Spicer 297/760-x U Joints

RobCherokeeXJ89

NAXJA Forum User
Location
California
I'm thinking about upgrading my U-Joints since I don't have ne spares and these ones are stronger than my 260's. Does anybody know where I can order these online because I can't find any places or ne other ideas where I could get them... thanks
 
The 297/5-760 joints will not fit the 260 axles without some machining and even then, I'm not convinced that they would be stronger with all the metal removed. You can get axles at the pull-n-save around here cheaper than you could get them machined.
 
You have to buy all new shafts in order to use the 297/760 u-joints. bigger means bigger all the way around.
 
wait a minute. if your 89 has antilock brakes then you do have 5-297x u-joints. for some reason jeep put larger u-joints on the ABS equiped XJ's. otherwise it won't be till 97 ish when 297's became standard issue.
RobCherokeeXJ89 said:
wait i'm not sure that i have 260 axles... i just have a 89 jeep and wanted to upgrade to the newer U-Joints
 
Rawbrown said:
otherwise it won't be till 97 ish when 297's became standard issue.
Wasn't it actually a little earlier? I think 1994. My 96 has 297s.
 
'96 was the float year for a few things. early 96's came with 27 spline 8.25's while late 96 saw 29 spline. but definatly not 94, thats what I have.
xjohnnyc said:
Wasn't it actually a little earlier? I think 1994. My 96 has 297s.
 
My 94 non-ABS originally had 260 series u-joints.
 
Ryan, RawBrown, is right, he knows his stuff. I'm also a jeep nut and have alot of the tech stuff down, without a ton of hands on knowledge yet. 96'+ jeeps have the 297 with regularity and the abs ones do too. Many xj guys get TJ axle shafts when they see them posted because these are all non-disco with the 297 u-joints. It would be a good time to replace the disco axle shafts you have to when you upgrade a bit to 297 or the newer 760 Spicer U-joints. Try to find them used here, ebay, pirate4x4, etc rather then buying them new from the Dealer or other places that sell them new. You could get cromo warn axles or Superior axle shafts for not much more than the stock units new. Hope this helps. As you probably know, the 297 u-joints used in later day jeeps are the same ones used in dana 44 (later day). Some early dana 44's like the early broncos used the small 260 u-joints as do the jeep dana 44 prior to 96' and non-abs.

Depending where you live in Cali, there are alot of pick n pulls in Northern/Central Cali. Check the website picknpull.com for the locations. You can pick up dana 30 xj shafts all the time with the 260 u-joints with or without disco for cheap. Unless you can get them cheap, don't get them but having a full spare set of inner and outers with u-joint and unit bearing ready to go in your rig if you break 1 wheeling will really be nice.
Troy
 
i think T.J. axles will fit and you could use new joints in those, although you still have the weakness of stock shafts, but they are still stronger than 260's. i use Yukon axles with 760's,but then again i never broke my original ones either, so go figure.
 
so as far as the actual shafts, all tj and xj shafts work/are a direct replacement as far as fitting the hubs and carriers, but they differ sometimes in terms of the size/model of the u joints?
 
Disco non-disco conversion is very easy. You can get the non disco 260 shafts all day long. on 1/2 off day they are 9 bucks each with the unit bearing, at least that is what I paid. Even tho I did not get the newer shafts with bigger joints, at least my disco non disco conversion is done. I am in the process of changing shafts now and carry the others as trail spares. My junk is also non c-clip, so on the trail swap is easy.

Good Luck
 
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