Don,
I wish I had a video of me trying to install u-joints. A true slapstick comedy
with a 10" vise, a delrin block (so as not to damage the powder coating on the
opposite side of the yoke) and a socket that I used as a drift! Use a socket
that's just small enough to fit in the yoke hole. So, holding the yoke (the
driveshaft was the most fun but rear axles are a close second), keeping the
socket and delrin block in place while I got it all in the vise, then use a
knee to tighten up the vise just enough to keep everything together. A job
that definitely could use three hands.
Can't quite figure out that tool, although it would seem to be easier than
trying to keep all of the parts in place while closing a vise! Maybe you're
supposed to use one of the "drifts" on the backside of the clamp. Does it do
both sides at once? No instructions?
Before I attempted this wonderful chore I made sure the holes in the end yokes
were clean and smooth, then applied a very thin layer of grease to the yoke
internal diameter and some to the outside of the cup. Getting it started
requires that the applied pressure be as straight on to the cup as possible,
and the cup is square to the yoke hole. But once it's started the cup should
assemble pretty easily.
Two warnings: 1. Absolutely do not over compress the cup to where you hit
"bottom" in the cup. Not good. Once it was pretty well on its way in I would
creep it into its final position by seeing where the top of the cup was
relative to the circlip groove in the yoke. As soon as I was even with it I
stopped. Do make sure, though, that the circlip grooves are clean. It does
not take much for the circlips not to fit in the groove. 2. Make sure you add
a bit more grease to the inside of the cup. The small roller bearings can be
dislodged and get damaged while you're trying to squeeze the cup in the yoke.
If you feel like there is too much resistance it's best to back off, gently
knock the new cup out, make sure the rollers are all in position and try again.
The same is true if you happen to drop a part that has a partially assembled
cup in it.
A 20 ton press is fine. You're not going to use the entire 20 ton capacity,
just what works. The only caveat is a loss of "feel" that a clamp or vise
provides. You could damage something (see #2) without knowing it.
Greg Dito
CD6250L
>
> From: Don Malling <dmallin@attglobal.net>
> I am having trouble installing my U-Joints...
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