Go with either new nyloc nuts, crush nuts (my preference) or low-end loctite. Never use split washers on anything automotive - that's asking for trouble, especially in critical areas.

I say this as a former technical sales and warranty manager for final assembly tools to the automotive manufacturers (just about all car makers rely on these high-end tools) for the firm Atlas Copco (owns Chicago Pneumatic and Milwaukee Electric, among many brands). Demanding fastening applications is their specialty.

The reason not to use split washers is - they're split - not reliable. Actually, all so-called "friction" washers (split, serrated etc) are garbage, but that's a long story - just don't use them, the automotive industry doesn't.

 

Yeah, I agree. And a good point.
I do use them when I'm short on self-locking nuts and haven't had them come loose. I normally go back and replace them with self locking, but there have been times when I forgot to and 2 years later they were still tight.

But yeah, use self-locking nuts.

 

Is there a torque spec for the bolts for re-intalling?

 

35 ft lb.
56 ft lb at the rotoflex.

 

Ok cool. Where were you guys able to find the right nylock nuts? Lowes has 3/8-16 TPI Nylocks but not 3/8-24 TPI. I also tried home-depot to no avail. I hope I don't have to order deez nuts.

 

Try a real hardware store.

 

lol yeah none of the hardware "hardware" stores were open when I was out but I'll check tomorrow. Anyways I've got on more question. I just got my drive shaft rebuilt by a shop today and after inspecting it I noticed that grease does not come out of all four ends of the cross's on the u-joints. It's basically comes out at most ends except for a few. Is that something to worry about? I'm afraid to over grease it and I figured a shop would have it taken care of. Am I good to go?

 

Yes, something to worry about.
Tap on the yoke opposite the one where it doesn't come out, with a brass hammer, a block of wood if you don't have a brass hammer. As illustrated in the photo in post #1.
It's not possible to over grease the u-joints.

 

I found the grease in my new U joints had hardened to a candle wax state, I cleared the grease out of the X before installing the new U joints.

 

Tom, yet another question, believe it or not. The centering ball you specify at the beginning of this thread is the Neapco 7-0081NG, where I believe NG stands for non-greasable.

In another forum I have read that the centering ball should be greased regularly, just like the the u-joints, using a needle-style nozzle on the grease gun. But if this Neapco joint is non-greasable that would indicate this is not possible. Can you please help resolve this apparent discrepancy? Thanks.