ujoint retaining straps?

[raser13]

hey guys this is kind of a weird question. my '80 CJ5 has little straps on two of the sides that hold them to the yokes. i need a source for good ones.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/PR-1410_Yoke/images/DCP_9279.JPG

the PO rounded every bolt that held them on. i found this out because i had to change the clutch. since i had to remove the bolts with vice grips and chisels i went to the parts store to get new straps. the only ones they had that matched mine were in the little help section. the looked cheap and were made in china. so i passed and went to all the other local stores to see what they had. they showed me the same thing. so i ended up buying the 8 that it required to replace them all.

big surprise i get everything done put the jeep into reverse and the @#$%$#$%% things shatter! i mean into 3 pieces shatter. like they're mad of glass. i didn't gun it. i didn't let the clutch out fast. nothing to over stress it just get it out of the garage.

so where do you get yours? who has good grade ones? is all the part stores have here are the same junk! i'm not putting that crud back into my jeep! i need your help badly and quickly. i really need it back up and running

 

[hole]

You may or may not like my answer. One of my good friends was having issues with not being able to tighten up the strap enough, so he pulled the yoke and drilled out the threaded holes so he could upgrade to a heavy U style clamp.

 

[Torxhead]

Crown Drive Shaft U-Bolt Kit, Front & Rear - Pair - A490K
You might have to buy some new yokes for these, as I did. As the hole widths were different for the u-bolts that I bought. It is probably best to leave the straps on the front of the Transfer Case as they are easier to get at.

 

[Peanut Butter]

You could change the yoke to upgrade to a better ubolt system.

 

[PaRenegade]

I got ones from MOOG part #43710 thru RockAuto.com, $3.72 a pair. Now I haven't got it on the road yet but I'm counting on the reputable name. They do look better than the Dorman ones that most likely you got (they own the HELP line of parts).
Some folks say about drilling the yoke out for u bolts but your "robbing Peter to pay Paul" because is thins out the side of the metal on the yoke ears, essentially weakening it. You can buy the larger yokes made for the u-bolts for roughly $75 a pop. I believe RockAuto has them also. Just make sure they're the right spline size and u-joint diameter. Q-tec has them for $40 but they're Crown brand. The fronts are $63
Crown Automotive J0935685 - U-Bolt Style Yoke for 76-80 Jeep® CJ Series with Dana 30 Front Axle, 63-79 Vehicles with Dana 20 Transfer Case & 80-86 CJ Series with Dana 300 Transfer Case - Quadratec

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Use ONLY Dana/Spicer for your 'joints' and attachment hardware. Dana/Spicer was OEM for Jeeps.
IMO-Crown=!
NAPA carries Dana/Spicer--
LG

 

[raser13]

unfortunately i don't have the funds or the time to swap the yokes out. just spent a week and a half swapping the clutch and doing an unexpected distributor swap that cost me dear.that might become the next upgrade on the list after this. i'll have to go with the NAPA parts and hope they hold.

it was the front side of the rear shaft that broke. i'm just glad i wasn't going down the highway. i could have f-ed up the rear end and possibly catapulted myself off the road or into another car. if that would have happened AZ would be facing a lawsuit right now!

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Get the old bolts out with vise-grips.
Go to a real bolt house, and get socket-head cap screws(Allen bolts).
Take a couple of the old bolts with you to match dia. thd count and length.
Make sure you also get the Allen wrench that fits these bolts.
LG

 

[Bent]

The AMC20 u-bolt yoke and a strap type yoke are the same casting. You can drill the threaded holes out and use u-bolts. The Dana 30 yokes are different. The strap yoke wont have a flat surface on the backside for the u-bolt nuts to seat against.

 

[KauaiOffroad]

Use ONLY Dana/Spicer for your 'joints' and attachment hardware. Dana/Spicer was OEM for Jeeps.
IMO-Crown=!
NAPA carries Dana/Spicer--
LG

Yup, Napa is were I got mine from. Don't go to O'reilly's or Advance or any of those types of shops. They sell a "universal" type strap kit that's not all that universal.

 

[Woolyworm]

Crown Drive Shaft U-Bolt Kit, Front & Rear - Pair - A490K
You might have to buy some new yokes for these, as I did. As the hole widths were different for the u-bolts that I bought. It is probably best to leave the straps on the front of the Transfer Case as they are easier to get at.

What? And miss the fun of laying on your back upside down, flipping your box end wrench over back and forth and moving it about a 1/4" turn about a hundred times per nut? Where would the fun be in that?


Wooly

 

[Old Dog]

If you can't find the spicers local you can get them here Spicer 2-70-18X Dana 1210 1310 1330 Series Strap & Bolt Kit

 

[raser13]

got the ones from NAPA we'll see how well they do.