I've got an 89 Firebird 305 TBI and I'm doing heavy maintenance work on it.
The car clunks a little going into gear so I want to change the U-Joints.
I'm looking for a little help from those who know specifics on this model year.
There are supposedly Steel and Alum D-Shafts and they both use different size U-Joints.
According to Rock Auto there are 1-1/8"OD for Steel and 1-1/16"OD for Alum.
What is the chance of having an Alum shaft ?
Were most cars made with the steel D-Shaft ?
Worse case I just buy both sets of Joints and return the ones I don't use.

What are the best greasable joints to buy ? I've heard mixed stories
about MOOG parts and their quality, and some people swear by DANA.

Thanks,

 

Get off the internet.
Look at the driveshaft to determine material.
Use a magnet if it helps.
Light some sparklers and sing hooray you now know the material.

Then, forget all that, and measure the u-joints.
You'll find they are 3R or 1310. The sizes of these are easy to search and compare.

Spicer / Dana makes good joints. OEM joints were not greasable.

 

The best thing to do is crawl underneath and measure the u-joint cup diameter. Or try and stick a magnet to the drive shaft. I might do both just to make sure.

Either Moog or Dana would work provided they're not made in China. It's kind of a crap shoot these days to find anything made in USA.

Edit:

 

1310 Joint is starting to show up as DISCONTINUED...

 

AMAZING, as it fits ALL MANNER of stuff... trucks, heavy equipment, farm machinery, industrial stuff of all sorts, you name it.

Best advice I've seen all night.

In addition to Moog and Dana, look at Precision and Neapco, for USA made parts. Avoid China, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc. (not because they're not fascinating to visit, or because they "can't" do good... great places to go see... just, in this day and time, if ANYBODY ANYWHERE in the world wants to make something REEEEEEEEEL CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP, American Japanese German French Brazilian whatever company, that's where they go)

 

Thanks for your help.

I don't do inexpensive / 'cheap'. I'm not one to ever do 'cheap'.
I'd rather pay more for a better quality part that gets installed and does the job right the first time.

I don't use the internet to hunt for 'bargains'.
If I can't get what I need locally, then I get it any way its available.

 

I like Neapco Brute force non grease-able, forged body U joints.

Mine is going on 12 years on front, 5 years on rear (due to rear end swap) so far and even with a car running in the low 11's then mid 10's they are still holding up.

Most cars got the steel driveshaft and with yours being "just" a firebird LO3 car I would not think it has the alum. driveshaft. Best to get under there and check though.

The brute force joint for steel driveshaft will be part # 2-3011BF. I know advance auto parts stocks these for $20.99 each

Moog for steel driveshaft will be #234, 235, and 534G depending on greaseable or not, forged or not, etc

Spicer will be 5-3147X or 5-795X for steel shaft