The spin-orbit induced electric field gradient at the nuclear site of 183 Os and 183 Re impurities in Fe and of 191 Pt and 186 Ir impurities in Ni was determined for ͓100͔, ͓110͔, and ͓111͔ orientations of the magnetization. The measurements were performed on single-crystal samples using nuclear magnetic resonance on oriented nuclei and modulated adiabatic fast passage on oriented nuclei. In the Ni experiments the electric field gradient was also determined for other orientations of the magnetization in the ͑110͒ plane. These data, together with previous results on the 5d impurities, provide the first fairly complete data set on the spin-orbit induced electric field gradient in cubic Fe, Co, and Ni. Our results establish in particular that the effect depends in general considerably on the direction of the magnetization. We summarize the present knowledge of these electric field gradients, their magnitude, their systematics, and the form and magnitude of their dependence on the direction of the magnetization. The properties of the effect are explained within the tight-binding model in terms of the spin-orbit induced deformation of the electron distribution. We also present and discuss data on the dependence of the hyperfine field on the direction of the magnetization, which was found to be smaller than 10 Ϫ3 , and on the inhomogeneous broadening of the electric field gradient.