Getting tired of replacing U-joints!

[ontherocks]

I understand I'm going to replace my rear driveshaft joints more often since I run a lift. I just can't find anyone that stocks really strong joints. I seem to have to press some new ones in about once a year.
1. What are other CJ'ers replacement schedule?
2. Where do I find joints with some durability?

[pontiac58]

How much lift are you running first off. Second do you have degree shims on the springs. Third do you have a tcase drop. I personally dont run a tcase drop but i do have the shims on the springs. My cj has been lifted for a year now (4in superlift) and have yet to go through a ujoint on the driveshafts. Matter of fact the ujoints are 21 years old. Here is what i do. I grease the $hit out of them. After every run or once a month what ever comes first. I dont use just any grease though. I use synthetic grease either vavoline or mobil one. At only 5 bucks a tube it is cheap insureance plus the stuff is unreal. The other thing is your driveshaft bent or unbalanced? That would eat a ujoint fast.

[ontherocks]

No T-case drop for me.... I am running a 3 inch lift so no extensive mods are necessary. I was thinking the same thing- an unbalanced shaft may be the case. I went to the shop today but they are closed 'til Tuesday.

I made the mistake of going to Autozone to get these joints... what a bunch of dinks! They kept telling me that I need wheel joints. When I explained to them that these are going on the DRIVESHAFT, they replied, "Yes, and that is connected to the wheels!" I just smiled and had them show me every joint they had until I saw the replacement. I suppose they were right in a sense. In a roundabout way it is connected to the wheels!

We'll see how the driveshaft spins on a machine.

[cjjeep]

Another slant to perhaps convince you to keep the weak u-joints. My CJ has a terra-low linked to 4.56 gears pushing 36-inch Swampers. That's a lot of stress on the drivetrain. Every now and then, I encounter a tough obstacle that stresses the drivetrain. A standard u-joint acts as a fuse and it pops instead of a gear or shaft somewhere in the tranny, t-case or differential popping. Replacing a u-joint is a whole lot less hassle and a whole lot cheaper than replacing other drivetrain parts.

Of course, many wheelers spend lots of money for premium, heavy-duty drivetrains and they're not concerned about the "snap-factor". I'm still running stock stuff and the snap-factor is important to me.

[ontherocks]

A standard u-joint acts as a fuse and it pops instead of a gear or shaft somewhere in the tranny, t-case or differential popping. Replacing a u-joint is a whole lot less hassle and a whole lot cheaper than replacing other drivetrain parts.


That's a point that's easy to forget. I'd rather keep a few $10 joints and a C-clamp with me than replace a pretzel'd driveshaft!