Just received what looks like a NOS FORD Universal Joint off Ebay for $25 shipped !
Have you been to "confession" yet?
I've got several NOS U-Joints, and find them from time to time, here and there. It's not uncommon to find really good used ones too, you just have to look.
I was shocked to see it had never been used!
Remember that some "NOS" parts are NOS because they weren't made properly in the first place or did not fit so they were put back on the shelf years ago.
Maybe yes, maybe no. I know in the 50's Ford factory sheetmetal was often line rejects as a body man has more time to fit a part than an assembly line worker.
I found some used u-joints at Chickasha in a parts pile that were worn ever so slightly.
Good used u-joints are out there.
I thought that it was a fluke but they are out there usually every year now that I've noticed.
I dont see how one would fail in normal driving conditions.
I have had one that was totally shot that still in use in a rear end I tore down. That car must have been really jerked around to wear that bad.
John - "LOL",....that is,....."lack of lubrication"!
Generally, only one of the four yokes will show wear on any given "moderately used" u-joint, so turn them over and inspect all four yokes before you assume it is a "very good" or "new old stock" u-joint...
Also, if there is no FORD script on the u-joint, throw it away or use it only with extreme caution and frequent checks. Many repro u-joints don't last more than a few hundred miles before they have extreme wear and sometimes even break with little warning.
This one has FORD script