U Joint Help!!!

[Fiberford]

I could really use some input from someone that has replaced a u joint. I am experiencing a bone chilling heavy metallic clunk upon moderate to heavy accelleration from a stop. This sound is so bad I look in the road behind me expecting to see parts on the ground. Its almost like snapping a half axle.

The previous owner replaced the u joint twice. Is it hard, how long will it take, what's the cost? I could really use some help.

 

[zensius]

It's relatively cheap. It's a no brainer requiring few tools and very little knowledge. Go for it!

 

[chris c]

it is not hard at all. you need to drop the driveshaft out and then remove the spring style retainers and press out the universal joints. it only takes about 1/2 hour to do but when i do mine i take my time. i'll drop the driveshaft and spray the universal caps with penetrating oil and let it soak for a while. then press them out with the vise and a socket that is smaller than the cap on one side and a socket that is larger than the cap on the other side. the last time i did them on my 'x' i actually had to heat them up with the torch and beat them out with a huge punch and mallet. ugh....

anyway, you might as well try it cause if you can't do it yourself you can just take your driveshaft over to a shop to have them do it and you'll still be ahead of the game $ wise....

 

[zensius]

Unless it's your only vehicle and you have to take the bus to a shop.

 

[chris c]

Originally posted by zensius
Unless it's your only vehicle and you have to take the bus to a shop.

if you only have one vehicle you must make sure you ALWAYS have a cute friend that will pick you up...

 

[Fiberford]

Thanks for the input. The old lady is around today, so I'll be digging in soon. Besides a replacement part and penetrating oil, is there anything else I need to buy? Since I moved into an apartment, my tools are just the basics along with a jack and stands. I've never dropped a driveshaft, but I'm guessing it can't be any more difficult then half shafts I've done on Honda's.

 

[chris c]

you gotta look under your truck. on my 91' i believe that the front of the driveshaft to the tranny was just a 10mm bolt [4] and the rear was the same. i have seen bolts and allen bolts used to hold the driveshafts in.

if your parking brake works or you can have someone sit in the car and hold the brake on you won't need anything else but a ratchet and the appropiate socket. if you don't have a working parking brake or a second person you can use a long pry bar and wedge it between the uv joint and a leaf spring. drop the driveshaft off the t-case first.

if you have done half shafts on a honda you can do this job with your eyes closed...

just be safe and make sure that the car is secure with wheel chocks, etc. once you take the drive shaft out the parking pin is no longer holding the car back...

 

[Opera House]

Watch those needle bearings

The caps must be removed to install the new one. It is pretty easy to get one of the needle bearings to slide out of place and it won't be noticed till you try pressing it in and it won't go in all the way. The walls should be sanded to get rid of the rust after the old one is removed. Sometimes it takes a little beating to get the old one out and the walls get nicked. You will need a vice or at least a good C clamp to install the new one. Hammering the new one in is not a good idea. First time, I would buy 2 just in case. You can use the other for the back later. And you'll have to grease it. Got a gun? Just a lot more brutal than you expect. If I remember, one of them you can put it in backwards and then you can never grease it in place. Still works ok.

 

[DeRocha]

Which U-joint are you going to replace? The drive shafts are the easiest while the Wheel -U joints (IMO) are very difficult.

I highly recommend you pick up the u-joint press (Autozone free rental). Check out the following link.

U-joint removal

 

[etc]

I'm gonna replace my ujoints also. On autozone there's two, for two sized yokes (3.5" and 3.857"). How do I know which i have, what do i measure?

 

[DeRocha]

I would measure the old U-joint cap to cap then the diameter of one of the caps. You can then ask to see both u-joints @ the parts store too see which one is correct.

 

[dougiu]

I just replaced the front axle u-joints on my '94 and it took about 12 hours. I'd hardly call it a no brainer !
You have to jerk the guts out of the entire front end down to the diff. Then there are are the brakes to deal with since there already removed. Also, I soaked the yokes for overs 4 hours and it still took a torch and 15 ton press to get them out.
Heres A few things I'd do :

Make sure the parts the parts store had new brake pads / discs, and both sizes of u-joints before starting.

Obtain a axle nut socket (I only found one at ford) and a torque wrench before starting.

Set up a shop with somone to remove/replace the u-joints before starting. I had a Car-X muffler shop press mine out. They didn't even charge me ! It took them about 15 minutes to do both sides once I brought them the shafts.

Also, grab a tub of high speed axle grease and a repair manual while at the parts store.

Good Luck

 

[bluestream]

No need to remove the driveshaft for a U-joint, just get the C-clamp tool and do the job with the shaft on the vehicle. That's how mechanics do U-joints.

Remember to tell the parts place if you have auto or manual transmission, as the manual has much larger U-joints. I made several trip to the auto parts store before they clued in on this.

 

[etc]

Ok, I got under there to measure, and the only part around the ujoint that measures either 3.5" or 3.875" is the end of drive shaft which comes in at about 3.48". The spider is a little more that 4"
This is how my driveshaft is setup:
Figure 1 on this page:
http://www3.autozone.com/servlet/Ui..._us/0900823d/80/0b/ae/ca/0900823d800baeca.jsp
Could someone tell me what part I'm supposed to measure to get the 3.5/3.875 measurement?

 

[chris c]

Originally posted by bluestream
No need to remove the driveshaft for a U-joint, just get the C-clamp tool and do the job with the shaft on the vehicle. That's how mechanics do U-joints.

they also have a lift. backyard mechanic, remove the driveshaft. much easier than laying on your back pressing out the uv joint.....