Flash70

Okay I bought a replacement U-Joint for the rear ax and driveshaft but I can not seem to get the old U-Joint bearing cups out. Is there a trick to getting them to slide out? They are greased up. I even dripped some 3in1 around it on both sides to let it soak in and it did not help. I did some research but lack the tools used in the research I found.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
This is what I want to do but do not have that tool.
http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/artic...ticle_id=60402

vineman

You could do what I do. Take a socket that is the same diameter of the u-joint, put on the end you want to push out then take a socket that is big enough for the other end to slip down into and take a hammer to it. Don't destroy it just tap it out nice and easy. Get what I'm sayin?

Flash70

Yep thats exactly what I did vineman. I only thought of it when I sitting there holding the driveshaft. Lets say I was not gentle But I did not break it.

Tony R

I use a brass punch and hit the u joint and use the bigger socket on the bottom for the cap to go into. Basically the same as the other replies I just dont push the top cap in and then have to push it back out. When you own a lifted 4X4 you get pretty good at it and you can do it on the trails with limited tools.

1965fastback

Success!

Flash70

yep tony. put the large socket that was perfect fit around the rim of the bearing and then just got it out by hitting the other side with a smaller socket and hammer.

kalli

i use a bench vice when lazy. again with a socket. just press the socket in, that will drive the rest out. Obviously the snaprings have to go first in case you have forgotten that. There's outside snaprings that are obvious and inside snaprings that you only see when you know that they're there if it's all greased up

65rangoon

do you have a bench vise? im assuming since youre working on cars you do .... if not you should get one they are handy.


when i changed mine i just took a socket and placed it on the cap and put spacers on the other so when i tightened down the vice it could push the ujoint to the one side so i could pop the cap off and then pushed it the other way.

Flash70

Okay so I did all of this and got the U-Joint out but now the real question is HOW DO I GET THE NEW ONE IN!?!
It does not want to go in. I tap it gently with a hammer at first to see if its lined up and hat not. Then I start hitting it a little harder but it does not even go in at all. It is the exact same size as the old one. I do not know what the problem is.
Any ideas?

Tony R

first off you should compare it with the old one to make sure you have the right one. The bearing cups could be bigger than your old ones. Next I usually like to take all of the cups off and set them off to the side except for the one I am going to install. The reason for this is I have had the cups fall off while I was installing and then the roller bearings fall out. I place the cup that I am working with in the hole and put the u joint into the cup as far as it will go into the cup to hold the bearings in place then I tap the cup into place. I take the next cap and set it into the hole across from the one I just installed and move the u joint into the cap partially while still in the one that I already installed making sure the bearings are aligned right then I tap it into place. A vise works good for this or a large pair of channel locks or c clamp. I also usually try to put in extra grease before hand unless there is a zerk fitting in which case I dont worry about it.