• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

U-Joint Replacement

Alienspecimen

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Best Coast RI
99XJ, replacing the u-joints behind front wheel bearing hubs.

Removed the c-clips and tried hammering them out first. Didn't work.

Placed between two different-sized sockets in a vise. Didn't work.

Tried taking them out with a 12-ton press and heating for fifteen minutes. Didn't work.

Out of ideas. Suggestions welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Boris
 
Take them in and have them done.

Soaking them in penetrating oil for a week helps. I have in the past used a 4" angle grinder and a cutting wheel to dismember a u-joint. Having to only press one u-joint cap instead of two, lessens the force required. I now have several sets of spare shafts and just throw the non-cooperative u-joints back on the pile of spares.
 
Including new joints sears only charged my friend 50$ to do them. YMMV
 
I've found the secret for this is to use a ball joint press. Get the tension on enough to scare you, and then hit the end of the yoke with a hammer. Just as with tapered ball-joints, the impact will make it pop.

If you have no ball joint press, it's probably not a bad deal to take them someplace and let someone else cuss them.
 
Remove clips, support the yoke with vice,

url


Right behind the cap, at the thickest part of the yoke/ears. Remove cap, flip and repeat.

I have had more trouble with rusted up spindle nuts than u-joints.

The method is better described here, but i've found it works very well:
http://www.4x4wire.com/tech/axle/ujoint/
 
Last edited:
Back
Top