228K miles and the trans is out for a refresh - time to replace the original u-joints. This is a 2WD so it is a 3 joint, 2-piece driveshaft. Rear joint went in no problems. Moved to center joint - the new Spicer 5-160X joints I have will not fit due to shoulder on cross being same diameter as cap. Checked originals and the cross end is much smaller going into cap with almost no shoulder so it will barely lean enough to get it to clear the yoke. Anybody else run into this? Originals were non-greasable but new ones have grease fitting. Do I have to go back to "lifetime lubed" to get them to squeak by the yoke?

Back to the driveline shop tomorrow with the yokes and old joints to see what they say.

This was after I had to take back 2 of the 3 new joints I bought due to each one having one cross end that had a very definite rough spot on them. Old guy behind counter said he had never seen that before, and that 2 out of 3 was incredibly (bad) lucky. At least I caught them. My (bad) luck holds.

 

Resolution - I am going to have to go back with lifetime lubed Spicer 5-801X joints in the center and front yokes due to the design of the yokes. The driveline guy I talked to said that sometimes a greasable joint will fit in the yoke and sometimes they won't. With the tight clearance on the yoke ends and no bevel on the inside face there is no way to make anything but an 801X fit in there. I would prefer something I can grease but the ones that came out went 228K miles without attention and were still good. Only the rear joint had any roughness and I can now grease it when needed.

 

Thanks for the info. Nice to know there could be a problem - maybe not on mine though --4x4.

 

Bringing a post back from the dead but I just ran into this issue today.