universal joint replacement

[yogi]

I was having a little poke about under my new 80 today as I had noticed an occasional 'tink' or 'clink' noise when changing gear/getting on the throttle at times.


Rear prop shaft was nice and tight, u/j's all seemed nice and tight and greased, no vertical or lateral play in driveshaft. Can rotate about 12 o'clock to 1o'clock.


Front prop shaft has a tiny bit of movement in it, but its clearly coming from u/j wear both the one in front of the transfer and the one behind the front diff.
Maybe a tiny bit more rotation possible but only 5 degrees more than the rear.

So I assume that degree of rotational movement is roughly normal??

So the question is where do I source my 2 replacement u/j's from, is it 'safe' to go after market or do I need to get from Toyota?

 

[Chris]

Copy parts are strong enough and fit ok, but here have been quite a few where the grease nipple is in a different place and you can't get a gun on it once fitted. Not all have a greasing point IIRC but it's something to consider.

Roughly 5 mins of rotational play in the drive flange at the diff is normal.

 

[AndyCook]

i have found the cheapo £10 UJ's show wear within a few thousand miles,
I only fit genuine Toyota now

 

[yogi]

Copy parts are strong enough and fit ok, but here have been quite a few where the grease nipple is in a different place and you can't get a gun on it once fitted. Not all have a greasing point IIRC but it's something to consider.

Roughly 5 mins of rotational play in the drive flange at the diff is normal.

That's what I was reading all right but I couldn't find anything up to date so I was hoping that design flaw might have been fixed!! Think I might avoid the grease free ones, that just sounds like over engineering of a very simple and effective piece of kit to me , for todays man that likes to get moisturiser on his hands rather than grease!

Is that can't be got at with a solid grease gun, or not even with the flexi type?? That's what I couldn't figure out.

Glad to hear that about the diff.
Thanks Chris

 

[clivehorridge]

I've found some grease points on UJs don't have enough clearance to receive a "clip on" type gun. I used to have an old fashioned "cup-nozzle" gun (the type with the delivery tube working like a piston) just for those occasions.