Install axle u-joints with or without lube on press fit surfaces?

[maxbraketorque]

Originally Posted by lawsoncl

Expanding on my comment on poor pressing technique:

I use a slightly different method for pressing or hammering out joints. I have a piece of u-channel that I stick underneath to support the cross of the joint or the ears on other sides. Then I stick a big socket on top of the upper cap and press on that. The result is forcing the cross and the upper cap upwards into the socket. Flip over and repeat to get the other cap out

The risk of the "traditional" method is having the upper cap bind up and instead of both caps moving downward, the bottom one moves and the upper ear bends inward.

After I pushed out the first pair of caps with less than ideal results, I decided that your approach is what I wanted to do as well. Its equivalent to the Thor method shown in the briansmobile1 video. However, I couldn't find an appropriate piece of material to use as a u-channel.

When I press in the new caps, I'm going to try to span the gap between the ears with a nut and bolt so that the ears are fully supported and don't elastically bend from the friction force as the caps are pressed into place.

[RCP Phx]

That's the only true method of doing them, everything else is a gamble!

[maxbraketorque]

Well getting the needle bearings to stay in the correct location during installation was more challenging than I anticipated. I ended up first partially pressing in one cup, installing the spider, then followed by finishing installing the cup. I found that a hammer worked quite well for finishing the cup installation. I held the spider against the partially pressed cup, and then tapped in the cup. Then I pressed in the second cup after I was sure that the needle bearings in both cups had not fallen over.

I made a tool like the one in the video recommended by lawsoncl and used it to press the cups outward after I had installed the c-clips. That very effectively loosened up the u-joints.

[FusiliJerry]

Having just done a front axle u-joint, I used anti-seize in the axles where the caps press in.

It presented a challenge in trying to slide-in the u-joints sans caps; it was hard to not have the u-joint body touch the walls of the axle and get anti-seize on the u-joints where only grease should go. When I do the other size, I will be using a grease I wouldn't mind being present in the bearings.

[maxbraketorque]

Originally Posted by FusiliJerry

Having just done a front axle u-joint, I used anti-seize in the axles where the caps press in.

It presented a challenge in trying to slide-in the u-joints sans caps; it was hard to not have the u-joint body touch the walls of the axle and get anti-seize on the u-joints where only grease should go. When I do the other size, I will be using a grease I wouldn't mind being present in the bearings.

Yep, I ultimately did not use anti-seize for that reason. As others said, I just used the oil that was on the caps.

[lawsoncl]

WD-40 might be perfect then. It starts out as a lube, then dries to a hard glue, preventing the cap from spinning.

[jhenke]

I use just a drop of 3 n 1 oil on each cap.

[maxbraketorque]

If anyone is interested, here is the tool that I bought to help with pressing out ball joints:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09PYSL21V/?th=1

After cutting off the tangs, the arms line up perfectly with the axle yokes, and the tool is sufficiently deep to press out a cup.

[jeep ride]

That looks like a Pittman arm puller ?

[maxbraketorque]

Originally Posted by jeep ride

That looks like a Pittman arm puller ?

Yep, cut off the tangs and it becomes a tool to press out axle u-joint cups.

[jeep ride]

Originally Posted by maxbraketorque

Yep, cut off the tangs and it becomes a tool to press out axle u-joint cups.

Thanks for sharing did you use the 33 mm, I've never saw Pittman arm puller listed in different sizes.

[maxbraketorque]

Sorry, yes 33 mm.

[lawsoncl]

Originally Posted by maxbraketorque

Yep, cut off the tangs and it becomes a tool to press out axle u-joint cups.

Well there's an idea! I'll have to measure my Harbor Freight one next time I do u-joints. Probably a better use for it, because it sucked as a pitman arm puller. I had to put a clamp on it to keep the arms from spreading open and popping off.

[XJlimitedx99]

I could see an argument for using something like Loctite 609 Retaining compound on u-joint caps rather than lube.

U-joint caps spin because when the joint is rotated the cap has force applied to it's circumference unevenly, creating a situation where the cap wants to oblong the hole in the yoke ear. This causes the cap to "walk up the ramp of the oblonged hole" (for lack of a better description) and rotate in the yoke. Its not really a big deal, but can cause problems when the C-clip is seized onto the cap because the act of the cap rotating will cause the clip to push into the yoke and will spit the clip off, causing the cap to eventually exit the yoke. This is why people use full circle clips and/or tack weld caps.

Loctite 609 (or another retaining compound) would help the yoke "stick" to the u-joint cap, effectively pulling the yoke towards the rear of the cap to counteract the "oblonging."

I have no idea if this is a good or bad idea. It just crossed my mind while reading this thread. I could see it adding a very marginal amount of strength to the system.