Axle U-joint question --Spicer 5-260X

[diesel4me]

Found out my 82 K2500 has a axle u-joint on the drivers side thats shot,after 10 years of hard plowing abuse--one cap on it has no needles left,and a chunk missing from it..have to replace it before winter or risk it blowing apart and or wearing the stub yoke out..

I had 2 Spicer 5-260X u-joints kicking around,I remember trying to install one on my other GMC and I could not get the clips on the caps,so I ended up buying others at Autozone..

One of them is new in the box un-used,and has the 4 clips--the other is missing two of the rubber seals and the clips..I tried digging thru my collection of spare clips,but most of them are too thick to fit in the grooves,and I doubt you can buy them separately..I have tons of spare outside clips.not many inside clips though..

I suppose it would be unwise to install it with two seals missing,but maybe I can re-use the ones off the original joint or use an O-ring..I know new ones aren't that expensive,I just hate not using what I already have..especially when the truck is very borderline as far as being a reliable daily driver..

Not trying to to TOO cheap,but if these u-joints will fit I figure I may as well use at least the one new one...not looking forward to this job,my brake rotors look ready to part in the center where the cooling fins are too,they are so rotted--so that'll mean another 100 bucks,provided I dont find junk wheel bearings,or other parts on the way in there.....

With the oil pan being junk on this diesel,plus it having other woes like an exhaust pipe paoer thin,that I found a nice hole on ,on the passenger side today that I patched with tin and hose clamps,and rotted exhaust manifolds that probably wont let the bolts come out even with heat from a torch,I'm tempted to just give up and sell the dam thing..my back cant take lying or kneeling down for long,and I cant afford to pay anyone else to do it..I'll be lucky to get the axle joint fixed myself..
I hate finding this kind of trouble right before your going to need the truck the most to plow....

 

[paratrooper307]

That's the thing about working on old trucks, as soon as you start pulling stuff apart you find more problems that have to be addressed. Best of luck hope it's not so bad and you can get another season out of it!

 

[diesel4me]

Well,I hoped to have gotten all these things wrong with the truck adressed this summer--and start getting my 85 Suburban in good enough condition to use at least as a back up plow....
But my mom passing away in June brought pretty much everything related to my trucks to a screeching halt..not that I had the money to buy the needed parts then anyway--...got sidetracked having to get all the legalities with the house arranged (and still am in the process of adjusting to having to support a house thats 36 years old and in need of many repairs )..

Now I have the money, but am running out of time,and my physical condition isn't up to pulling the engine out ,or lying under it for hours...truck could use a steering colum swap and the jeep shaft upgrade too,I have a spare non tilt colum for it --the lower bearing on the one in the truck is going,its rough and sloppy..

Mostly my back sucks,I am in agony every waking hour,and have to force myself to do anything..--and my eyes worry me,I had lens implants after catarct surgery 2 years ago,and if I lie under it to do anything,one peice of rust ,or drop of oil could mean disaster,and I cant see well without goggles ,trying to use those over my glasses makes me ten times more blind..

I need to have more lasik surgery done again because my vision is once again getting like it was before the cataracts were removed,which is not uncommon,the doc says one time only though,then your stuck with however it turns out..

I was hoping to use the Spicer joints because I hear they are the strongets,not being greaseable,etc..then again I have never broken any u-joint or axle joint,I try to not be rough on the truck when plowing ,unfortunately when you get 2+ feet of snow overnight at times here,you have to ram into hard packed snowbanks and beat the truck up or not get it moved!..If I end up buying new u-joints ,oh well..

I have a rebuilt driveshaft that may fit my truck,and some new Neapco U-joints left over from my 77 K2500 that should be the same,also the rear driveshaft from it..also have a spare drivers side front axle shaft and stub yoke..I kept this stuff hoping it would be of use someday to me,but I may find they wont fit when I go to use them too..

My Suburban will need a lot of work too,it needs batteries,probably some brake lines after sitting 4 years,maybe calipers and wheel cylinders,master cylinder too..700R4 trans loses reverse after a good ride and wont go into overdrive most of the time I was told,but "yard drives" ok...so it wont be any easier trying to resurect that truck now either,unfortunately..
This is why the thought of selling everything and paying someone else to plow is tempting..but I make some cash plowing with my truck too,and I'll need the income more this year than ever before too..

