U-Joint alignment

this is the best demonstration I have ever seen regarding u-joint alignment and phasing.

Enjoy.[P

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Idk3BVDVHq4

that was a good one

I saw that video some place a few days ago. Even a simple minded person like myself could understand it. Thanks for the post.

great link thanks !

Spot on! When I worked in the Freightliner Technician Training Department, we had that same training tool, and the story went exactly the same way.

The same goes for the steering drive line as well as big one.
The steering just doesn't spin as fast.

If there is a compound "bend" in the steering shaft, sometimes a shift in the phasing will take the clunk out of it. The steering in my '38 is set up that way. Thank you to GM for making the steering in Astro Vans goofy. I was able to exploit it to my advantage.

Be good if he had demonstrated what happens if you reverse the angles of the two ends, instead of following the old adage that they have to be parallel.

ie engine flange 3 degrees down axle 3 degrees down, instead of up.

A clue: nothing happens, it works exactly the same. You'll see why if you understand the video.

Great video, thanks for sharing. So often we do things because we are told it's the right way but never really know why.
One other point I always like to add to u-joint installation is to always have the grease zerk holes so they are in compression under acceleration. A u-joint is something like twice as strong that way compared to having the stress trying to rip the hole apart.

Willowbilly3 said:

Great video, thanks for sharing. So often we do things because we are told it's the right way but never really know why.
One other point I always like to add to u-joint installation is to always have the grease zerk holes so they are in compression under acceleration. A u-joint is something like twice as strong that way compared to having the stress trying to rip the hole apart.

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Could you explain the grease fitting in compression thing. I understand what in compression means but not in a u-joint. most times when I install a u-joint I can only install it one way in order to get at it with the grease gun.

kenny c said:

Could you explain the grease fitting in compression thing. I understand what in compression means but not in a u-joint. most times when I install a u-joint I can only install it one way in order to get at it with the grease gun.

Click to expand...

Two of the 'ears/lugs' of the UJ are driven by your drive shaft, two are connected to the axle side. Make sure the grease hole is in the place that is being squashed by the ear/lug that is on the drive shaft. That way the hole is not being torn apart, but being squashed when you hit the loud pedal.

You have a 50/50 chance of it being right if you just fit it at random.

Exactly except opposite on the front, the yoke drives the shaft, and you can still point the grease fitting toward the tube so you can grease it in either scenario. It's an old drag racers trick I read in Hot Rod magazine when I was a youngster and I've always done it. And I used to always use the Spicer case hardened u-joints, don't know if you can even get them anymore.