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12-06-2019, 09:01 AM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posts: 590
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U Joint Quality
Does anybody make a high quality US-made U joint ? Are 1928 -1948 U joints interchangeable ? Not impressed with a foreign-made unit I have. Spline bores appear to be off center and there is perceptible axial play.
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12-06-2019, 09:08 AM | #2 |
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Northwest CT
Posts: 1,092
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Re: U Joint Quality
Call up Berts and see if he has a good used one. That's the route I went after he told me the rebuild kits are poor quality. The one he sent me looked and felt almost brand new.
Alternatively, Bob Drake makes a modern replacement that uses needle bearings. Have read mixed reviews on it. |
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12-06-2019, 10:54 AM | #3 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Bismarck ND
Posts: 1,190
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Re: U Joint Quality
The 28-48 U joints are interchangeable I believe. that is the ones where you can replace the wear parts.
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12-06-2019, 12:56 PM | #4 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: So Cal
Posts: 8,809
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Re: U Joint Quality
I checked five, some NOS, and all have about 1/16" axial play.
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12-06-2019, 02:49 PM | #5 |
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 16,515
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Re: U Joint Quality
I think the one with the needles is a copy of the Lincoln U-joint.
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12-06-2019, 03:50 PM | #6 |
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Location: Florida Panhandle
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Re: U Joint Quality
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Looking hard at the Bob Drake option. Since the needle bearings are sealed the unit would probably not benefit from filling the U joint enclosure with mega grease. Quality looks good but do not know if US-manufactured. Anybody have any experience or info on this unit ? |
12-07-2019, 09:21 AM | #7 | |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: East Shore of LAKE HOUSTON
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Re: U Joint Quality
Quote:
There has NOT been much (if any) good to say about Bob's repro Lincoln joint....do a search re: "Bob Drake U-joints". Contact Fred Wilmer at Southside Obsolete for REAL Ford NOS joints. Send Fred a PM...he goes by "barnfind08" here on the 'Barn. DD |
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12-07-2019, 09:38 AM | #8 |
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Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posts: 590
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Re: U Joint Quality
Did some research and agree. Needle bearings appear to be not the way to go on torque tube drive lines. Since the shafts are restrained they must be in perfect alignment to avoid side loads on the joint. The bushing type joints readily accommodate minor lateral misalignment. Many antique Lincoln owners report they retrofit their rides with bushed joints because they last much longer. Appreciate the input and recommendation. NOS is clearly the best route to go.
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12-07-2019, 10:17 PM | #9 | |
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 543
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Re: U Joint Quality
Quote:
Rumors and speculation are dangerous. |
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12-06-2019, 03:51 PM | #10 | |
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Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 7,564
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Re: U Joint Quality
Quote:
The US has about 5% of the world's population. That means that to 95% of people, US made is "foreign made".
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I'm part of the only ever generation with an analogue childhood and a digital adulthood. |
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12-06-2019, 03:53 PM | #11 | |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 6,013
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Re: U Joint Quality
Quote:
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12-07-2019, 08:54 AM | #12 | |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: now Kuna, Idaho
Posts: 3,790
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Re: U Joint Quality
Quote:
Good point! |
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12-06-2019, 03:51 PM | #13 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: new britain,ct 06052
Posts: 9,393
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Re: U Joint Quality
Call them...................
Paul in CT |
12-06-2019, 05:14 PM | #14 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,379
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Re: U Joint Quality
There was some discussion of the needle-bearing U-joints on the Early V8 Forum a while back and the consensus seemed to be that this type of bearing was unnecessary in an application where there was no full rotation around an axis. These were used in some Lincolns of that era and many assumed that made them better than the Ford supplied bushing U-joints, but actual use showed no advantage.
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12-07-2019, 10:58 PM | #15 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Southern California
Posts: 3,139
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Re: U Joint Quality
Recently there U-joints on the market supplied by your favorite supplier that were too wide to properly fit inside the U-joint housing. Most of the better suppliers pulled them from their inventory when they were advised of the problem. Other suppliers didn't. So beware!
Out here in California serviceable original U-joints are seen all the time at swap meets for next to nothing. Tom Endy |
12-08-2019, 01:00 AM | #16 | |
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Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 7,564
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Re: U Joint Quality
Quote:
As I've said before, you guys don't know how good you've got it.
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