driveshaft and u joints on 72 jimmy....

[gmcman7202]

ok i have a 72' jimmy with all stock running gear, posi front and rear (as the sticker in the glovebox says, and i am sure its right) i have the sm465, and a 400 sbc with 33" tires, i dont even have the front driveshaft hooked up since i dont have one as of now. my problem that i have is i have been snaping u joints on the rear drive shaft. i got spicer joints, then the straps now snaped. i wont be going over 35's or a 4" lift. I need some advice on what i can do with the axles, and u joints. Been looking at switching over to 1410's but not sure if thats what i should do... keep in mind its really not a off roader, maybe the back dirt road, nothing to exciting... i was looking at girdles, and new u joints, but the drive shaft needs new tubing caus its dented. So what is best way to go to prevent breakage, and to keep the costs down

 

[gmcman7202]

input on any suspension will also be nice, since i dont want blocks snaping on me again

 

[Greg72]

Are you using the "strap" style retainers on your rear u-joint, or the "U-bolt" style?

The U-bolt style is quite a bit stronger than the stock straps...but it still doesn't answer the question about why you're munching those u-joints??

Are you tightening them down REALLY hard? They are only supposed to have something like 15 - 20 Lb/ft of torque on them.....if you go ape on them, I suppose there's a chance that you are just crushing the bearings all to hell and ruining them that way.....

 

[gmcman7202]

well i have the straps on there, i was told not to drill out for the u bolt ones. i was goign to try the bolts.... as for the u joint, the knobs have sheared off, on both at the same time( not spicer, but the precison brand) when i was doing a burn out. next time it broke was the slip joint yoke on the driveshaft, ear snaped off. now the straps broke. if i drive like a granny its all fine, just have to much torque i guess.... as for bolting them on, i only was torquing them to 20 with locktite, and they all have been the greaseless ones, except for the precison ones, wich are lubed on the end cap, not with a zerk

 

[Greg72]

What size are the joints you have now....

1330?
1350?

The Spicer is supposed to be the best quality joints, maybe the Precision brand is just a low-cost (aka low-quality) joint by comparison??

Can't really say, I've never had enough power/gearing to light up the meats on my truck!!

 

[gmcman7202]

i when the shafts stay intact, i can spin througn 2 and 3... i know 1 will do it, but its to much power, dont want to try, as for 4th, dont know, ran out of road.... i believe its the 1330, dont know and cant check, i am at school. its what ever was stock