MuscleHead

Ive searched and searched but is their a beefier replacement u-joint for the D30 shafts? My shaft came factory with the spicer 297x i believe. Local part stores don't even sell spicers, whats up with that? Are these duralast(auto zone) and precision (napa) u-joints as durable as the spicers considering they have a lifetime warranty? The warranty is cool but if i have to replace them alot its just going to be a pain in the @ss.

PingPong

Hold out for the spicers. If you cant find them local ... but them off of a internet forum.

MuscleHead

Figured they were beter quality but is there not an upgrade u-joint or is the stock as big as u can go?

Lyon

Try to find FrankZ on the forum.I believe he sells joints by Alloy USA IIRC. I think they are the only brand actually better than Spicer. I just did Spicers in mine because I have stock axles and should be fine for the type wheeling I do. I figure with stock axles, you'll break the ears for the joints faster with too strong a joint. I'd rather break the joint than the axles. It's cheaper.


http://www.seriousoffroadproducts.co...ducts_id=75502

MWildmann

I believe that the current version of the 297x joint is a 760 joint. There are greasable upgrade joints around, however typically the weak point is in the ears on the shafts themselves rather than the u-joints themselves...

MuscleHead

So more focus on shaft strength before worrying about u joints. So alloys ,then more expensive joints.

trans_am7935

actually if i am not mistaken, the 760x is a direct replacement for the 297x u-joint, but the 760x is not greasable and the 297x is, here is a greasable and cold forged u-joint for a cheap upgrade:

http://www.4x4rockshop.com/scripts/p...dproduct=11594

PingPong

I had the alloy USA shafts w/ their joint... well 3 out of the 4 shafts broke or twisted before u-joint failure happened. To me that is great... NOT... if joint would have broke I would still have shafts.

SeriousOffroad

Hmmmmm....

AlloyUSA X-Joints have a 3 year warranty, the axles have a 10 year warranty.

Were your's older than 10 years?

MuscleHead

Should my factory 297x joints be greaseable because i dont see a grease fitting unless it a needle style fitting and i just cant find it. Now would that be too strong for my factory shafts? I plan to eventually upgrade to alloys and keep factory shaft for trail spares.

Thats a really good warranty on both. Im curious how old both of his were to see how long they lasted.

MWildmann

Factory 297x joints are not greaseable. The Alloy USA joints do have zerk fittings. I replaced mine recently with spicer 760 joints (non-greaseable). Probably the best upgrade for the money that you can do is to clearance the factory shafts for full snap rings. Since the factory snap rings don't go all the way around the joint cap, they tend to unseat themselves. When that happens, the cap and joint will eventually walk out of the ears of the shaft and boom...bye bye axleshaft...Having the full snap rings almost eliminates that issue.

trans_am7935

the replacement 297x joints you get from the auto parts stores are greasable (sorry should have clarified) and the 760x joints are not. if you see alot of mud, and rivers, you want the greasable ones so you can keep the water out, if not, then the 760 joints are better.

MuscleHead

Good to know, i will be doing mainly dirt trails with muddy segments and creek crossings. Only rocks ill see will be on trips i take out of state.

PingPong

Cant find the reciept to remember who I bought them from

I can show pics of them new in the box.. and on my rig.. but couldnt get a copy of my reciept from CC company cause it was over 2 yrs ago.

PingPong

The shafts were bbought in May of 08


here are pics of the breakage

Long side stub shaft


long side inner


Short side inner


pic from when I bought the shafts.. has a date on the pic..