Incorrect u joint?

I used my build sheet, cross referenced multiple parts sites to determine Spicer 5-1310x are to be the correct model for my 2003 Jeep Liberty Sport. Installing I noticed a lot of side to side, up & down play.

I took it for a test drive and have a horrible vibration below 10MPH, I did not attempt going further and returned home.


I believe this is the correct one has mine has cast mark "SPR 539" as indicated at the bottom of the page. Measuring cap end to cap end is 3 5/8 which equals 3.625 as shown.

https://www.northerndrivetrain.com/product/SPI-5-1330X.html

Lesson learned, trust my initial instincts. I though all along there was way too much play to be normal. Luckily there's a casting mark for reference.

Something is off with your measurement.

3-5/8" = 3.625"
3-1/16" = 3.0625"

The Spicer 1330 ujoint is wider with the same cups and clips.

When it was stock, our 2005 KJ used a hybrid 1310/1330 joint in the forward position, and a basic 1310 on the rear. It also used a flange on the rear diff. Maybe your yoke/flange has been changed/upgraded?

Typo on my part, yes I got the 3.625 albeit I had to mix a Spicer and Precision as that's all they had in stock.
Upside, I refreshed the driveshaft, cleaned up the yoke so easier to replace if needed, appeared to be the originals.

I painted the shaft but marked with red marker for reassembly, I may have gotten the shaft ends swapped around as I am getting slight vibration at 65MPH and 85MPH. I noticed each end had a flat plate weight, I assume they're similar to wheel weights, calibrated in kilograms? And that's possible if I have the ends swapped, that could be the source of my vibration?

I have a set of joints sitting here. Numbers on them are 5-1310-1X (Same size but greasable). Never needed a combination size here. That's definitely not a stock rear yoke. Interesting...

Just did a little bit of research. That looks like the yoke on a Dana 35. That would make sense...but I wonder if they made the transfer case side match the rear?

Edit - I actually can't find anything that would suggest the D35 has a different sized U joint. Huh.

dude1116 said:

Just did a little bit of research. That looks like the yoke on a Dana 35. That would make sense...but I wonder if they made the transfer case side match the rear?

Edit - I actually can't find anything that would suggest the D35 has a different sized U joint. Huh.

Click to expand...

If a shaft is not perfectly balanced, it may behave differently when flipped end for end.

I don't know the D35 well enough to know if the yoke swaps over. There's several different ones for the 8.25... maybe it's from an XJ or a dodge pickup.

I will check it when back from vacation, flip it for testing. It's not a horrid vibration just slight, that was not there before u joint replacement.

Also of note, the KJ has always had this horrendous intermittent jerk when downshifting 2nd to first or upshifting from 2nd to third when you stomp on it.
I read about TCU programmability at the dealership to address it but contributed it to exacerbating the issue due to the faulty u joints.

It seems far less jarring post u joint replacement, but it's still intermittent. Of note, the transmission has been flushed with new filters in place, correct level.