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By Y block Billy - 15 Years Ago
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I thought it was a good US made one brand new maybe 500 miles ago, but with the new motor and a little extra weight in the car, I went to do a burnout and I took the caps clean off the joint. Its a conversion joint from the later model T10 to the 55 rearend. I guess its time to put the 9" in.
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By pegleg - 15 Years Ago
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billy, Check wth Strange Engineering in Illinois. They list several Cap and/or U bolt parts designed for Teenagers like us!
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By crenwelge - 15 Years Ago
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I guess a cheap joint could break, but I just can't feature it happening. Cheap joints used to wear out in a hurry, but I don't recall breaking one, and I managed to break almost everything else. Are you sure the shaft isn't too long. If it bottoms out in the transmission, something is going to have to give.
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By yehaabill - 15 Years Ago
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Y-Guy Billy: If the joint you're using, has a grease zerk, that joint will have channels for the grease to travel, which causes a weaker joint, than solid types. With this zerk type, you're suppose to install them under "compression" so as to limit what happened to yours. Spicer had a bulletin on this years ago. Most "race" joints don't have zerks for this reason. Deep down, I really think your "Y" just overpowered them...... Bill
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By DANIEL TINDER - 15 Years Ago
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[quote]yehaabill (5/8/2010)
Y-Guy Billy: If the joint you're using, has a grease zerk, that joint will have channels
for the grease to travel, which causes a weaker joint, than solid types.
When I purchased a new "U" joint from catalog supplier, it had no zerk fittings. I returned/exchanged it the old style, thinking regular lube application would insure that it never ran dry, and I also thought there must be a limit to the life of the grease in the sealed unit (heat, and contamination if the seal DID fail would likely cause it to deteriorate). Now I find there may be a trade-off in strength? STILL learning something new every day!
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By charliemccraney - 15 Years Ago
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On a stock car, the greasable u-joint should be fine. If I'm not mistaken, they came stock on many vehicles for years. With higher horsepower, and increased traction, the solid body joints start to look good.
Frank, what kind of u-joint was it that broke, was it last year or the year before, at Columbus?
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By Canadian Hot Rodder - 15 Years Ago
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Billy,
I go through about 2 rear u-joints every summer. I purchase the more expensive "heavy duty" one for trucks without the grease passages. The problem with my car is wheel hop. I checked the drive shaft angle and that was fine, but I do notice that until I get the rear wheels really spinning, the back end tends to bounce on me. This takes out my u-joints all the time. I added a set of Lakewood slapper bars and this helps, but if I am really hard on "Old Vicky" I still take out a u-joint. Mine don't usually snap, I just chew up the bearings and get a good vibration in the rear. I have to break down and order a set of Traction Master bars, this should save my u-joints. This could be part of your problem too!
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By Y block Billy - 15 Years Ago
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My brother warned me I would be breaking them, He grew up with 56's out of high school and said he broke several of them. the reason why is that this style was carried over to 54, 55 & 56 from the flat head, When they upped to the Y block the horsepower was doubled and more from the flathead and this was the weak link in the system, thats why in 57 things were beefed up to 9" status. The joints prior to 57 have a small shaft diameter for the bearing caps, thats why I had to have a conversion joint to go from the later style 9" joint to the smaller 55, 56 style. It was a spicer USA joint but it did have the grease channels. I did find in my stock a usable joint by changing caps but still have one on order along with the others that the company has at their other ware house, they will bring them down to the store closer to me just in case. I think I will probably install the 9" soon anyway. I'll have to post some pics of it.
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By aussiebill - 15 Years Ago
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crenwelge (5/8/2010)
I guess a cheap joint could break, but I just can't feature it happening. Cheap joints used to wear out in a hurry, but I don't recall breaking one, and I managed to break almost everything else. Are you sure the shaft isn't too long. If it bottoms out in the transmission, something is going to have to give.Ken, i would have to agree with you, i,ve never seen a broken uni joint, in that the actual cross just snaps! the biggest cause of rear uni problems apart from worn out and sloppy, is loose caps, despite lock tabs, they can work slightly loose and then bang. I wouldnt think street tyres would have enough traction on a hard take off to put that big a load to break the cross, just my thoughts!.
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By Y block Billy - 15 Years Ago
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It was an odd situation, I was going up a fairly good incline while rolling and slowed, a couple people I knew were out there to edge me on so while still rolling uphill I dropped the clutch, I must have had too much grip and when I dropped it she just went pling ga ding ga ding. I also had my brother in the car, not saying he is heavy, about the same as me 185 -195 Lbs. With the old 272 I used to get wheel hop but with this new motor it spun the tire so easy I wasn't getting any wheel hop. I think it was just an odd situation where the weight was transfering while I was still moving and I didn't bring the slack out of it first, I won't be doing that again, I will make sure I have the slack out, live and learn
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By bruce56 - 13 Years Ago
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Been there done that. Under medium or extreme acceleration the rearend in my 56 Ford Victoria would rotate such that the third member was trying to kiss the truck floor. When this occurred it would snap the u-joint due to the extreme angle. Solved it with Hurst traction bars - never broke another one.
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By Riz - 13 Years Ago
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I have never managed to snap one other than while 4 wheeling and a tire was hung up. I hate to say it but that is pretty awesome to snap one with a street motor.
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By pegleg - 13 Years Ago
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Charlie, I missed your question from like two years ago. Sorry! The u-bolts or u straps broke in my case, not the joint itself. I did pitch the U after that incident though and bought Strange Caps and U-joint. Wally recommended them. Figured if he ran them on that '56 without breakage, they'd work fom me!!
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By PF Arcand - 13 Years Ago
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Broken U joints. Hmm, could be worse, like a broken axle or a lunched rear end.. Strikes me that much of the problem is with "lead foot" disease!...
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By pegleg - 13 Years Ago
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That's never a problem. weak parts are the issue!
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By ejstith - 13 Years Ago
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Billy, what did the 9" you are going to put in there come out of? Is it a bolt in? I'm putting a T-85 in my '56 & had to get a U-joint at the yolk that was larger on 2 ends than the other 2.
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By Y block Billy - 13 Years Ago
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My 9" came from a 57 Edsel, 57 was a direct bolt in, I think 58 &9 will work also
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By pegleg - 13 Years Ago
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I believe some of the mid 60's big block Mustangs will bolt in as well. Other than that the later stuff will require narrowing. Moser, and others can do that for a fairly reasonable price.
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By Tom Compton - 13 Years Ago
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I shattered a cheap u joint but was in a little bit of a roll back when I got on it. That one bent the yoke on the rear end too. Have a 9" from a Versailles in the shop but doubt I'll ever install it.
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By slumlord444 - 13 Years Ago
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'57 Edsel?? Thats a rare one!
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