Stinocher, Bryan D. wrote:
>
> Had a small problem last night getting one of my u-joints out. Got half of
> it out, but not the other. Now it seems to be welded in. Do you install the
> u-joints on your own, or do you farm it out? It will cost me roughly $170
> total to get all of them done at NAPA. I figure that I can do some of them
> myself. Any special tricks to removing these buggers (they've been on there
> for 30 years, so I'm sure that doesn't help). I learned last night not to
> bang directly on the u-joint cap, but I'm not sure how you make them move by
> banging on the arms holding them in. Help?!
Bryan:
This is strictly my humble opinion, but I generally farm out u-joint
repairs, and if you were quoted $170 to do six joints -- or even four --
I'd take the deal. A shop that specializes in drivetrain repairs, for
trucks, etc., may well be cheaper.
But this doesn't help with your current problem.
Banging on the yoke to remove u-joints is just your basic blunt-force
approach; you keep wacking until the needle bearings inside fall apart,
easing removal. But the easier, much preferable way is to press out
the joints with a good vice. Find a socket that is slightly smaller
than the bearing cup and use this to press in that cup. On the
opposite cup, brace the yoke with a socket that is just
larger than the cup, allowing it room to extrude as you press in the
other.
Banging on u-joints can distort yokes, a bad and unnecessary
situation.
--
Martin Secrest
72 TR6
73 GT6
"life is too short to repair u-joints"
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