- Joined
- February 8, 1999
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- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '93 XL '20 ST
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- AB7FH
Just finished installing my CTM U-Joints and wanted to pass on a few tips. For those who haven't seen or heard of CTM U-Joints here's the scoop. These U-joints are forged from 300M steel a super hard material. The joints are pricey, $150ea. but they come with a lifetime warranty against failure and they are rebuildable. If you run these you MUST also run high performance axle shafts such as the Warn, Moser or Superior axles. If you don't your axles will break as they will become the weak link.
Unlike normal U-joints which use needle bearings, the CTM uses bronze bushings in the caps. This allows the cross shafts to be thicker as well as the caps themselves. It's very important to keep these U-joints well greased and they are equipped with grease zircs to make the job easy.
Now for the tips...
1. CTM says to install the full circle clip, then the O-ring. It's actually easier to install the O-ring first then the clip, either way you want to be sure to get the clip in front of the O-ring to make expanding it over the cap easier and to avoid cutting the O-ring like I did.
2. Go to the hardware store and pick up a couple spare O-rings in case you cut one. It's really easy to do
3. If you get one side finished and cut the opposite sides O-ring you will have to remove the cap... well, you don't want to take apart the side that's finished right? When you're at the hardware store picking up those O-rings pick up a metric bolt about 1.5-2" long that has the same threads as the grease zirc hole in the cap. You can use the bolt to easily pop the cap off without disturbing the other side.
That's about all for my tips. Everything else was per instructions.
CTM's website is at: Dead Link Removed
Unlike normal U-joints which use needle bearings, the CTM uses bronze bushings in the caps. This allows the cross shafts to be thicker as well as the caps themselves. It's very important to keep these U-joints well greased and they are equipped with grease zircs to make the job easy.
Now for the tips...
1. CTM says to install the full circle clip, then the O-ring. It's actually easier to install the O-ring first then the clip, either way you want to be sure to get the clip in front of the O-ring to make expanding it over the cap easier and to avoid cutting the O-ring like I did.
2. Go to the hardware store and pick up a couple spare O-rings in case you cut one. It's really easy to do
3. If you get one side finished and cut the opposite sides O-ring you will have to remove the cap... well, you don't want to take apart the side that's finished right? When you're at the hardware store picking up those O-rings pick up a metric bolt about 1.5-2" long that has the same threads as the grease zirc hole in the cap. You can use the bolt to easily pop the cap off without disturbing the other side.
That's about all for my tips. Everything else was per instructions.
CTM's website is at: Dead Link Removed
I know the D60 CTMs are $200 each.
