U Joints?

[massacre]

Already stopped in my tracks, don’t have the ABs socket, I ordered it a few days ago from amazon.
I didn’t see that small bolt and already broke driver’s sensor which sucks but my fault, should have been paying attention.
Removed tierod and snap rings on balljoints, camber sleeve and pinch bolt. I see that the spindle will not come off with ABS attached so now I wait.
Tried 1/4” 12 point 1/4” drive socket, was close but not close enough

 

[massacre]

I spoke too soon haha
Just got the socket delivered

 

[massacre]

Halted again, spindle won’t come off, getting too late to be wailing on stuff.
I spied 2 threaded holes on the face, threaded in 2 bolts and then realized one of the holes goes right through so scrapped that. I’ll just spray it up and attack it tomorrow.

I totally fubar’d that ABS sensor, will not make the same mistake on the other side lol
I see that the spindle can come off without removing ABS sensor, i’ll Remember that for future reference

 

[410Fortune]

for really stuck spindles use a block of wood and smack it side to side until it starts to move

 

[massacre]

Been beating on this spindle all day, tried wood block, broke that. Been heating the knuckle all around the spindle, spraying, banging, chiseling, etc with no success.

I have an air chisel but worried about ruining the spindle, since they are no longer available new. If I could order 2new spindles I would just cut the spindle right off with a cutoff wheel.

Should I use the air chisel?

 

[massacre]

Broke my chisel. Just went and got reinforcements(new chisels)

 

[massacre]

I was using a small hammer/small chisel method but switched to big hammer/small chisel method and finally got it free.

Get this- the balljoints are not frozen- now that I removed the drivers axle shaft. U joint is solid. It seemed like that might be the case since the knuckle would pivot back and forth but only until it contacted the axle running inside it.
So i’ll Replace the balljoints anyways since the ones in the truck have no grease fittings and I already bought ones that do. Also ordered pivot bushings I think I have come to the realization that this truck needs a lot of stuff if I want it to operate nicely.

 

[massacre]

Once the spindle was off everything progressed pretty quickly. Removed knuckle, pressed out old BJs and pressed in new. Going to tackle the u- joints tomorrow.

Can the beams be dropped out from the bottom with the springs still attached? Like can the top of the springs be removed? I looked around there today just saw some tabs.

My new game plan is to unbolt the RAs and drop the beams onto 2 furniture dollies and just slide that sucker sideways into the next bay. That will allow better access and might as well replace diff seals too and replace the gear oil.
If my u-joints are that frozen up, I want to replace the inner pass side as well.
Trying to avoid the bottom nut on the spring, that just looks like bad news lol

 

[massacre]

Starting on the pass side, already had to drill out both ABS bolts and a corner of the ABS block broke off. Destroyed the other ABS sensor too, ordered 2new ones. The spindle on this side looks even worse than the other side so not looking forward to that lmao

 

[massacre]

Spindle came off after a while, cut clamp and removed pass side axle shaft. Removed knuckle so both knuckles and shafts are out of the truck. Both u joints are roached, one is so stiff I have to hit it with a sledge to turn it at all. Going to make removal a huge pita.

Decided I am going to try and remove the springs and then drop the beams.
Thinking of eliminating the C clip, can anyone link to the split collar and spring needed to do so?

Thanks a million!

 

[massacre]

So I am almost ready to drop the beams. Nuts holding bottom of coil springs are off, they def sucked but not as bad as I had anticipated. Bottom bolts were pretty tough took my 4 ft breaker bar and cheater pipe plus map gas. They are loose but still installed. Radius arm nuts are removed, swaybar endlinks disconnected as well as the front driveshaft.
Took a second to figure out that the strap bolts were torx, never seen those before.
The front U joint on that driveshaft is not the greatest, might try packing it with grease. Does that shaft pull out of the slip yoke as well? Looking at the transfer case end, that looks like a nightmare to deal with.
Or is just another one of those things that I might as well do when i’m There? Looks like there is a double u joint there? Crazy.

So the shocks are still attached at both ends. At this point that and the pivot bolts are holding everything up. I’m trying to figure out the best way to drop it out, I guess drop everything to the floor and then go for the pivot bolts?

