Grinding U-joint to fit...

I think that I've managed to bend the half shaft yoke in slightly when swapping out/ in a new UJ, as I can't get the C-clips to go in on both sides: I never knew it was possible to do it with a vice, but that's the only sensible conclusion I can come to.

In order to make the thing fit, I'm left with 2 choices:
1) Grind a millimetre off the end of the UJ so that the cap can fit on properly
2) Bend the yoke out somehow.

Bending the yoke would seem a bit risky, as it involves further bending of cast metal, which is notoriously brittle, and for some reason the new UJ's bloody stuck in there, which would make it doubly hard to reshape the yoke. Which led me to thinking about shaving a bit of metal off the end of the offending UJ to allow it to fit.

What do people think: will the centrifugal forces mean that my hub will collapse through vibration, or will it be OK? I could always weld on a blob of flux to the outside of the cap to compensate, or would this be overkill? Personally, I think the forces wouldn't be too bad, considering the turning speeds will be much lower than, say, a driveshaft, and that it might be OK. Bear in mind this is for my old XJ that's been sitting on jackstands for the last year, so I'm not willing to spend a penny on the thing!!

I'm in two minds: please help me decide! Cheers!

does it move freely?, dont bend the yoke!! you probably have a needle out of place and resting between the u joint and cap, take it apart and check, very easy to do, If you leave it you will be doing another very soon

I had the same issue with my spare shafts. I ended up fileing some off the inner of each side of the yoke. Sometimes a calculated strike of a hammer on the yoke can spread them just enough to seat the clips. I also weld my caps so the clips are only critical to keeping the joint centered in the yoke. I rely on the welds to keep the caps in.

Thanks for such a quick reply!

Erm, I think it moves freely, and IIRC the cap looks good - no needles out of place. That said, it's been a while since I had a go at it.

My main problem is that as I can't get the UJ back out in the first place, I'm going to have to hack it up if I want to symmetrically file a bit off each yoke.

Food for thought though, and I'm going to check and have a go at both suggestions if I can.

Thanks!

Any more?

I changed out my two in the mountains of CO, used a framing hammer, 1/2 socket extension and a rock!! Of course one of the caps would not seat far enough to put the clip in.....slowly pulled it apart and .......you got it, one of the needle bearings had fell to the bottom. Took like 3 times to get it right, and only after I greased the bearings in the cap!!

I don't think you bent the yoke.....I pounded the sand out of mine and have no problems.......now!!

Good Luck!!

Very easy to drop a pin. I went through a U-joint or 2 trying to figure it out (one was the wrong size it turned out). I vote dropped pin.

Nevada City Sparky said:

Very easy to drop a pin. I went through a U-joint or 2 trying to figure it out (one was the wrong size it turned out). I vote dropped pin.

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Could be, but the seals would not be seated if that is the case and he says they are only 1mm off.

Chancer are the seals seated on the cups?

why can't you get the u joint back apart? I would just to check, I ve dropped needles a few times with the same result, can't get the clip back in. Thats when I swear,curse take it apart, put the needle back into the cup and try again.

I came to the conclusion that the yoke was slightly bent as I can't get the UJ out. I know it's a tight fit, but the gap just doesn't seem big enough to let the UJ out any more and after hours of fiddling, I'm no further forward - hence I thought I'd bent it.

xjtrailrider said:

...are the seals seated on the cups?

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I think so. Will have another look, try yet again to extricate the UJ and let you all know how it turns out. Thanks again.

I had this issue on an old Chevy truck, I took the parts store advice that my yoke had been bent and to bend it back. BAD IDEA!! I later had to replace a drive shaft, U-Joint and the Yoke. The problem was that the U-Joints were not the correct ones in the right packaging.

The parts store picked up half the cost of the replacement items.

Moral of the story, if it ain't working right on the intall, it definately will not work under load and the RPM's that you are going to subject it to.

Cody

Take a good sized ball peen and wack each arm to relieve the stress you put in it when you took it apart.

DieselAirman said:

Take a good sized ball peen and wack each arm to relieve the stress you put in it when you took it apart.

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X2. You may have to do that a couple times. Whack each cap too, if it is not moving freely. Eventually you should be able to get it lined up.