I have a friend that has a 98 Sportsman that has universals instead of cv joints. Seems like every month he is breaking another universal. It wouldn't be that bad but every time it takes another part with it, ya he rides it out of the woods with the drieshaft flopping around. It breaks joints so often that he went to using Napa parts. Is this part of the problem or as I feel is a universal a universal. He has asked me if there is a way to convert the old style drive line to cv joints? I told him there is but it will problably cost a couple thousand dollars (trade it in).Appreciate any info you guys have.

 

The only thing I know of that really works is to replace the universal joints as soon as you can detect any amount of play in them. Also, get the highest-strength ones you can find.
Other than that, I think he is stuck with them. The Yolks of the U-joints attatch to the tranny output shafts & axle at the wheel differently than the new ones do. At the very least, the swap would require the tranny output shaft(s), the shafts themselves, and the axle stubs that the wheel hubs clamp onto.
Sorry to say, but that is probably more money than he will want to spend in that old of a machine. Might be better off trading.
Another thing to look at careful, is the slip-splines. If those are loose (or rusted solid) they can cause premature failure of the U-joints.
They are under the rubber boot.

 

I had the same exact problem with my universals going out, I think I blew like 4 or 5, cant really remember. it was my own fult for not greasing the axel enough. what his best bet to do is to really just buy new axils, this is not cheap at all but it will fix his problems becasue I havent had any blown out, but I have been putting grease through them like there was no tomorrow, I figure it is alot cheaper than a new axil or u joint. Now why this happens? is because when you blown one and you are still riding, you damage the other one on the axil. you might not be able to notice the damage but usually it tweaks it enough so the next time you ride and put strain on it it will fail. I did this many times, just replacing parts of the axil, then I just went and got a whole new half shaft and no problems since, knock on wood :-) Good luck!!

 

i have 1500 mls with 27 in tires on mine with no loosening or breakage. installed farm machinery joints for 10$ a piece. make sure they are lined up corectly. you can get the spline to not line up. this will cause vibration and failure. also when i did mine the yoke ends were loose on some of the caps. i heated them up and taped them lightly to shrink the hole. worked great. if he wanted to change over he would need shafts and the section that goes through the rear gear on the drive. this can be accessed from outside the trany. no removal is nessasary.they do come apart hard. they are not sealed and rust on the gear.
i will take joints over cvs any day on the rear. just wish they were aluminum.

 

I had a 98 SP and the only U joint problem I had was self-inflicted. The key is to grease them well after every ride, ensure all the old grease is pumped out, this takes approx. 7 to 8 pumps. If you do the proper lubrication and still have failures then there must be a problem with the U joint yoke alignment.
Hope this helps.

 

I've only broke 2 joints so far, and i have 1700 miles on it so far. the second time it happened my tire caught between two telephone poles so that would have broke anything. Usually when they break they also bend the yokes a little, just enough so that when you put them together, you must not force things too hard. If the u-joint wont easily press together, then the yokes are off and you will have to replace them. WHen you put the grease zerk in make sure it is facing out so you can grease it. Also, make sure when you bolt the shafts into the rear end housing that they are timed right, or else it will suck, big time.