Clive Posted August 24, 2019 Report Share Posted August 24, 2019 A while ago the propshaft on my spitfire "failed" causing terrible vibration. And a 600mile recovery from Scotland back home (fortuitously right at the end of our trip, we made it tongue final hotel and got recovered in the morning) This was the weekend of the SEM show, so a friend picked up A pair of GKN ujs, ready for our arrival. Once home and some sleep, I pulled the propshaft, and removed two dry battered ujs. Fitted the new GKN ones and all was well. Except I wasn't happy that the two had failed so badly. Some calls to Dave Mac and Bailey Morris were extremely helpful. I needed to check the propshaft angles. And it turns out they were too large, and according to Hardy Spicer info, I should have been limited to about 40mph (oops) https://spicerparts.com/calculators/driveline-operating-angle-calculator Max angle to use at speed is 3degrees, and the gearbox and diff flanges need to be close to parallel. Anyway, I lowered my gearbox mount and have got close to 3 degrees as I can. I my lift the diff nose a tad later to help further, but I don't have time as that will later the rear suspension settings, which is time consuming. Onto the uj's. The ujs for our cars fit others, notably early freelander propshafts (not V6) which is part number TVF100000. These are available from £3 to £85! In fact the £85 uj is a heavy duty GKN sold in a genuine land rover box. Same part (identical) is available for about £35. Still double what the cheaper GKN are sold for... Picture shows he knackered uj, against the genuine freelander version. Anyway, just be careful what ujs you fit, especially to driveshafts. Worth the extra considering the grief a UJ can cause. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 24, 2019 Report Share Posted August 24, 2019 how many miles do you think the old u/j did Clive? The subject of u/js seems to be a minefield because as I understand it all that fit our cars also fit the Freelander so how do you tell heavy duty ones? If it just says it on the box I wouldnt want to risk spending 85 or even 35 quid on it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkshire_spam Posted August 24, 2019 Report Share Posted August 24, 2019 I always get mine from lrdirect https://www.lrdirect.com/TVF100000-Universal-Joint/ That way I can choose which "quality" vs "price" I can afford this time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 24, 2019 Report Share Posted August 24, 2019 club shop 1140 series uj £15 compares well with the GKN LR unit pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 24, 2019 Report Share Posted August 24, 2019 is that the GKN18050 item Pete? It says standard universal joint but is that the heavy duty one thats often talked about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted August 24, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2019 10k or so. But the incorrect prop angle would have affected life considerably. 16 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said: club shop 1140 series uj £15 compares well with the GKN LR unit pete 8 minutes ago, johny said: is that the GKN18050 item Pete? It says standard universal joint but is that the heavy duty one thats often talked about? That is the mid range version currently fitted but changing when the hd ones arrive. The genuine ones in GKN box are cheap here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GKN-Land-Rover-Freelander-1-4-Cyl-Rear-Prop-Shaft-Universal-Joint-UJ-TVF100000/233175548004?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 24, 2019 Report Share Posted August 24, 2019 Clive they look identical are you sure the ebay ones are worth the extra over the club ones? Wonder what the difference is...... Deffo going to check my prop angle👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted August 24, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2019 The club shop pic does look identical. But the ones that came from the club stand at SEM were definitely not those. They were these https://www.pegasusparts.co.uk/ourshop_90073/prod_45807-TVF-100000-Universal-Joint-OEM-specification.html (Note the box and seals on the cups) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted August 24, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2019 11 minutes ago, johny said: Deffo going to check my prop angle👍 I expect an unmodified car to be fine. Mine had a t9 box and Subaru diff, so the prop is about 20" between uj centres, tiny. That was the issue, I thought as long as the diff and box were parallel it would be ok. Not the case, every day is a school day. Measuring prop angles is hard to do. I downloaded a level app (4 in fact, before I found one I liked), stuck a length of metal bar to the back of my phone with double sided tape. Then took levels off the uj cups. Guess you could take it off the flanges, but t9 box has no flange, just a splined section.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 24, 2019 Report Share Posted August 24, 2019 Those Pegasus u/js are even more expensive but I suppose are regreaseable! However, yes the seals and box seem to be the things to look out for so need to check what the club actually supply..