This has been way more work than I bargained for but I know that it will be totally worth it once it’s done.
Thanks everyone for the help and advice. I’m sure I’ll need some more before this job is done haha

 

[massacre]

Regarding the C clip elimination, I was able to find the Echo spring and split collar on amazon. If you scroll down you will see “frequently bought together” for the split collar.
There is no picture of the spring which is a bummer but it is the same part # as was given in one of the C clip eliminator threads on here. The link didn’t work anymore so figured I would post this maybe it will help someone in the future

https://www.amazon.com/Echo-ech-69621655730-spring/dp/B008G4E1KC

BTW after going through all of this, I started reading up on SAS information. Seems like it would just be so much easier to deal with a reg straight axle then all of this half shaft nonsense. But my truck is a DD so no real benefit really. I’m hoping if I replace the axle seals on the diff and replace the u joints do the C clip eliminator, I won’t have to remove the diff for a long time.

 

[410Fortune]

no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I collect these spindles at the junk yards because you cannot get them anymore
When you could a few years ago they were $350 EACH!!!!!!!!!!

You can get it loose
Do you have a slide hammer? 3 jaw puller type? Can you rent one?

What bolts are you talking about here:
"Bottom bolts were pretty tough took my 4 ft breaker bar and cheater pipe plus map gas"

You can do this almost there!!
The TTB is just fine, especially for a daily driver once you build this one back up it will be good for another 150-200K miles

 

[massacre]

no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I collect these spindles at the junk yards because you cannot get them anymore
When you could a few years ago they were $350 EACH!!!!!!!!!!

You can get it loose
Do you have a slide hammer? 3 jaw puller type? Can you rent one?

What bolts are you talking about here:
"Bottom bolts were pretty tough took my 4 ft breaker bar and cheater pipe plus map gas"

You can do this almost there!!
The TTB is just fine, especially for a daily driver once you build this one back up it will be good for another 150-200K miles

I was able to get both spindles off. It wicked sucked and took forever my hand was all cramped up from holding a chisel for 2 days lmao.
The bolts I was referring to were the lower radius arm to beam bolts.

I am getting really close, I want to remove the coils and then try and loosen the drivers upper radius arm to beam bolt (stud) so I can swing the RA out of the way to get the long bolt out to remove the diff. Once that is loose I will drop the beams. Hope to get that done today and press pass side balljoints into knuckle, then start working on removing the axle shaft u joints.

 

[massacre]

Just broke shock mount off of drivers radius arm. Off to a great start haha

 

[410Fortune]

Do not need to remove lower radius arm bolts or the top ones, you just need to remove the nut that holds the coil spring to the beam
The radius arm stays attached to the beam

The coils should stay in the truck
If you want to remove them they twist out of the upper spring bucket to free them from the tabs
Also notice the spring orientation it is VERY IMPORTANT the coils sit in the bucket properly or your truck wont be level/aligned

You should be dropping both beams and the radius arms out of the truck if thats the route you have decided to take to get to the inner U joints

 

[massacre]

Finally was able to drop everything out. I broke both ABS sensors and both shock mounts, ouch. Ordered 2 dorman radius arms I know they are not great but they will be good enough for what I need it for. Have shocks and springs coming as well. Thanks for the heads up on the springs BTW I see that they have a ridged insert there.

It’s funny, when I first joined I would see pics of explorers with everything dropped out and I said to myself wow these dudes are crazy, I’ll never do that lmao. Well now I guess i’m One of the crazies now too hahahaha

 

[massacre]

Does anyone have a part # for the front driveshaft front u joint? I think I can press it out under the truck, only have to press out 2 sides since the other side uses straps

Now to focus on the axle u joints, they are terrible and frozen solid

 

[massacre]

One broke free on drivers shaft, but cannot remove the cup from the cross. It is loose on the yoke but frozen to the cross. Tried the usual vise grips to spin the cup, nope.
Pipe wrench on it won’t budge it either. To be honest I’m surprised I was able to get the clips out just a mess. Tried some heat but didn’t want to heat up the yoke as it isn’t necessary.
Any tips before I cut it off with angle grinder? Thanks

 

[Albino 94LTD]

I posted part numbers for U joints earlier in your thread