Meritor RPL Series Universal Joints and Yokes

RPL is Meritor’s newest series of driveshaft components, offered in only two sizes and is OE on Freightliner. The image above is of an RPL series driveshaft. The universal joints are a combination of round caps with outside snap ring retention and wing bearing style caps held in place with metric bolts. RPL joints are permalube joints – they are prelubed at assembly and have no grease zerk for field service. Splined assemblies are the same – lubricated at assembly with no zerk(s) for field servicing. RPL end yokes are of a wing bearing design, borrowing from the history of Mechanics/Rockwell famous wing bearing series of parts. The wing bearing caps attach to the outboard end yokes, making driveshaft removal easier.

Installation Note: Like Spicer’s SPL series, RPL joints have a polymer thrust washer in the round bearing cap and require an arbor/hydraulic press for proper installation. Hammering these caps into a driveshaft tube or slip yoke will damage this thrust washer and destroy the functionality of the joint. Do not install RPL joints with a hammer! Observe mounting bolt torque specifications shown below when installing a replacement joint.

RPL Series Joint ID Chart

There are just two sizes of RPL parts, RPL20 and RPL25. The larger series, RPL25, is usually found in the mainshaft of Freightliner trucks, while RPL20 components are found on the interaxle shaft of tandem axle trucks. RPL yokes and joints are best measured across the width, mounting bolt hole to mounting bolt hole at centers.