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted August 24, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2019 That was the first image I found. The club ones I got are not regreasable, so yes, need to check exactly what is being supplied. Gkn make at least 3 different qualities. Freelander OEM being first grade, the silver box ones are 2nd. Think there are cheaper ones too. Hardy Spicer are a safe bet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 24, 2019 Report Share Posted August 24, 2019 hmmm cant remember what I put in but I know they havent lasted long! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 24, 2019 Report Share Posted August 24, 2019 Ha look whats on good old ebay. Not the item for our cars but a good explanation of the different types of u/js..... 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted August 25, 2019 Report Share Posted August 25, 2019 So: just to clear up confusion: what IS the one to go for? We seem to have standard, medium, and heavy duty, but the club shop ones might not be as heavy duty as I had previously thought, and even so some of the heavy duty ones are actually not as heavy duty as the REAL heavy duty ones, which in any case might not fit our cars... so I'm confused, and it appears the regreasable GKN ones I was intending to use may not be fit for purpose. Simple answer, anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted August 25, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2019 No simple answers I am afraid. Regreasable may help long term, but the (genuine, in a Landover box) freelander are not. (Part of the reason regreasable type may have little benefit is one cup will always be easier for the grease to get to, and one or more other cups may get none at all.) I would be fitting these to any halfshaft. In most cars the prop doesn't get the abuse mine does, and the ujs have an easier life. Halfshafts are very tough on ujs. Re what the club supplies, it needs clarifying. But I got these from the club stand, which are the mid range type, again no greaser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 25, 2019 Report Share Posted August 25, 2019 To make things worse the only item GKN list for a Freelander is this U 050 which it says is premium quality and theres no heavy duty option. I think maybe this is all thats available now and what the club sells (although this greaseable) as opposed to what might have been available in the past. Or maybe now GKN only do the heavy duty one directly for Land Rover and it comes in LR packaging? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 25, 2019 Report Share Posted August 25, 2019 This is also the only thing to come up if you search for TVF100000 on the GKN site..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkshire_spam Posted August 25, 2019 Report Share Posted August 25, 2019 1 hour ago, clive said: Re what the club supplies, it needs clarifying. But I got these from the club stand, which are the mid range type, again no greaser No greaser? Are we sure? What's the silver coloured thing that looks a bit like a grease nipple? 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2500ku-man Posted August 25, 2019 Report Share Posted August 25, 2019 1 hour ago, yorkshire_spam said: No greaser? Are we sure? What's the silver coloured thing that looks a bit like a grease nipple? 😉 Could be a grease nipple, looks very similar..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted August 25, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2019 5 hours ago, yorkshire_spam said: No greaser? Are we sure? What's the silver coloured thing that looks a bit like a grease nipple? 😉 The club ones I fitted had no grease nipple. Came in those boxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daverclasper Posted August 25, 2019 Report Share Posted August 25, 2019 Hi. Just interested. The un-greasable joints are greased at the manufactures?, though not sealed for life, as such?. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted August 25, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2019 Yes, but I always add more, I like to see is squeeze out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 25, 2019 Report Share Posted August 25, 2019 yes they get a shot of grease in each cup during manufacture and once installed the only way to put more in is take the u/j back out😵 I must say though that whenever Ive removed worn out ones I havent found them to be completely dry but that maybe cos they never seem to last very long.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted August 27, 2019 Report Share Posted August 27, 2019 On 25/08/2019 at 20:01, johny said: yes they get a shot of grease in each cup during manufacture and once installed the only way to put more in is take the u/j back out I usually grease mine as a matter of course when fitting, no matter how old stock or brand new they are I'll pop each cap off, add new grease, and replace. Freshens things up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 27, 2019 Report Share Posted August 27, 2019 there was a note on the club shelf stock says .....dont forget the grub screws Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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