u-joints

[Shane]

I just ordered u-joints for the rear drive shaft of my '82 J10. I was replacing them because they have some side to side play in the yokes. The new ones are exactly the same. They fit loosely in the rear diff. yoke. I shimmed them in the yoke with .028 thou. shim stock per side. Why won't the u-joints fit? I replaced them before, but I thought they fit properly when I installed them last. The new ones are Neapco brand. Any ideas?

Shane

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1982 J10 Model 25
My Daily driver since 1988

[JERRY88GW]

I pretty much ruined my front axles once by replacing the ujoints. I got a hamer and pounded on one sleeve, pushing it through the yoke, while the other sleeve came out the other end. After wondering why my new ujoints would not fit, I discovered that you are to never pound those "types" of ujoints through the yoke as it widens the hole in the yoke.

Hope this will help you out.

[ClarkGriswald]

I dont get it what part were you pounding on? The bracket or ubolt that holds the ujoing to the yolk?

OOPS my stupid.....
I see what your talking bout jerry.. you should use a vice, and a socket smaller than the ujoint cup on one side and a socket large enough for the ujoint cup to easily go into on the other side of the yolk. and crush it togethor with the vice.. it pops the joint right thru the yolk smoothly and without banging.
I have done countless U-joints this way on driveshafts and most recently my front ujoints on my D44 of my G.Wag.. works great. helps to have a helper that way one guy can hold the shaft and\or move it around into position in the vice and have one guy run the vice and attend to the positioning of the sockets.. you can change every ujoint on that truck in an hour or so with this method(not counting the time to get em off the truck, like getting the front axles out. just talking bout bench time)

[This message has been edited by ClarkGriswald (edited August 14, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by ClarkGriswald (edited August 14, 2000).]

[Shane]

I used Clarks method of changing u-joints for years, it does work slick. My problem with fit is in the yoke on the rear diff. It can slide side to side a fraction and the u-joint straps when tight don't hold the joint with much presure. Even when I removed the drive shaft for the first time in years the end at the rear diff. almost feel out without me needing to use a pry bar.

I guess what I am asking is are there different u-joints for this '82 J10 with AMC 20 rear end. The parts store only asked me one question and I had to measure the yoke width. Either 3 1/2" or 3 7/8". Mine was 3 1/2".

Shane

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1982 J10 Model 25
My Daily driver since 1988

[JERRY88GW]

I also used that same method Clark, and it worked fine for the u-joints on the driveshaft. The problem was the ujoints in the axles. There different. The clip is on the inside of the yoke, and the holes in the yoke that hold the cup are just small enough that the cup cannot go all the way through. When you push the cup through the yoke, either by a hammer or vice, it enlarges that whole in the yoke.

To remove these types of u-joints, the kind with the clip inside the yoke, you should bang the cup out of the yoke with a chissel or something. Never push the cup through the yoke.

Anyway, this is what I was told. I could be wrong, but I trust the guy that told me.

[scotty]

i hav never heard of a ujoint that widens the yoke if you push out the cup. i think the guy was on crack! http://www.cs.colostate.edu/~zeimet/ubb/eek.gif the yoke has got to be alot harder material than the ujoint cup. i cant imagine a yoke expanding to hte point that the replacement u joint is sloppy. i just replaced my front axle u joints,and i pounded them out and pounded the new ones in just like any other u joint ive ever replaced.


no there are not different u joints for the amc 20. darn near every vehicle ive ever had,as a matter of fact,takes that same u joint! you need to replace your straps. they are designed to stretch,and are thus a 1 time use thing that you should replace every time you remove the 'shaft. if its still sloppy,your yoke is worn and you need to replace it. you definately shoul not be able to move the joint with the straps tightened.

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scott
85 grand wagoneer
258 with motorcraft 2bbl/904/twin stick dana 300/dana 44/welded amc 20
38x15.5 gumbo mudders
snorkel/dual batteries/onboard air/"custom" convertable
3 inch body lift/mostly stock suspension/"modified" fender openings
custom front/rear bumpers and brushgaurd

possible small block chevy "test" swap in near future

[This message has been edited by scotty (edited August 15, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by scotty (edited August 15, 2000).]

[ClarkGriswald]

Yep I use that same method on the front ones too.. just did mine about a month ago first thing i did when i got my wag.. I think scotty is right, your yolk\strap are worn. cause the ujoint caps should seat right into the yolk which keeps em from moving side to side like that.. hope they arent too expensive.. mabye get a good used on from the boneyard

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88 Grand Wagoneer
D44's front\rear
AMC 360
TF 727
NP 229 (Funky)
Bone Stock (for now)
NO RUNNING BOARDS!

[porkchop]

I read an article some where about converting from u-joint straps to u-bolts. I have u-bolts on mine and I think they are better than the straps. It said all you had to do was drill out the hole on the yoke and put in the u-bolts. Sorry I can not remember where I read that at. I am sure someone out there has heard of this also that might remember the location of the article.

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'67/'79 Wagoneer mix
Body of a 33 year old
Heart and legs of a 21 year old.
360,TH400,QT,D44's F&R
32X11.50's

"I regret that I have but only one paycheck to give to my Jeep."

[ClarkGriswald]

I read that article too.. it mabye on the orc jeeptech pages thats definatly the way to go.

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88 Grand Wagoneer
D44's front\rear
AMC 360
TF 727
NP 229 (Funky)
Bone Stock (for now)
NO RUNNING BOARDS!

[JERRY88GW]

The guy told me that you are not supposed to push the cup through the yoke. As the hole in the yoke is angled in such a way that the cup will not slide through it under stress. If you push the cup through the yoke by pounding on it or in a vice than it opens the hole and ruiens the yoke.

Now this is only on certain yokes, the ones with the u-joint has the c-clip on the inside of the yoke.

This made sense to me because i busted a cup trying to push it through one of the yokes.

Has anyone else heard of this?

Jerry

[ClarkGriswald]

Just did my fronts like in the vice and they are the kind with the clip inside they pushed right thru without much trouble and the new ones seated in nicely and seemed perfectly normal. Mabye the guy is right but it only applies to certain vehicles but ive never heard of that. Anyway's folks here is that article about converting to U-bolts. http://www.off-road.com/jeep/tech/axle/aub.html

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88 Grand Wagoneer
D44's front\rear
AMC 360
TF 727
NP 229 (Funky)
Bone Stock (for now)
NO RUNNING BOARDS!

[Shane]

Thanks for the info! I am going with the u-bolt upgrade.

Shane

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1982 J10 Model 25
My Daily driver since 1988