Chris,
First, my apologies as I will use the terms "nipple" and "joint" in this
email, which may trigger email screening software.....
I've used GMB and Spicers. While I personally think that the Spicers are a
wee bit better, I don't have any scientific data to prove it. The GMBs
seemed to last about the same mileage as the Spicers. As to the regreasable
vs sealed - regreasable is fine, but on some of the u-joints you can't get
the grease gun on the nipple after its installed so I wonder what's the
point of even having the nipple on the joint.
So did you make a mistake in trusting TRF? I cannot say. While I have
ordered lots-o-stuff from them over the past 20 years (and I'm sure I will
in the future), I have come to believe that one cannot totally trust Charles
Runyon's rhetoric in his catalogues and sale flyers. My favorite personal
issue was about 12 years ago when I was rebuilding a TR6 engine. TRF's
flyer extolled the greatness of Vandervell bearings and how their
competitors sold inferior Glacier bearings (so buy from TRF!). So when it
came time to buy the bearings, gaskets, etc for my rebuild, I went with TRF
and specified the Vandervell part numbers. About a week later the box of
parts came. Imagine my dismay in finding out the TRF had substituted
(without asking me) those same "inferior" Glacier bearings (that they had
warned me about) for the desired Vandervells (which of course, in legendary
TRF fashion, were on backorder).
So... Do your own research - don't trust the vendors to always give you the
straight scoop. Can't tell you how many times a stateside vendor has told
me that a part was "NLA" and then later I able to order it from a UK vendor.
Hugh Barber
Hollister, CA
'73 TR6
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