There is a seal, but the shaft & slip yoke just slide in & out (freely)
*set the hand brake & chock the wheels, wear eye protection*
This can be a little unwieldly, so having an extra pair of helping hands is advised
To start, remove the shaft from the vehicle , clean it up & mark a reference line along the yoke & shaft (to allow reassembly the same way -in phase-)
Next, remove the "e-clips" that retain the joint caps in the shaft & yoke...I use a pair of needle-nose pliers for this. (don't throw these clips away just yet)
The caps need to come out, I use a 15mm 1/2" dr socket on a 6" extension as a drift, start on one cap and rap it through (the opposing cap will come flush with, then out of the yoke...so I use a larger -32mm?-socket that catches the cap as it comes out, but still fully supports the yoke ears.) If the caps are stubborn, I use a big C-clamp and the sockets listed above... A bench vise can also be used. I advise against going straight to the 20 ton shop press. Once three of the caps are out, remove the cross and the remaining cap. Again, I keep the caps and try to keep em sorted as to which side of the cross they came off.
I like to clean the ears and the clip grooves with some brake cleaner, then take a fingerful of grease to the inside of each cap (& pack the hollow cross if using a greasable joint) Not fill it up...(hydro-lock = cracked caps) but enough to retain the small needle bearings.
Insert the new joint 'cross' into the slip yoke and get one cap started. I try to keep the cross vertical and slide the cap UP onto it. Once it's fully in place, or a little past, set a new clip in the groove. Do same for the opposing side. Set the shaft onto the cross & set those caps & clips.
*If any cap seems to be 'in a bind'/not seating that last little bit...a needle bearing probably slipped underneath it. Remove, reset, replace*
Inspect and clean the pinion yoke... mainkly get any funk out of the 4 bolt holes and the cups where the caps sit. Make sure that the little tabs that keep the UJ caps centered are present and intact (you mentioned a UJ failure in the other post) If not, the pinion yoke is toast.
Set the transfer case into neutral...Put the axle end UJ into the shaft, then slide the assembled slipyoke/shaft up into the t-case...it may have a key spline (wider than the others) that needs found and aligned. Then spin the shaft to align with the pinion yoke, slide the caps onto the cross, and replace the straps & bolts. New straps and new bolts are a wise investment, or clean the threads & use a dab of Loctite. Install the grease fittings if you used servicible UJs and snort some grease in there (I like the NAPA UJs that have the needle fittings in the cap and hate the other ones that have the normal fitting on the cross)
I keep the clips, caps, bearings, bolts & straps around as 'trail spares', but don't like to reuse them unless really neccesary (like a clip going Pyyyow off the safety glasses into the neighbor's lawn...more of an issue with front ax UJ clips, or when I lose or bend a needle bearing or three being a goon)
That's the condensed version
