I have the 73 Maverick, 302, C4 with stock drive shaft. I recently had u-joints installed, but just today my tranny guy told me the rear u-joints are wrong. They are the smaller ones and apparently I need the larger ones. The ones I installed were Part # 369 Precision, which O'Reilly Auto Parts said were the correct ones. I am now totally confussed. If these are wrong does anyone have the correct part number and a location where I can purchase them here in the US. I can be reaached off thread at RJS281@aol.com Thanks a bunch Bob
This happens a lot on these cars. My car had the same issue. I should have kept the part numbers. I know they are on this site, so I'm sure someone will chime in.
I bought mine from Autozone... For the Comet I used 1-5900DL(Front) and 1-4635DL(Rear) I noticed that the "better" quality ones don't have zerk fittings and I don't like nom greasable stuff.
Thanks Darren, The issue I ran into is Federal-Mogul says the ones to use for the rear are #255, #230 or $430 all produced under the Precision brand name. I went to use a 255, but it was just a little to large. Now I don't know if it was meant to be oversized or not. So, I had to use a #369 Precision, which apparently is for the front of the shaft, which the parts people said was OK. I would hate to blow a u-joint out on the road! Anyway, again thanks for your help. Bob
You cannot install a smaller joint in the front. You can get the wrong size cups in the rear for the pinion yoke, that may be what he's talking about. Other than the pinion yoke cup postion, you cannot get the wrong size, they just won't go in. Too small and the cups will be too loose, too big and they won;t go into the holes in the shaft. If he did this in the front position, then you definately need a new mechanic who knows what he's doing.
for the rear, the cups on mine are different sizes. I don't remember which is which, but I think the pinion yoke accepts a larger cup than the driveshaft yoke. I ended up buying two u-joints. One was larger than the other, and I just "borrowed" two of the cups, slipped them carefully onto the smaller joint, and installed in the car. If the caps are too small, the joint will walk around in the holes and go in and out of balance. You should be able to tell if they are correct. Loosen the bolts, and grab it, and wiggle it. It should be a firm seat, and not move at all. And the caps should still bottom out in the seat. The small caps measured at 1.063" and the larger ones at 1.125" There is a u-joint out there that has the correct sizes on both sides, I just never found it.
LOL, my mechanic now wants to argue the point of the U-joint fit issue. Here is what he said, " All the other u-joints recommended for the rear of the shaft where to large and would not fit, so he had to used the #369, which is the same as the front on the rear. He said there is no slop in the shaft." "Then he said my tranny guy must be smoking dope!" As soon as my hip gets a little better and I can get on the ground again. I will check myself. In the meantime I would like to thank everyone for their help with this issue. Be Safe! Bob Sampson
#430 was the correct rear u-joint in my car. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PCN-430/ Caps for the drive shaft and yoke are different sizes.
Zombie thread reply, hope this helps somebody. I did my front and rear u joints today. First time doing U Joints. 72 Comet Moog #369 or #280 in the front Moog #480 for the rear (it has two of the caps that are slightly larger for the differential yoke, held in place by the U bolts) It was my first time, in case anybody else is doing it for the first time, take the U bolts loose on the rear end and then the shaft will come loose / drop down. Then slide the shaft aft out of the transmission and work on it on a bench. There are splines and it isn't anything holding it in. Good to know...haha.
