Replacing U-Joint

[Tom R.]

I replaced a U-joint on my front drive shaft to pinion a long time ago and don't remember exactly how it's done. It was the "socket and hammer" method. Can anyone briefly descibe how it's done for this memory impaired person? :laugh3:

Thanks

 

[Yucca-Man]

Axle shafts - http://stu-offroad.com/axle/ujoint1/u-joint-1.htm

Driveshaft - http://stu-offroad.com/axle/ujoint2/ujoint-1.htm

 

[Tom R.]

Yep, that's it. Thanks.

 

[jlex]

You may want to get the tool referred to in the above articles. It's now $10 off at Harbor Freight & sells for 19.99 on sale. Here's the link: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38335
I ordered mine & received it in this week... if you're going to do this kind of work, might as well have the tool while its on sale.
regards,
jlex.

 

[mikejwil]

You may want to get the tool referred to in the above articles. It's now $10 off at Harbor Freight & sells for 19.99 on sale. Here's the link: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38335
I ordered mine & received it in this week... if you're going to do this kind of work, might as well have the tool while its on sale.
regards,
jlex.

Cool. I almost ordered it when it was $40. Hard to pass up for $20. To those that have this tool, are all of the pieces steel? I would expect them to be (don't see how anything else would hold up), but I also thought the seal installer I bought from them would be too... :-(

BTW - If you don't want to buy one, your local AutoZone will loan one to you for free. You have to do the purchase/return thing (within 30 days, I think).

 

[XgeekstarX]

a 7 dollar c-clamp also works to press the new caps on. you gotta use the old hammer and socket technique to get the old ones out though.

 

[DenLip]

a 7 dollar c-clamp also works to press the new caps on. you gotta use the old hammer and socket technique to get the old ones out though.

Given my choice between a $7 C-clamp, and a $20 purpose-built tool... I'll pick the purpose-built tool every day. No reason to risk messing something up when the expenditure is so small to do it right.

Den

 

[Yucca-Man]

After having used the c-clamp and more recently the HF tool, I'll take the HF tool any day...it's a ton easier.

 

[WB9YZU]

If you happen to have purchased a 4WD balljoint press, that works also.

,Ron

 

[Tom R.]

FYI

I went to Harbor Freight to buy the 3 in 1 tool and discovered they don't price items the same as on their web site. I had to ask the manager if he'd honor the sale price and he did. One lady said normally they'd require a print out from their site. It's normally $40, so getting it at half price was a great deal. jlex, thanks for the heads up on that deal.

BTW, during installation I was extra careful with the needle bearings. After putting the caps on I gently turned them to ensure all was well before seating. They moved nice. Well, after I compressed the u-joint into the drive shaft and got the clips in I could move the u-joint around by hand, but it took more effort than I expected. Is this normal? How easy should the u-joint move once you have the clips in?

 

[Yucca-Man]

all was well before seating. They moved nice. Well, after I compressed the u-joint into the drive shaft and got the clips in I could move the u-joint around by hand, but it took more effort than I expected. Is this normal? How easy should the u-joint move once you have the clips in?

Give the ears of the yokes a whack with a hammer to loosen the tension you introduced to it by pressing the joints in. I was initially skeptical about that step, but realized that when I beat the joints in by hand, I was effectively relieving that tension with every whack...