U Joint Removal help

My front U joints that connect my front axles to my hubs are shot beyond belief and after struggling to get the hubs off, i'm now having trouble getting the old u joints out. They are locked pretty solid in there...i tried beating them out with a hammer with no avail, but I had to stop so the neighbors could go to sleep. SO if they are not budging at all, would a u joint press work on them? i think you can get one on loan from autozone...if that doesn't help are there any other quick and dirty ways to get them out?

altrocker1 said:

My front U joints that connect my front axles to my hubs are shot beyond belief and after struggling to get the hubs off, i'm now having trouble getting the old u joints out. They are locked pretty solid in there...i tried beating them out with a hammer with no avail, but I had to stop so the neighbors could go to sleep. SO if they are not budging at all, would a u joint press work on them? i think you can get one on loan from autozone...if that doesn't help are there any other quick and dirty ways to get them out?

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1) A u-joint press is the easiest way to go. You can also use a G-clamp and a set of sockets (one big enough to take the full diameter of the cap, one small enough to fit through the bore in the yoke ears.)

2) Stupid question - but you did pull the circlips holding the caps in, right? They're either on the outside of the cap in the yoke, or inside the yoke around the base of the cap (I don't recall which, offhand.) If they're still in place and you manage to get the Cardan joint out, du hast einen grosse problem!

Axle shaft u-joints have the clips on the inside. Hard to see if the joint is all rusted up. Use some PB blaster or some such to clean up some of the rust so you can see them.

tommyr said:

Axle shaft u-joints have the clips on the inside. Hard to see if the joint is all rusted up. Use some PB blaster or some such to clean up some of the rust so you can see them.

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Thanks - I wasn't sure where they were.

Or, just give them a quick hit with a wire wheel, you'll see them. You're going to want to clean up the yoke anyhow...

i rented a press today...i guess 200k is too long for ujoints to be in! i torqued and torqued and right as i got angry and threw my breaker bar down i heard a POP! as the shaft was sitting on the ground with the press on, the back cap blew off on its own. after that i was able to get them out on that side...i am moving to the other side this afternoon, and hopefully it will go a little better

if it gets really bad, grab an angle grinder and cut the ends off the u-joint so that you only have to press the empty caps

If you've got the circlips off (vital!) and the joints still aren't releasing, grab your propane torch and heat the yoke ears up to 400-500*F (per either a Tempil(tm) stick or non-contact thermometer.) That's well below the point where you'll wreck the temper of the shaft, but high enough that you'll relieve the press fit and should be able to pop the joint loose.

I find it handy to keep a small assortment (typically 400*, 500*,600*, 700*) of Tempil sticks handy - they look like crayons, but you can make a mark on a part you're heating up, and it will melt withing 95-105% of the rated temperature value. Find Tempil(tm) sticks at most welding supply houses.

Oh - and heat only the yoke years! Do not heat the joint proper! If you heat the joint, you're going to have trouble, since it's going to expand and force the bore open (which, essentially, tightens the press-fit.)

You can also heat up the yoke ears, and then touch a block of paraffin wax (or just a candle) to the junction between the cap and the yoke. Let the wax melt and wick in (you won't need the torch on it,) and let it cool a bit - the wax usually gets in there and helps lubricate things to free them up.

Paint the caps on the new Cardan joint with never-seez to make it easier to take to bits next time...