Rear Driveshaft U-joints - torque on flange bolts?

[pugsy]

Doing my rear driveshaft u-joints this weekend. Picked up the joints from NAPA this aft. for $19 a piece, and to my delight, they have a grease fitting!! Renting the u-joint tool also to make the job a snap (I hope!!).

One question I have is that once I'm ready to button it back up and put the driveshaft back on, how much torque do I need on the 8 bolts that hold the flanges of the driveshaft?
Will all my might with a box end wrench with some threadlocker be enough to keep them on?

Thanks!

 

[Bwana Bob]

We just used Loctite and made 'em "good and tight". I did not use a torque wrench. I did the job with the help of a friend. His garage is bigger than mine.

Also, it was difficult pressing the old U joints out of the yokes. It took one guy to hold the vise down and another to crank it, with an extension pipe on the vise handle. We would crank it and nothing would happen, until.. snap!, the joint would give a little. Crank some more, then another snap, and the joint would move a little more in the yoke.

If the new joints are tight in the yoke, tap the ears of the yoke a little with a hammer (but not too hard). According to the Haynes book, this will spring the yoke a little and allow the u joint to seat properly.

Some guys reported problems with getting the flange bolts loose. Some heated them a little with a torch. I had no trouble at all. I just sprayed them with "Liquid Torch" penetrating oil the night before doing the job and then again in the morning. You will need a 12 mm 12-point box wrench with a short extension pipe for a bit more torque. A socket and ratchet will not fit.

I bought the NAPA ones also, with the grease fittings, although I don't see how I would fit the end of a grease gun into the joint once it has been mounted.

All-in-all its a simple job, but easier with two people.

BTW, don't forget to mark the driveshaft so that it will go back in the same way, to preserve its balance. Also, while you have it out, grease the slip yoke (again mark it so it goes back together the same way). The bands that hold the boot on the slip yoke are also available from NAPA. Just ask for CV joint boot bands. To crimp the bands on, we used an old set of tile cutting pliers, not the special tool.

Have fun, and wear safety glasses.

Bob

 

[pugsy]

Cool...thanks for the tips. Ya...I wasn't able to remove the flange bolts by myself so I'm getting a shop to heat them and remove them for me, then I'll do the joints and re-install myself.
For the slip yoke, the bands aren't re-useable? If I remove the boot, I'll need new bands?
I'm renting the tools that's supposed to make the job easier....so won't need a vise.