Fastest way to change a U-Joint?

[BlueduckFSJ]

I went under the rig to change out my rear u-joint on my rear driveshaft, and I am having trouble getting the bearing caps free. I have the Cardon type with u-bolts and snaprings. Is there a trick or faster way to get these bearings free? Penetrant, forcing grease to pressure them loose, ot anything to get these stubborn things free? Any tips or tricks would be helpful.

[timmirvin]

First of all, take the shaft out/off of the Jeep. Get the thing in a vice where you can work with it.

[timmirvin]

And are you changing the individual u-joint or one in the Double Cardon???

[River Beast]

make sure you have all pressure off the shaft ( rear up on jacks) or you will NEVER get the shaft out....

Then put it up in the vice....

IF this is the DBL Cardon joint... you'll need a few beers, too....

either way... the shaft you are working on must be removed from the drivetrain.

[ May 05, 2003, 03:17 PM: Message edited by: River Beast ]

[timmirvin]

Now, if your are having problems getting it out after taking off the straps, use a hammer....you are already changing it anyway......

My advice would be to change both. On my 88 GW, I have two single u-joints, one at each end. If you have a Double Cardon, well then that is a little different.

Once I have it out and in the vise, the hammer method comes into play for the remaining two caps. First take off both clips. I then use a flat end punch and pound down as far as it will go. Then re-tighten the vise on the cap that was pounded out and twist and pull until it comes out. Take out the center part. Then re-tighten vise with remaining cap pointed down, insert punch, pound out. Clean up the inside of shaft where the caps are placed, make sure there is no rust, trash, or burrs from slipping with the punch. Also, clean out the grooves that the clips set in.

I use the vise to put everything back together. Always be careful of the needle bearings. I squeeze the caps in slowly. Once the cap is in level with the outside of the shaft, I use the largest socket that will fit, and coninue to squeeze. Squeeze past the groove for the clip, insert the clip. Turn over do the same thing on for the other cap. If you get to a point that you cannot turn the vise handle, don't use a cheater bar (bad for vise handle), just tap the vise jaw with a hammer a couple times, take up the slack, tap, take up slack....until you can get the second clip in.

Using this method, it takes me about an hour to do both u-joints start to finish.(Shaft in vehicle to shaft in vehicle, including beer.)

[Lister]

Just had to go through this in my front knuckles. Besides use a BFH (big f******* Hammer) another good method is to put it into a bench vice with a large socket on one end and a small socket on the other. Tighten up the vice and the small socket should push the ujoint out into the big socket. Make sense? tongue.gif

[timmirvin]

Makes sense to me.....but not near as much fun!!!!! :D :D :D

[Al Johnson]

I got a used arbor press from a machine shop I dealt with a long time ago. Mounted it to a steel-framed table that's bolted to the wall. Saved a u-joint cup and ground it down a bit to use to press with. Have an old pulley with a hole the right size to receive the pressed out cup. This really makes u-joints a breeze! When a cup shows a bit of extra resistance, a smack with the small sledge on the arbor press ram makes it pop right out.

[BK]

Word of caution. I know this is stupid but I've seen it happen. If you're going to crawl under the beast and disconnect the driveshaft, make sure you chock the wheels. I actually knew a guy that disconnected his driveshaft and the thing rolled over him. He's no longer with us. He wasn't a personal friend of mine, more like a candidate for the Darwin award though, if you know what I mean.

[BlueduckFSJ]

To add to all this (this here is some good info), what is the best way to approach removing the rear driveshaft? What is the most hassle-free method you fellas have utilized?

[Bob Barry]

1. Chock wheels.

2. Unbolt straps for rear u-joint yoke. Pry u-joint out of yoke and wrap with duct-tape.

3. Unbolt straps for front u-joint yoke. Pry u-joint out of yoke and wrap with duct-tape.

[Bob Barry]

Oh, yeah; paint a stripe on the yoke and the driveshaft to line it all up properly afterwards. Yes, both yokes.

[BlueduckFSJ]

What would you recommend prying the U-joint out with?

[Bob Barry]

A scredriver between the cross and the yoke. If that's not big-enough, then a lug-wrench.

[Ridgbak]

--Thanks all. Good reading.

[FSJ Thing]

jeez, I've never had to do all the stuff ya'll are talkng about. Even with the DC joint in the back of my Blazer. I've never had to take a shaft out to replace a u joint. I do put little "pock" marks with a small punch so that I line it back up correctly though. I don't ever recommend smacking 'em with a hammer, big or small. I use a gear puller to push the u-joint one way until I can grab the cap on the other side with a pair of vice grips, then vice versa, unless it's the strap kind of course. for putting a new u-joint in, if it don't go in easy (as i don't beleive it ever should) I use an 8" c-clamp as a vice and press the caps on that way.

[Hump]

BFH and a hydraulic press.