2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission U-joint Removal Trouble on Rear Drive Shaft

[DDrenkhahn]

I'm replacing u-joints on my rear drive shaft. When I try to press a cap out, the center of the joint contacts the yoke before the cap is free. The cap will stick out only about a 1/4". What's going on here? Thanks for any comments.

 

[rkressg]

I just did mine, and it took a hot wrench to get them out.
I ended up burning the center out of the U-Joint out, and then knocking them out with the press.

Be careful to only melt the u-joint, do not melt the drive shaft.

 

[gary johnson]

if you get 1/4" of cap, might be enough meat to get vise grip on, then rotate and pull

 

[Joe Mc]

If you don't have a hot wrench (torch) a sawsall and good steel blade will work, cut "X" or center section of joint at smallest point where the cup sits knock it out and that makes things alot easier.

 

[DDrenkhahn]

Thanks for the comments. I was afraid I was going hear this. One thing to note, the caps are extremely tight. Even in my large vise, I could barely move them. What fun.

 

[B.G. Smith]

If you press both caps out as far as the center section will allow you should be able to remove the center section then drive the caps out with a big pin punch. I hold the cross ends that are exposed between my fingers and hold the shaft off the ground/floor and strike the yoke ear with a dead blow hammer to remove the caps. bg

 

[BIGNASTY]

If you press both caps out as far as the center section will allow you should be able to remove the center section then drive the caps out with a big pin punch. I hold the cross ends that are exposed between my fingers and hold the shaft off the ground/floor and strike the yoke ear with a dead blow hammer to remove the caps. bg

I had the same deal when I replaced mine like above. KIND OF A WEIRD U JOINT BUT IT'S OEM, dont think the replacement's will have the same problem as OEM . For a press I used a REALLY BIG C clamp welded a socket on one end that would fit thru the yoke and a bigger socket for the other end and a big nut on the worm screw so I could put an impact on it. Worked great But ended up using a punch to get caps out of the yoke

 

[SMorneau]

If you can get to the cross with a small angle grinder and a cutoff blade just cut it out and then push the caps in with a press. If you don't have an angle grinder this is a good time to add one to your arsenal. I have used two cheapo ones for years and have more than got my moneys worth out of them. The only failures I have experiencesd were the cords needing replaced.

Scott

Scott

 

[BIGNASTY]

Mine were the same I just pushed the caps out as far as possible then moved the cross to one side take a punch or screw driver ( my dad would be screaming use the right tool) and punch out the cap move the cross and do the others the same way.

 

[DDrenkhahn]

I didn't have any problems getting the caps out of the slip yokes. There's a little more room on these. So, after doing that, I was able to rotate the center, or cross, enough to use a die grinder with a carbide burr to remove enough material on the back side to push the caps out. Didn't take long at all. I probably spent more time whining about it. Anyway, that's how I did it. Don't try it with regular grinding stones or you'll be at it forever.

 

[dcoffman]

I took mine up to the local machine shop and they pressed it out. The rear one is the only one I had trouble with.

luck