels are pre 70's here. Everything in the front of a 4x4 are uj's
not a problem had a farm truck in the mud, water,300k and never a wheel bearing failure either


https://venturestruckparts.com/images/Dodge RH Axle 76812-1X.jpg axle

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/412yFkkaztL._SL500_SS100_.jpg wheel bearing assembly
 
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