I just recently installed u-joints in my Avalanche and also in my Crown Vic.

  The parts were only like $9 w/ 1year or $17 for the lifetimes.

  Thing was the cheaper ones had the zerks. Very easy to install in my opinion.

Same thing happened to Nordie last week. He can jump in and tell ya about it. Dealer wanted some crazy amount, he got parts for like $20.

believe it or not my drive shaft fell out of my truck yesterday. ford house wants 1500what the hell..

i work for ford fellow scjb brother. what do you need i may have it laying around

Thats what ya get for owning a chebbie   OK thread jack over

If you are fortunate enough to have a driveline shop in your area it will almost always be cheaper to have it done by them.  Besides they have the equipment to check it for balance that the dealers/parts stores don't.

U-joints without the drilling for zerks are stronger. It's also possible that the cheaper ones were made overseas. When it comes to something like u-joints,  for a car or boat, buy the best you can find. Avoid the cheap stuff sold by most chain auto parts stores.

  Do you really think that because it's expensive, then it's got to be the good stuff ?

  There is a whole lot of CHINA stuff, all dressed up, nice and pretty looking, and you would swear it was made here, but it wasn't. 
 

  Do you really think that because it's expensive, then it's got to be the good stuff ?

  There is a whole lot of CHINA stuff, all dressed up, nice and pretty looking, and you would swear it was made here, but it wasn't. 
 

If you re-read my post, you'll see I said no such thing. Higher price does not necessarily equal high quality. High quality does usually come at a higher price. Low price, on the other hand does generally equal lower quality. Now this is just my observation from 30+ years in the auto repair industry................

Generally, if you want QUALITY, you shop by brand not price.

  I would agree with your assesment of price and quality.

  But about the brand, I can remember when Craftsman meant the best.

  Now, Half the stuff with Craftsman written on it is made in China.

The only thing that Craftsman was ever "the best" at was maybe being the best value, not necissarily the best period..I will use "good but not great" as far as a tool. But great warranty.

Now on to the U-joint discuss, the solid cross joints (no zerk in the cross), even the ones with the needle zerks in the ends of the caps are by far the strongest.

Also as far as American vs. Chinese, well as much as I hate to say it, there are some very high quality joints coming from overseas.

My dad was an auto parts store owner for three decades and watched first hand the quality of American products begin to slip. Spicer (Dana) are some superior products and have some variations of their products.

Matsui (Japan) has some quality pieces, not too bad money wise (probably 20% cheaper than Spicer), but sizes are limited...

Precision would be a step up on the Matsui's, still cheaper, but some are made overseas which makes it a crap shoot.

Dana/Spicer are made in the U.S. and Europe, by far (for our applications) are nearly bulletproof...Don't forget Rockwell, also a heavy hitter in the Uni joint business...

The reason the non cross drilled joints are so much stronger is that they are heat treated better and have a deeper hard facing and most are nitrided. Not to even mention there is a bunch more material in the cross of the solids...

I guess the point I am trying to make is, sometimes you get what you pay for, sometimes you don't. It's all about buyer beware and use what the people that "do it" every day recommend. It would be rare to have a "premium" U joint "on the shelf" at your neighborhood Checkers or Kragens, or even Pep Boys, they will more than likely have to be brought in special. (don't mean to offend with those sentiments). Typically, the stores stock what sells, an example would be: You go in the store to buy a couple U joints for your car and they have one set for $55 ea. and another for $24 ea., which ones are you gonna buy?...IMHO that is why America is in le Shitor.

GT

A joint is also only as good as it's installation, you would be both suprised and amazed at how many people screw it up....