yellowbeast Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Hi, As some of you may know I've got a defender 90 with a two inch lift running 33 maxis big horn tyres, it never leaves the tarmac so how long should a standard uj on a standard prop greased regularly last? as another one has just gone! Cheers R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Quite a while, I would expect life to be measured in years not months. But with a 2" lift it's anyone's guess. That doesn't do the UJs any good at all, nor anything else for that matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowbeast Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 Why what other problems can this cause? you see a fair few running around with these lifts surely they carnt be that bad? im only asking as im fairly new to the land rover world so am just trying to get clued up! aha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Well, lifting alters the geometry of the suspension and steering so can affect the handling of the vehicle. Obviously it gives a higher centre of gravity which won't help with that either. The UJs suffer because they're being asked to work at a greater angle, this can lead to more drive-line vibration as well as accelerated UJ. It's also harder to get in/out of the thing, can cause issues with car park clearances etc. and in my opinion looks a bit silly. They're not all bad, and if done properly I am sure most of the issues can be alleviated (with castor corrected arms, wide-angle propshafts etc.) but personally I am not a fan, and a lot of lifts are not done properly! My advice would be that if it never leaves the tarmac then you will have a far nicer car to drive if you put it back to standard suspension and fit a set of normal sized (ie. 7.50R16 or 235/85/R16) road or AT pattern tyres. Also make sure you buy decent UJs. Britpart ones, or even the cheaper GKN/Hardy Spicer ones, are carp and won't last as long as the proper spec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowbeast Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 All the lift has been done properly braided hoses extended bump stops castor correction arms and cranked trail arms the only thing lest standard was the props, and to be honest I quite like the look especially with the larger tyres! And practicality isn't really a problem! Im 17 after all! So on average on a standard defender wold you say 10k on a genuine set of ujs sounds realistic? Cheers again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 That's good, you shouldn't have any issues then. I'd expect 20k at least. The set on mine (which fair enough are larger UJs) have done 27,600 since they went on and I hope for them to last for some time to come. The type of use had a big difference for me, the set before this lasted about 18,000 miles but at that time the vehicle was being used daily in wet muddy in-forest conditions and even with regular greasing/cleaning things just won't last as long. Now the car doesn't see much off-road work except for occasional greenlaning trips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowbeast Posted March 2, 2014 Author Share Posted March 2, 2014 That sounds even better then! What would you say the going rate is to get one changed? The garage remove the prop take the old one out fit the new one and replace the prop ( me supplying the uj) thanks again r Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I have just sold a 2004 110. I bought it at 50k miles in 2007 and sold it at 118k, in that time I changed one propshaft UJ, I suspect that the other three are original. 2" lift? You can keep it IMHO. Castor correction usually makes the front propshaft angles worse. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landrover598 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 My 1" lifted defender eats the uj on the front of the transfer box, it has to be changed ever 18months (about 7k) the rest are still fine after 40k. (95%) road use) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honitonhobbit Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 As Chris said, once you fit Castor correction arms or bushes, you really need to fit a DC front prop as you make the angles more acute. Castor correction only works on handling issues caused by the lift and to be honest on 33's, in a Defender, handling isn't going to be spotty dog any way... Quality UJ's, fitted correctly should last longer, but how long is a piece of string as driving style comes into it as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorset Cocker Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Sorry to butt in but I need a UJ for my 1996 90 and was wondering what people class as a quality 1, I thought Hardy Spicer were good ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 GKN/Hardy Spicer make UJs for Land Rover, these are the ones you buy in the genuine parts boxes. They also make UJs of the same size/fitment for Britpart and other aftermarket parts companies, these come in a variety of boxes (Britpart/GKN etc.) and are sold as OEM. Britpart also do unbranded ones that are the cheapest. In many cases in the Land Rover world OEM and genuine parts are the same thing in different boxes, but not with the above! The ones GKN make for Land Rover are of a much higher spec with bigger diameter needle roller bearings and bigger thrust washers, as well as better seals. It's probably fair to say that the "OEM" UJs from Britpart or Bearmach or whomever are likely to be better than the cheapest unbranded ones - but not as good as the ones in Land Rover boxes. As always, caveat empor. Know what you are buying. See here for the choice! http://www.lrdirect.com/TVC100010-Propshaft-U-Joint-Heavy-Duty-O.E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 I usually use the Hardy Spicer joints from Paddocks etc.. As James observes, they are not as good as the original Landrover ones also made by HS, but they are good quality and work for me. It is possible to buy the OE Landrover ones in a HS box, but I do not know what HS part number to look for. The bearings are bigger (thinner cup, larger spider IIRC) and they have a slightly different sealing arrangement with better quality seals. From James' link above, this is the better type of seal: http://www.lrdirect.com/TVC100010-supplied-by-britpart-branded-britpart.html, though lrdirect use the same (genuine I think) picture for all their joints, so what you see is not necessarily what you get. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Funny I've never had a problem with genuine Hardy Spices u/ j's for any vehivle. They are the original and as far as I'm concerned the best. IIRC I've only changed three on my Defender in ten years and 110,000 miles. One was a complete, very complete failure of the back u/ j on the front prop. I have never seen one go like that. It took the yokes with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowbeast Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 As it never leaves the road I honestly thing the prop can manage as the most articulation the suspension does it up and down curbs aha! If I means the ujs wear a little quicker that's fine but if I keep going and going threw them I may have to look at a fc prop in the future! And surprisingly the mpg and handling isn't that bad! Cheers R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honitonhobbit Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 I used GKN, then I went to Timkin, then I swapped back to GKN. Now I go to a bearing supplier and use a rather nice Japanese make that make GKN look like Lego. I'll get the name; but they are about 15quid plus the vodka and tonic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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