What's new
By:
Filters

U joints, reviews on all the other brands?

HCT

HCT

Member
Joined
May 29, 2020
Member Number
1661
Messages
20
I have been looking into this a bit. Most of the reading I have done is over on the other site and dated or other wheelin forums. Going to build a steering axle for the rear of my rig and trying to figure out what joints to run. I currently run Spicer colds in the front 60 and its been fine for years. But figure the rear will need more than that.

RCV shafts and CV's. The most bling option, not completely out of the picture but would like to do it for cheaper.

CTM. Seems to be the stand by.

Yukon. Slightly lower price point. They hold up just as well as CTM?

Longfield. Seems as though the older design was a quality unit. This being the design with grease points in all caps. Then the line was sold to TG and quality started to go down hill? This being the design with one grease fitting. Read several posts from around 2018 that people where having issues with cap fitment. The trunnions had shitty machining finish, cap bushings here tapered. Have these quality issues been resolved or still happening? I found a place that appears to have the old Longfield design at a great price point. Wondering if I should just snag those? The single grease point design seems nice, but not if the joints are shit now?

Nitro Excalibur. Cheaper options, but from the reading I did these do not have bushings in the caps. So Hardened steel on steel contact that causes gulling. At least that is what I have read, while other accounts say they are great. But thinking I will most likely stay away from these.

ECGS. Another cheap option. Cannot seem to find any info on these. I would suspect at the price point they don't have bushings as well, but IDK? Anyone have input on these?

Spicer Extreme joints. More costly than CTM. Cannot find anything on these besides sites that are selling them. Worth the money?

I already know everyone will say go RCV or CTM, but looking for input on the others.
 
Yukons were designed by Carl jantz, they have no bushings, and rely on very regular greasing to stay tight. I wasn't a fan of the grease system on then at all, but I get that for ultimate strength, you don't want grease passages in the cross.
 
I actually have a set of Longs, NIB from Bobby circa 2005(?). Never ran, and now I have 1550s...
20201230_120157.jpg
 
I went with Ouverson. Haven't ran them yet but for $600 shipped & 300m material they are worth considering.
IMG_20200611_135143106.jpg


​​​​​​
 
Overson. Id say longs but they are not the same from stuff I've seen. Can't go wrong with ctms. But they way you grease them sucks in comparison.
 
I’ve got CTM’s Yukon Super’s OX joints and RCV’s. The first three I think are pretty much un breakable. But you have to grease them every day or they squeak and you know it’s metal on metal contact which means wear. I should take them all apart and check them for wear. They’re all in axle shafts on my shelf because they were replaced by RCV’s that only need re-greased like once a year.
 
Bumping this with some new info. There are two post U joints threads as of today on Irate.
Loren Healy has put 100+ miles pre runnig KOH on the new Spider Trax / OX knock off U joints. They are 1550 size but use a special yoke/axle shaft.
Meanwhile David Hartman is changing his non needle bearing joints out every race due to wear.
 
Noticed that ECGS sells the Spicer Life blue cross joint along with their alloy shaft kits. They warranty the shafts for life and the joints for a 1 time replacement. So some people must be getting by with them or they wouldn't waste their time kitting and warranting them even once to loose any profit on the initial sale.

On Overson's website they don't show the 1550 with C clips for the Super Duty style shafts?
Is this picture of the 1480 or 1550? The Rockwell says its 1550 but has the wrong caps?
fetch
 
HYDRODYNAMIC said:
Noticed that ECGS sells the Spicer Life blue cross joint along with their alloy shaft kits. They warranty the shafts for life and the joints for a 1 time replacement. So some people must be getting by with them or they wouldn't waste their time kitting and warranting them even once to loose any profit on the initial sale.

On Overson's website they don't show the 1550 with C clips for the Super Duty style shafts?
Is this picture of the 1480 or 1550? The Rockwell says its 1550 but has the wrong caps?
fetch
Click to expand...

looks like 1480 to me, and fwiw iirc the 1480 and 1550 should both have the same size caps
 
Stock 99-04 Super Duty Dana 60 steering angle.

I ended up getting the set of NIB old style Long joints posted in this thread.
 
One thing I noticed with the Nitro Excalibur joints is that the replacement parts are extremely expensive compare to say yukon super joints. looks like the replacing the joint is cheaper then rebuilding the joint.
 
4R_on_the_Rocks said:
I believe they do. I just always consider Maintence cost when looking at things. Still considering them as the bang for the buck seems good.
Click to expand...
Check to see if they are in stock

I ordered a set on Black Friday. Availability got pushed out twice. Once January rolled around I
bagged them and got CTMs.
 
Anyone running spicer blue joints with 35 spline shafts and stickies?

Im tired of greasing ctms
 
Levigarrett76 said:
Anyone running spicer blue joints with 35 spline shafts and stickies?

Im tired of greasing ctms
Click to expand...
They break in 1480 flavor. Stock inner 35 spline 60 shafts are stronger than the nongreasable spicer joints. And from my understanding, the blue is nothing but a coating so it's no different than a normal nongreasable. As for 1550s, I have friends breaking the 40 spline stuff before a greaseable 1550 spicer lets go.
 
Wfoyota said:
And from my understanding, the blue is nothing but a coating so it's no different than a normal nongreasable.
Click to expand...

This man speaks the truth. Just overpriced marketing BS unless you are really concerned about your joints rusting.

I am surprised to hear that the Spicer 1550s are breaking 40 spline shafts. I got some Superjoints for my 40 spline shafts because I didn't think a spicer 1550 would hold up to 40 spline. They should only be about 30% stronger than the 1480 joints and 40 spline shafts should be about 45% stronger than 35 spline.
 
'84 Bronco II said:
This man speaks the truth. Just overpriced marketing BS unless you are really concerned about your joints rusting.

I am surprised to hear that the Spicer 1550s are breaking 40 spline shafts. I got some Superjoints for my 40 spline shafts because I didn't think a spicer 1550 would hold up to 40 spline. They should only be about 30% stronger than the 1480 joints and 40 spline shafts should be about 45% stronger than 35 spline.
Click to expand...
Personal opinion, the more I learn about the yukon blank 40 spline stuff, the more I think it is hot garbage. Maybe not so much the inners but the stubs forsure. Plus the stub shaft length leaves zero room for any twist. But with a solid warranty through somebody like ECGS I dont guess it matters. Branik however will not warranty after the second one.
 
With rear steer, probably can get away with needle-less U-joints without needing to grease them as often? Just a thought.
 
Wfoyota said:
They break in 1480 flavor. Stock inner 35 spline 60 shafts are stronger than the nongreasable spicer joints. And from my understanding, the blue is nothing but a coating so it's no different than a normal nongreasable. As for 1550s, I have friends breaking the 40 spline stuff before a greaseable 1550 spicer lets go.
Click to expand...
Sounds like some Kevin Rutherford micro blue bullshit.

Thank you for clarifying, Ill just keep greasing.

what do yall run for grease? I've been running this

61ZC5bOw7bL._SL1500_.jpg
 
I used antiseeze in super joints and the ctms I had. The ctms were the worst joint ive had so far and beat the bushings out of them in no time. Went to branik joints and now use the grease branik sells.
 
High pressure Moly grease would ideal for them. Pretty much just a set of pins and bushings.

Go with whatever flavor your local supplier carries. Starplex HD2 M5 is what I'd recommend but we are a Chevron dealer so I know those products.

Probably not worth the shipping but I have a few cases (4 boxes) left of old stock that we are selling for $25 a box ($2.50 a tube)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh