U-Joints

I have not had the "pleasure" of replacing an Opel u-joint. I do remember reading about how melted plastic helped to hold them in place. My solution was to swap out the driveshaft with a spare.

Can anyone help Don?



Admin note: Moved to Drivetrain Forum

Has anybody priced custom driveshafts with replaceable u-joints for Opels?

U-joints

I had to replace my u-joints last year. I decided to go with the method Gary recommended. Just replace the driveshaft with a good used one.

However, I did that after calling Gil at OGTS. He explains the process very well. After that, you are in a better position to make your decision.

Good Luck, Richard

Thanks. OGTS also advised me to replace the shaft, although they also explained how to replace just the joint. Less effort to just get another shaft. They even provided a number of potential sources since they didn't have one. They are at the top of my list of favorite Opel part suppliers!

I'm real curious about Opel's rational of building a drive shaft without changable u-joints. Mazda did the same thing with the 1st gen RX7. Makes no sense.

James

A couple of points.

First, for most folks, the best solution is to just find another driveshaft. Replacing the u-joints requires some specialized equipment. As long as you get a good one (driveshaft) it will hold up to the few thousand miles per year that most of us drive our street opels.

For those trying to go for the 150+ HP membership, then a used driveshaft with a bunch of miles is going to let you down. Buy the u-joints from the Opel GT Source and find a drive shaft shop in you area who has the injection stuff.

Why did Opel do this? Back in the olden days a lot of cars were done this way. Every automotive shop with a hydraulic press also had the injection stuff. Now days they are hard to find.

its not the oled days car manufacturers that did it because they still do
i live in a big town with a diverse industrial /automotive setting and no one has one

i also thought i has seen someone that bought the new u joints and the tack welded them in
if it works i think it would be an easy solution
and i am also wondering if the chevvetes used an opel trans might it have the same spline count with bigger easier to replace u joints

Tack weld U-Joints in??

72opelguy said:

i also thought i has seen someone that bought the new u joints and the tack welded them in

Click to expand...

Welding on a bearing surface? Not on my car.

u-joints

No, don't ever weld them in!

OGTS said you can set them in place with 5-minute epoxy injected with a syringe. Tricky part is getting them exactly centered so the balance/runout is good. My shaft had been peened over on the axle end so I'd have trouble getting old ones out/new ones in and centered. Used shaft is the way to go.

I'm in the Detroit area but so far haven't located a shop that can do injection. This process is still used on many GM and Chrysler vehicles (probably others too), but I think the yokes are machined inside so replacement joints can be secured and positioned with inner snap rings.

72opelguy said:

...and i am also wondering if the chevettes used an opel trans might it have the same spline count with bigger easier to replace u joints

Click to expand...

The Opel automatic trans has a standard GM spline and uses a standard GM yoke.

i dont know what i am going to do if anything right now
i am planning a t10 trans swap soon so then i wont have to worry about that plus i only have one u joint that is slightly bad
so if it goes it goes it has lasted to 30 years of abuse i think it can handle a few months