BigC9164

Noticed a loud poping sound coming from my trans or rearward last week. inspected the driveshaft b ecause i have had the ujoint go bad at the axle yokein the rear. it checked out and i could not feal anything bad in the double cardon joint at my slip yoke eliminator yoke. replaced the trans mount. problem persisted.

So I removed the drive shaft and sure enough, the DURALAST GOLD ujoint in the middle of the double cardon joint had burnt all of its needle bearings.

This is the second one i have had go bad in the past 3 years of this new (used/refurbished) driveshaft.

I went with Duralast Gold non greasable because i figured if one broke i could easily find an autozone to replace it. Well... i expected them to last longer than 3 years!

I DO NOT RECOMEND DURALAST GOLD U JOINTS. You will be taking advantage of their lifetime warantee often!

I replaced all three with SPICER 1310 greasable. Bout for $13 each at 4wheelparts. (must replace the zerk grease fitting with a low profile fitting in the double cardon joint u joints. ask me how i know...

just thought i would share. Posted in modified tech because of application to a rear double cardon joint. Admin move if necessary.

thanks for listening. hope this helps anyone googling " duralast gold u joint vs. "

TRCM

I've never had a problem with duralast gold, but have had issues when the u-joint was installed wrong and not greased. I never get non-greasable u-joints anymore. IN fact, they are what's was in the rear driveshaft of my 88 for many years, and the driveshaft in my 96 9 yrs until I went with a cv shaft & SYE.

And by the way, it's yoke, not yolk.

yolks are in eggs, yokes are on a driveshaft.

BigC9164

thanks TRCM, yeah, i am now only going to use greasable. Just have to remember to get out the grease gun every few oil changes

Atmos

yeah dura is total crap. for OEM ujoints it's spicer or nothing

JeepTrick68

^^2X

RWKHausSupply

Well Spicers are now typically made in China, see box.

NEAPCO (New England AutoParts CO) is more USA made, and for driveshaft applications known to be stronger then spicer.

If a axle shaft, so Spicer though.

Big David

I got the cheapest joint for my rear sye drive shaft & it was fine..... until I shattered the yoke & destroyed it. Took what was left of it back to Auto Zone & they warranted it for me. No complaints here.
When I rebuilt the double cardin I used Spicer. I think it was $70 total.

Atmos

that's tricky on their part. still says made in USA right next to that


I'll drop my loyalty when I start seeing failures. but definitely good to know there is another good brand out there!

Turbo X_J

Something is wrong, I don't think it's the u-joint.

bryweb

If you play in deep water and mud, non-greasable don't seem to last long, My daughters ate a rear joint about once a year on hers, I used non-greasable because they are suppose to be stronger, but now I get ones that can be greased. I usually get Spicers, but may have to reconsider them if RWKHaus is correct and they are not made in America.

Big David

The box is made in the USA (from foreign materials).

Rogue4x4

You get what you get, when you shop at VatoZone...LOL

Fred/N0AZZ

The AutoZone brand is a Spicer just look at them together they are all I run in my Trucks 1 ton 4x4's pulling trailers daily for the business and the XJ never had an issue with them but always buy greaseable ones. One thing I don't buy from them are oil/air filters NAPA Gold only or Wix and air tools.


Some people are just don't what parts to buy from where as far as brands and quality, I can order about all parts from them if I ask the manager even a few OEM ones. Made in USA items are harder to find any more as people try to compete with the crap that Amazon sells.

Big David

I was told by a mechanic that a u joint with the grease fitting was weaker due to the cavity for the grease to travel. I dont mind since I'd rather break a joint than a ring gear.

BigC9164

the first u joing to bvreak was at the rear diff. second was at the double cardon joint. My pinion angle could be better but it is not so bad that i should have busted a u joint with in the first two years. I am blaming the autozone u joint. however time will tell with these spicer units.