Packard Forum Index » General

Does anyone have a source for the trunnion type universals besides the big two or three suppliers? I'm thinking that $175.00 for the body plus $125.00 more for the rebuild kit is too high.

Chrysler Corp (MoPar) used the same U joints in the front of the drive shaft on its automatic transmission cars clear into the 1960's (perhaps beyond, I dont know). My recollection is that there were only TWO sizes used on passenger cars, so your local NAPA or other "counter" type auto parts store MAY be able to get BOTH for you to compare which one yours is, and then return the one that does NOT match up. I presume you know you will need an accurate press to press the pin out.

Thank you for the information. I will look into chrysler for the part. I do know about the pin. I will have to let a machine shop press it out.

Not sure about 1951 though the answer can be found easily enough in the parts book, but the 1954 thru 1956 Senior cars with Ultramatic used a different ball and trunnion (front) joint that the junior cars. If you have a senior and need the housing, buy it at any price as they have been nearly impossible to find for many years, to the point where people are spray-metallizing the old ones and remaching the internals. The rebuild kits are still reasonably plentiful and may interchange with Chrysler, I don't know; they contain the balls and caps, needle bearings, pin and boot. I also don't know if the Chrysler ball and trunnion joint interchanges with the junior or senior cars, but it would be a useful answer for someone to determine and post here.

Somewhere in all my junk, I have a ball and trunnion driveshaft from a '56 Dodge Coronet. My guess is that if anything it'll be closer to a Packard Junior than the Senior. The Detroit U-joints were pretty popular back in the day, and all Mopar products used them up to at least '56.

Thanks for all the help. I have located a new original Detroit u-joint. I was happy to find an original. Everything says Detroit on it. Paid $225.00. Cheeper than the ones from China.