Rebuilt universal joint question

[Reno Speedster]

I am in the midst of building the rear and for my speedster. I got out the rebuilt u joint I had on the shelf. It’s a Golding t parts one I bought years ago. There is a sticker on it saying that it being stiff is normal and it will get better with use. It is pretty stiff. Has anyone got experience with these? Should I look for a different one?

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

I wouldn't use it in my car. The needle bearings are riding on the relatively soft pins of the u-joint yokes. As the tag states, it will loosen up... and never stop. I saw the result of using a similar unit in a friend's T. Too much material was removed from the outer ring in order to fit the needle bearings. The ring broke and destroyed the ball on the end of the torque tube. That u-joint at least had hardened sleeves fitted to the pins.

[Reno Speedster]

Thanks Jerry, this did not seem like a good idea. Properly fitted roller bearings should be friction free and if they “wear in” something is not right. I got this with a bunch of parts from a friend. I will dig and see if I have a good u-joint and if I don’t, I will buy a new one.

[speedytinc]

Too bad. I always wanted to try one. Thanks for the heads up.
Another re-engineered part that falls short of OEM longevity.