Ok, so I pulled apart my dana 27 front axle today. On the passenger side axle shaft I find some sort of "U-joint" thing that is comprised of 5 big ball bearings. On the driver side, I find a standard U-joint. Is this common? Am I an idiot? I think someone may have swapped out the alien-like 5 ball garbage for an axle shaft with a U-joint for the driverside, and somehow the passenger side held up for the last 60 years. Is there an easy upgrade to U-joints? Thanks for your help, and I'm sorry if this is a n00b question!

The strange looking joint is a birfield joint and if you have a closed knuckle axles, which i think you do since you couldn't see the joint before you took it apart, the birfield is the stock joint and the standard u joint is in there because some one most likely broke the birfield and replaced it with that instead of another birfield.

Some one add which is which.
Dana 25 = open or cloesd knuckle
Dana 27 = open or closed knuckle

One of those axles is open knuckle and the shaft out of one with a u joint would be a direct replacement.

The Dana 25 and 27 are both closed knuckle. I believe there were three designs of the front axle shaft, the Rzeppa, Bendix and Spicer. Sounds like you have the Bendix joint which I guess is similar to the toyota birfield. The Spicer is the familiar u-joint style and can replace the Bendix joint but there may need to be some changes on how the endplay is controlled. Check vernco.com

http://www.vernco.com/frontaxle/id374.htm

Also the early CJ5 site has some information

http://www.earlycj5.com/tech/axle/#one

My 2a had the Birfields.

Thanks for the help. It looks like it's the Bendix joint. I suppose I will reassemble it and wheel it till it grenades. In the meantime, I'm just going to look for a Dana 30. If anything, the balls will make good marbles, or sling shot ammunition!

Rzeppa - you'll see nothing but solid metal
Bendix - you'll see the yoke lobes & maybe catch a glimpse of each ball bearing
Spicer - you'll see the yokes & 1/2 of each bearing cap

Ive got a picture on my computer of all three

http://inlinethumb16.webshots.com/42255/2373462280060221230S425x425Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2373462280060221230CvIWMB)

my model 25 in my mb had the Rzeppa joints. the later bendix joints don't like to be turned to full lock and bind up at all, if it binds up then the ball bearings sometimes like to get loose.

I'd be suprised if you have a model 27 i thought their stint int he cj's was pretty short pretty sure my 60 cj 5 had a model 25 also. just a thought.

FYI model 27 power loks can be adapted to the model 25. takes a heck of a spacer and some playing with shims but it can be done

Now that you mention it. I think it is a Dana 25. For some reason, I thought they did away with the 25 at the same time the got rid of the 41. Thanks for the correction.

Does anyone know where I can snag a U-joint equipped Passenger axle shaft? :D

http://www.discountjeepparts.com/index.php/cPath/2880_76_78