axle ujoint question...

John Fuller

XJ Fanatic!!
Banned
Joined
Jan 3, 2015
Location
Boone NC
hey guys..anyone have an explanation/ideas as to why some axle joints caps go right in and c-clamps snap in like they should but yet some others one one cap goes on smooth the other never makes it quite far enough (like within "cm"s) of the second C-clip snapping in all the way. I've been puttin these things on forever and today i had a pair that were the difficult ones and drove me crazy...
i've heard the ears on the axles can bend inwards but will look straight and that's why??? i could see this but the groove that is for the C-clip has the same reveal all the way around so i figured that wasn't the case (at least not on the axles today). Any ideas/comments to shed some light on this would be awesome or any Tricks that maybe someone has for them. Thank u.
 
I think it all l had to do with tolerances on the caps& shafts. If the ear is slightly tight and cap slightly big, it will be tough. Also depends if it's new shafts or old rusty shafts. When you're talking a few thousands interference, it doesn't take much.

While shaft ears could bend inward during pressing, they will typically try to push apart during use.

Also an excessive amount of grease in the cap can cause resistance to the cap pressing on. Grease can create a ton of pressure inside the cavity and doesn't compress well.
 
While shaft ears could bend inward during pressing, they will typically try to push apart during use.
i don't use press...just hammer and love which works fine to get out and put in
Also an excessive amount of grease in the cap can cause resistance to th
i've left factory grease in, took out all grease, and added a little more and have gotten same result (today at least) so the one side that was not going...i ended up pulling the cap back off and grinding down the joint on that side down couple mm or so which then the cap finally went all the way.
Is it possible some joints maybe just come that way..like you said tolerances so maybe from factory they're off couple mm or such which would be enough to not make the c-clip slide in properly?
btw, any reason why grinding down the joint for cap to slide on better/far enough would be an issue?
 
That's why I always buy Spicer u joints. They generally come with 3 different thicknesses of clips for just such an occasion!
 
well that would help a lot...but most customers are not in need of such...moog works just fine for them and for me also i reckon lol. well i guess in the end i'm glad to hear i'm not the only one who runs into this issue! thanks for the replies. feel better knowing i'm not alone on these
 
If it's bad enough I can't get it clipped I'll run it up to Boone iron and let him throw a yoke on it and balance it. No reason to take liability for a future failure if you don't have to!
 
Last edited:
caliper.jpg
grinder.jpg
 
If it's bad enough I can't get it clipped I'll run it up to Boone iron and let him throw a yoke on it and balance it. No reason to take liability for a future failure if you don't have to!
agree with u but a little too much work for dd that doesn't get used but just for snow lol. and throw a yoke on it? lol i think u forgot these are the axle joints not driveshafts LOL i still gotta make my way over to ya one day..
 
agree with u but a little too much work for dd that doesn't get used but just for snow lol. and throw a yoke on it? lol i think u forgot these are the axle joints not driveshafts LOL i still gotta make my way over to ya one day..
Lol. I failed to read the title!
 
Back
Top