Driveshaft UJ availability

[Number 7]

I'm in the process of replacing the driveshaft uj's on the 400, and was quite impressed that they have lasted so well - 8 years, and around 30K miles, including one trackday per year. These were HS units, which I used to source from GKN. Having tried a couple of local motor factors recently without success, I was surprised to find that GKN still supply direct. The part number for the 400 / 450 size joints (30.2mm x 106.3mm) was HS179. This has now been superceded by a GKN part number: 18200. They are still type 1410 with a grease nipple, and I'm sure that has played a big part in the long life of these joints. I give them a good greasing every year. Anyway, they are available as follows:

GKN Driveline Services Ltd., Sutton Coldfield.
Tel. [phone]

Current cost is £20.13 each inc. vat
Next day delv. was £14 inc. vat

They also told me that their main retail distributor is FPS, who do have a branch network: http://corporate.fpsdistribution.com/Home/Branches...

7.

[adam quantrill]

I think mine were a little less from my local factors, and it saved on postage too! GKN ones, and made in Japan, they look the business.

[Number 7]

adam quantrill said:

I think mine were a little less from my local factors, and it saved on postage too! GKN ones, and made in Japan, they look the business.

That's it, made by GMB in Japan.

7.

[E Ponym]

Number 7 said:

8 years, and around 30K miles, including one trackday per year.

My 390 (Oct '85) still has the original UJs - they do get greased regularly.

Russ

[Number 7]

E Ponym said:

Number 7 said:

8 years, and around 30K miles, including one trackday per year.

My 390 (Oct '85) still has the original UJs - they do get greased regularly.

Russ

Wow, that's got to be some sort of record Russ! How many miles have you covered?

7.

[E Ponym]

Number 7 said:

E Ponym said:

Number 7 said:

8 years, and around 30K miles, including one trackday per year.

My 390 (Oct '85) still has the original UJs - they do get greased regularly.

Russ

Wow, that's got to be some sort of record Russ! How many miles have you covered?

7.

57,544 on the last MOT

[Number 7]

Just a final point to be aware of when fitting these parts. The design has changed slightly from the last set of GKN manufactured parts on my car. They are now made by GMB in Japan, and although the caps and overall length are the same, the shoulder of the cruciform just below the grease seal is slightly larger in diameter. Acrding to GKN Driveline, who I sourced the UJ's from, this has been reported to them by various garages whilst attempting to fit the parts. The solution is to grind a small amount of material from the yoke itself (if you try to fit them you will see where this needs to be done}. This was only necessary on a couple of mine, as it appears that some of the yokes had already been modified at some point in the past.

HTH.

7.

Edited by Number 7 on Wednesday 22 September 12:50

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

What's the latest news on UJ's

Does anyone do any that don't require mods, and that will last ?

[adam quantrill]

E Ponym said:

57,544 on the last MOT

The 400SX has done 61k now, and I haven't had to do the UJ's, they get greased regularly too. Assuming they haven't been done in the first 6000 either they are original too... which is even more impressive given the amount of torques on tap.

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

Well the ones I'm doing on a friends car are shot, you can see them moving very easily.
Need to do his brakes also, so just going to strip the lot and replace them all.

[Furgie]

GKN Driveline Services Ltd. Dave Leese 01538 384278 . He say that there is a Very Heavy duty one HS180 ( not cheap ) better than the HS179, they have better grease flow than the GMB ones.