Universal Joints - Brands

[jjlaughner]

I use to always use Timken ujoints but the auto place carries another brand now (non-greasable)! They are pretty beefy, larger than the one I replaced anyways.
Its called, brute-force (not raybestos brand).

What are some good u-joint brands that I can look for outside the local shops?
Have any numbers for factory 10bolts, or the 3/4-1ton conversions? (minus CTM, way out of the budget right now)

 

[schmuck]

i belive not positve though that brute force joints are solid

 

[bigjbear]

Brute Force is made by Neapco. Its a good joint. I have one in one side of the front axle and one in the diff end of my rear shaft.

 

[jjlaughner]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Neapco

[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah thats it! I never hear of it before? Is it solid, do you know?

 

[bigjbear]

They have been around since 1928 and it stands for New England Auto Products Corporation. The Brute Force is made in the USA and I think the normal ones are, too. They have a full line, both solid and greasable. They used to list the P/Ns on their web site but its not working right now.

 

[Grim-Reaper]

Pretty well all the joints on my truck and my wifes are now Brute force (except for the CTM's in the front axle /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) The seem to hold up fine and not had any problems out of them.

 

[BigOrange90Jimmy]

They carry those at the Agri-Supply down the road. They do look beefy! I'm getting several parts from that shop to go on my next rig. Hydro rams pretty cheap! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[chulisohombre]

i've had the brute force in my truck now for 2 years and never had a problem.i have done moderate wheeling also.the part # for conversion 1/2 ton to 1 ton is #3-3140.neapco doesnt make it in the brute force version but that # is for the greasable one.

 

[hardcore71]

go to an auto supply store and buy a set of dana-spicer joints. they are cheap and the best quality i have found (oem design joints) part # 5-297x fits 10 bolt and dana 44 front

 

[bigjbear]

The problem w/ Spicers is finding them. Fewer and fewer stores are carrying them. Auto Zone recently started stocking Spicer steering parts so I am hopeful they will also begin to stock the Spicer u-joints.

 

[Thunder]

I like Neapco U joints. They are about all I use. If I cant get them I go with Rockwell They make then in solid or greasable types.
I get them from my local drive line shop. They are the experts. They carry the best U Joints and have the all the types I need.
Sometimes I dont trust some of the stuff I get from auto parts stores

 

[bigmack]

I get the Brute Force joints I us at Autozone. They have always held up real well with the exception of a front axle joint that I installed about 5-6 weeks ago. It only held up for about 3 weeks /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif, so when it broke it messed up both axle shafts on that side. I will probably keep using them, I hope this one was just defective or something, and they have a lifetime warrany so I have allready gotten a new one for replacement. And to make this story worse on the same day 2-3 hours later I broke a lower balljoint on the opposite side which in turn broke both axle shafts on that side. I replaced all the balljoints in November, I got them at Advance Auto Parts, they are Federal Mogul brand, and it too has a warranty so I got the broken ball joint replaced. Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of the bed /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif.

 

[milspecjimmy]

i have had brute force a lot before, they are life time, but the ones i got werent greasable. the grease channel that was in there would always get plugged up and fry a cap or two in 3-5 months. i use spicer when i can find it and napa lifetime when i cant

 

[bigjbear]

Lifetime NAPA is neapco. Read the box or ask the sales guy.

 

[m j]

call Spicer and ask for a dealer list in your area.
heavier trucks use spicers so they are available everywhere, you just have to look in different places

 

[BadDog]

Good stuff