Yeah I got into the U-joint problem back in the mid 1980's. My '53 1/2t truck coughed up the universal. Don't know if the previous owner didn't put the locks on to keep the bolts tight or what, but it chewed up the universal and also scored up the ball....
At that time it seemed 4 speed 1/2 tons were few and far between around here. I ended up getting a universal out of a 3/4 ton Chevy with the enclosed front portion of the driveshaft. Took it to a local machine shop, they machined out the rear portion, machined out the back piece I had from a 3 speed u-joint for the 1/2 ton and welded it in the rear portion of the 4 speed universal. Works great, only thing there is no way to split it in the truck, you have to pull the rearend to take out the tranny....
John