 

[1BEATK5]

I thought 5-260 is was the smaller Dana 30/ drum brake d44 joint.

297x would be the correct one
Assuming old box. Not the newer hot forged part number

 

[chulisohombre]

Yeah 260 was on the smaller jeep Dana 30 and 44 scout and chevy shafts pre 73. That joint wont fit either axle shaft you have. It would be better to buy new. My mechanic only charged me 30 bucks to press In the new joint into my axleshafts. It was much easier than beating on them for hours. 5-760x is the new replacement number and stronger joint you want.

 

[diesel4me]

Aha!..so thats why I couldn't get the clips in!....I guess they were leftovers from my 71 GMC I had decades ago maybe..I think someone gave them to me,I cant remember..(probably didn't fit that truck either,it had disc brakes)..

Wish I could run into the guy at the flea market who bought out an old parts store again--he had a shopping cart full of neapco u-joints ,many popular numbers I knew fit my truck,he was selling for 3 bucks apeaice..and oil filters,air filters,and a bunch of other stuff too..
I dont trust using my truck the 22 miles to get there at 6 am on a sunday morning right now though....not without towing on my insurance anyway..

Oh well,they cant be much more than 15 bucks locally..I hate to have to buy new rotors for this thing,but probably will have too,before they fail in the dead of winter..I can use my garage to work on it but I prefer doing it outdoors,its dark as a dungeuon in there and cramped when you need to pull a 3 foot long axle out...

I hate getting the spindle off the most,I always fear I'll muck it up having to whale on it with a wood block and hammer & chisel to get it off the knuckle and those 6 or 8 bolts..I've had those bolts snap too,and had to use grade 8"s instead of the stock flat headed ones,they are not easy to come by around here..my '77 GMC only have 4 of those bolts on obe side,two were sheared off,and it had a 454 and a 600 lb fisher plow on it for years before I discoverd they were missing!..

 

[chulisohombre]

That 260 joint would have fit 69-72 blazer jimmy or pickup 1/2or3/4 ton. If its new it will fit the jeeps and intrernationàl axels. You could sell them for a few bucks maybe. I upgraded my axleshafts to the bigger 760x to get the stronger joint and slightly bigger shafts. The earlier shafts necked down skinnier as well as having the smaller joint. I'm surprised mine lasted so long on 35s. Good luck. Rotors are 35 apiece and well worth not having them fall apart on the road. I think my new ujoints were 25 apiece.

 

[diesel4me]

Only one of the Spicers is "complete",the other as I stated is lacking two of the rubber seals and all 4 clips..dont know if they are worth anything ,or enough to bother listing them for sale..if they'll do anyone here any good I'd mail them to them,they wont be of any use to me since they wont fit my trucks..

Its not so much the money to buy the parts,I have that at the moment--its the agony induced installing them..and the potential for harm to my eyes,not being able to see good makes working on anything suck..and being laid up with back pain for a week or more after a day or two of working on it..trying to find a shop locally that is willing to fix a 30 year old truck for a reasonable amount is not easy either--most say they wont touch it--others quote an outrageous price,hoping I'll go away..

Had to see my doctor again today..found out I have had a few minor seizures and have to take pills for that now,and I also have athsma,and need to carry inhalers around....lungs were clear today though..

Had another "fun" day with my truck..barely made it home from the grocery run,when the thing started surging like it was running out of fuel..the last mile it threatened to die several times but I managed to make it to my house!..

I put about a half gallon more fuel I had in a can in it and went right to the corner gas station and got 20 bucks worth of diesel..seemed OK after that when I drove it ten more miles..
I guess my gas gauge isn't accurate any more,I used to run it below "E" and never ran it dry before,now this makes twice its run out with over 1/8th of a tank showing..maybe the last gallon or two was water....
I think the tank is so long it takes 5 gallons just to keep the "sock" in the tank covered up enough not to suck air maybe..

 

[chulisohombre]

It sucks Getting Old. Lol Even at 34 sometimes I don't Really Feel Like Doing the Work Anymore. Maybe you can find a member close to you willing to help.