double cardon u-joint removal front driveshaft

[tony597fitter]

Never changed the u-joints on one of these double cardons. How is the best way to do it? I have changed every other u-joint on the xj except these. Called my local driveshaft shop and he wanted $140.00 with u-joints to change it and I told him to go get F&^%ed.

[Ivan]

Pretty much like you would any other u-joint. Just start with the very end exposed u-joint (you'll know which one once you remove the driveshaft), and work your way back taking things apart.

Becareful when you get to the center ball joint thingy....there are some needle bearings in it that like to scatter when you take that apart. There is a seal kit and rebuild kit for the center ball joint you can purchase too for about $55. I'd take it apart first to see if you need it.

It's not really all that bad to rebuild... but kind of like one of those Chinese puzzle things. I rebuilt mine in a couple of hours, taking my time and tinkering along the way.

Ivan

[juicexj24]

If the centering kit is toast. NAPA sells them for the front driveshaft. 45.00 was what I paid for it. It's called a CV centering kit. Juice

[XJguy]

Can the cardan joint be used without the centering joint? I got one off a fellow XJer with hopes to adapt it to my rear drive shaft but there are no provisions back there for the center ball joint.

XJguy

[Yucca-Man]

No - you need the centering joint to keep it all straight...

[egon]

So I take it that rebuilding a double cardan joint is a reasonable task if you have solid mechanical skills and patience?

Are there particular brands for rebuild parts that are better then most? There's a drivetrain shop right around the corner that I was going to pick up Spicer stuff from.

--Matt

[juicexj24]

Spicer is the way to go for the u-joints. I just used the NAPA part for the centering kit and because Spicer was more than I wanted to spend. Juice

[Yucca-Man]

Yeah, rebuilding the joint isn't too tough; it's maybe one banana tougher than replacing a u-joint. I did a writeup a few years ago at http://www.ilovejeeps.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11579 but don't pay attention to the tool sizes I noted; I'm not sure what I was thinking that day...

[XJguy]

Can I adapt a stock slip yoke to the cardan joint centering ball joint, or will I need a new yoke.

Do they even have such a slip yoke?
TIA

XJguy

PS: dont want, have the time or resources right now for a SYE kit right now.

[Yucca-Man]

I think you really want to take a look at the actual joints in question and answer that question for yourself.

[XJguy]

Yeah I took a look, and I didnt know about the centering ball joint till I saw it apart. But now I want to know if I really need that ball joint, since someone here once told me that they adapted a cardan joint to the rear shaft.

XJguy

[juicexj24]

Well all I know is that both the front and rear shafts on mine have the CV centering kit. So I don't know about adapting them or not. But my guess is that they it wouldn't work with the angles that the shaft goes through as you apply gas from stop to go and as the suspension flexes. Juice

[BrokenXJ]

They make double cardon joints with slip yokes, because you can order them from Tom Woods.