U joint replacement

[TheBac]

Anyone done the U joints on the one-piece aluminum driveshaft? I already have the new joints, but danged if I can find any DIY thread here or the Place to install them. I can honestly say I've never had to replace a set of them on any vehicle I've owned, so this is all new to me.
Can a DIY'er do it (me) and where can I find the procedures?
Would I need any special tools to do this job? Is a press of some kind needed?

Any help appreciated. Gotta get under there to install the Tcase brace and thought I may as well get everything done.

 

[bullfrogjohnson]

Yes you can do it, All you need is a hammer, vice, a socket a little smaller than the u-joint cap.

 

[TIM Z]

If its like the U joint in my wifes Tahoe i Just did you need to Apply Heat to Melt the Factory Keepers out of the drive shaft. I used a hand torch.

The new U joint came with snap in keepers.

Not sure but hope this helps, havent done a 3/4 ton yet.

But like said above youll need a small socket and a bench vise to press each side of the new U joint caps into the Driveshaft. You can do this.

 

[bullfrogjohnson]

I forgot about the snap ring pliers for the retainers, you can also use a pair of needle nose pliers

 

[TheBac]

I just went under the truck, got the brace installed. Ujoints have outer snap rings. Does that change anything?

Also found I have a slight pinion seal leak. Thats a job for a shop...

 

[Vrabel]

If you have access to a ball joint press ( Its like a big C-clamp), you lessen the chance of damaging ears on shaft beating with a hammer(and I've seen alot of DIY'rs do it). set the back part of the press in a bench vice, remove the c-clips, set end in clamp with plunger centered on cap and opposite cap centered in open end of press/clamp. easier with impact, but wrench will do, turn screw/shaft on press. you'll see cap will push through other side. NOW, just before it pops out stop. losen up press. Take big channel locks/vice grips, grab cap and twist out. Now turn driveshaft so you can now push joint other direction through. If front joint, do yoke caps first. also with yoke and in 2pc situations, take a tire crayon or scribe and make marks so everything is in same position going back together so theres no chance of messing up balance. when putting back together put anti-sieze on caps so it goes in easier. after all back together, open vice enough so spread of yoke rests on jaws. tap shaft downward with a ball-peen. spin shaft 90 deg, repete until you do 4 sides (for yoke & split end) and twice for diff end. you'll see the joint won't be so tight now. to make life easier, grease yoke end while on bench. Hope this helped

 

[bullfrogjohnson]

I just went under the truck, got the brace installed. Ujoints have outer snap rings. Does that change anything?

Also found I have a slight pinion seal leak. Thats a job for a shop...

You will have to remove all the snap rings, and the pinion seal is not a bad job either

 

[Leadfoot]

If you have access to a ball joint press ( Its like a big C-clamp), you lessen the chance of damaging ears on shaft beating with a hammer(and I've seen alot of DIY'rs do it). set the back part of the press in a bench vice, remove the c-clips, set end in clamp with plunger centered on cap and opposite cap centered in open end of press/clamp. easier with impact, but wrench will do, turn screw/shaft on press. you'll see cap will push through other side. NOW, just before it pops out stop. losen up press. Take big channel locks/vice grips, grab cap and twist out. Now turn driveshaft so you can now push joint other direction through. If front joint, do yoke caps first. also with yoke and in 2pc situations, take a tire crayon or scribe and make marks so everything is in same position going back together so theres no chance of messing up balance. when putting back together put anti-sieze on caps so it goes in easier. after all back together, open vice enough so spread of yoke rests on jaws. tap shaft downward with a ball-peen. spin shaft 90 deg, repete until you do 4 sides (for yoke & split end) and twice for diff end. you'll see the joint won't be so tight now. to make life easier, grease yoke end while on bench. Hope this helped

All good tips.

The biggest thing to watch out for is the clamp shifting and blocking the cap from coming out (if you keep cranking it will distort the end of the shaft or break the u-joint cap). One thing I would suggest too is squirting the caps with penetrating oil prior and during removal. In the salt belt the crud that builds up can cause issues (and unnecessary force to push out). As stated never-seize upon installation makes the subsequent removal/replacement a breeze.

 

[Vrabel]

forgot penetrating, PB blaster is my favorite

 

[bullfrogjohnson]

All good tips.

As stated never-seize upon installation makes the subsequent removal/replacement a breeze.

Yall Northerners and your Never-Sieze:rofl: I always thought it was Anti-Sieze

 

[TheBac]

Thanks guys. Looks like Harbor Freight has a ball joint press kit for $33.

 

[Vrabel]

Good deal! make sure you grease the threads so they dont bind

 

[CancerPipe]

I've got the same kit. It worked great but you'll probably still need to tap on the end of the shaft a little bit to get them to move. Mine where in there pretty good. One of the best tools i've owned. did all the u joints on a jeep grand cherokee in about an hour

 

[d-max joe]

yeah i about to do mine whats a good brand for ujoints?

 

[partsguy662]

Thanks guys. Looks like Harbor Freight has a ball joint press kit for $33.

Harbor Freight!!!!

You anti-american bastard....:hehe:

One thing about the joints, Tom..The originals were an anti-galvanizing joint..You might want to replace them with the same.

 

[TheBac]

Anti-galvanizing? What is that? I've heard of greasable and non-greasable, but not that..

 

[Leadfoot]

Yall Northerners and your Never-Sieze:rofl: I always thought it was Anti-Sieze

The anti-seize they sell here goes by the brand name "Never-Seize" (spelling may be a little off, not sure).

I guess for us it's like saying pass me a Kleenex vs. pass me a "facial tissue" :rofl:

:hug:

Although I am a Northerner with Southern blood, so I don't know what that makes me (other than confused )

 

[mmangels22]

Thanks guys. Looks like Harbor Freight has a ball joint press kit for $33.

be careful with harbor freight tools, i have not heard good things.

definently sounds like a job a person with some mechanical skill can do.

 

[partsguy662]

Anti-galvanizing? What is that? I've heard of greasable and non-greasable, but not that..

Basically a coating on the cups so they don't seize to the aluminum yoke...Steel and aluminum like to grow together it seems.

They'll look like this..

 

[Gasuout]

This is really pretty easy to do right on the ground with a few sockets the right size and a sledge . I socket on the bottom that accepts size of cap and meets ear of driveline clean . The second fits inside hole of ear on driveline to push through the cap .

I wrote a long DIY , but it sounded like rambling on and on . i deleted it .

It was impossible to fix all my run on sentences .

The real key is when installing second cap and centering the body between the 2 caps keeping it in the needles in caps to keep one from falling sideways .

Really very easy , I wish I lived closer Tom , Id come by and knock it out in about 5 minutes .