When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Howdy.I haven't changed a u-joint in maybe 40 years...So since then I have matured somewhat, and have evolved from the Neanderthal method of whacking the crap out of the u-joint with a BFH, to using the proper tool (the press that looks like a big c-clamp.)
After today, the results are 50-50. Success with the BFH in 1973, failure with the proper tool in 2017.
My u-joints were the factory originals from 1969. They did not swivel at all. No zerk fittings on them, so they were never lubricated. I am resto-modding the car from the bottom up, and needed the Spicer 5-153X for the front, and the Spicer 5-134x for the rear (combination).
OK cut to the chase...
I pressed them both in ( no mallet whackin', I promise), and when I press them in far enough to get ONE snap ring in, they will not rotate on their axis. In fact, I can't press them in far enough to get both the snap rings in, unless I use the OLD snap rings I took off the driveshaft.
Any clever suggestions? Better still, anyone have a spare 4-speed drive shaft with new u-joints lying around?
I am old and tired.. Clever suggestions appreciated.
I took mine to the local shop where he charged $40 to press them in.
I did my truck last year (1980) and had to "tap" the joint to seat it. Used sockets as I did as a kid.
P.S. the original joints from what I was told did not have grease fittings as the lack of fittings makes them stronger.?
Use the right size sockets and give it a good kiss with a hammer. It should seat.
I'll try the Whack-a-Mole, because at this point I have nothing to lose. I agree that the ends may be bent. The old u-joints were solidly in there. The c-clamp device I rented from Advance Auto was a massive thing.With that, I had to stand on my breaker bar to get the cap to dislodge, and I'm carrying my share of baby fat.
are you sure a needle bearing did not fall in the cap? A bench vise is a much easier way to install u-joints .. no BFH necessary
I thought about that, but I was very careful inserting the u-joint into the caps. Plus, what are the odds of this happening to both u-joints...Considering that I am as bind as a bat I guess that's a big maybe..
I'll try again in a couple of days. Pull them apart and measure the inside dimensions of the yokes to see if they are bent.
Freakin' simple thing like this and I wasted the whole afternoon.
I had the same issue when I replaced mine. I used a 20 ton press and once I got the snap rings seated I took a socket and a BFH and smacked it. It loosened up a little but were still stiff. I went ahead and installed it and so far it runs fine. For some reason it seems these vette u joints are a little bit harder to install.
I'll try again in a couple of days. Pull them apart and measure the inside dimensions of the yokes to see if they are bent.
Freakin' simple thing like this and I wasted the whole afternoon.[/QUOTE]
I pressed mine in using the vise and it worked great. Sounds as if a needle bearing may have fallen inside. No amount of smacking with a BFH is going to make it go together properly. You'll probably have to take it apart and check it out.
Did you measure one of the old ones alot of the new stuff is junk out of the box,I measure the old one or set both next to each other on a flat surface than put a flat plate across both to make sure they are the same.
Did you measure one of the old ones alot of the new stuff is junk out of the box,I measure the old one or set both next to each other on a flat surface than put a flat plate across both to make sure they are the same.
Pete
No can do. The old ones were frozen in place, and the caps broke apart when removing them. I'm inclined to just buy another driveshaft with u-joints already in it.
No can do. The old ones were frozen in place, and the caps broke apart when removing them. I'm inclined to just buy another driveshaft with u-joints already in it.
A couple of things I do when changing universal joints is to hit them with penetrating oil a few hours (or more) before beginning. After pressing the old joint out I like to clean up the ends of the shaft with a quick swipe of a brake hone or even a bit of emery cloth.
When reinstalling the new joint I also start with a bit of lubricant in the bore and on the end caps to help things go together. Be sure to use a pic to clear any debris or nicks from the groove the clip goes into. Once I get both caps seated in the shaft and locked into place I take a good mallet (small block of wood with a hammer works too) and smack the cross a few times (drives the caps tight against their respective clips) to loosen up the joint that is more often than not tight at this point.
If you do decide to use grease-able u-joints, just ensure that all joints are installed so that the grease fitting (hole) is under compression when the vehicle is in forward motion. I have never experienced a u-joint failure in this manner.
In the below diagram, as long as torque is applied to the joint in this manner the inherent "weakness" in the joint only sees compression.
This may help. Pull the clip that is already in. Tap the universal so you can put the clip in the opposite side from the one you had in.
Once that clip is in:
Now give the uni a love tap with the proper sized sockets in place and see if the clip goes in.
As a last resort, I have done it once : put the drive shaft in a vice such that the upper arm for the driveshaft is resting on the jaws of the vice and tap the universal down to adjust the arm if it bent slightly.
Sometimes you can put the clip on top of the uni and tap the unit in. If it starts to seat you can tap - gently - the clip in.
I pressed them both in ( no mallet whackin', I promise), and when I press them in far enough to get ONE snap ring in, they will not rotate on their axis. In fact, I can't press them in far enough to get both the snap rings in, unless I use the OLD snap rings I took off the driveshaft.
I had this SAME issue over Christmas when I rebuilt the rear suspension. I too thought I would use the 'press' method instead of the BFH method, and I thought I was being careful. U-joint was extremely tight and couldn't get the second snap ring in. It turns out that I HAD bent the ears on the driveshaft (actually the half-shafts in my case). I had a hydraulic 'porta-power' that had a 'spreader jaw' so I used that to just slightly spread the ears back out - and after that the u-joint worked extremely smooth, and the snap ring went in like clock-work. It doesn't take much of a bend on the ear to mess things up!
PROBLEM SOLVED;
First, thanks to everyone for their suggestions and shared experience. Also thanks to 63Mako, who offered his driveshaft to me for a bargain. Unfortunately it was not a match for my 69 4 speed car. But Thanks Kevin!
There are 2 sides to every story, and 2 ends to every driveshaft.
ONE side (the slip yoke side) was resolved with the BFH method. This side is where the u-joint would not pivot. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I placed my now severely dented 11/16 deep socket over the snap ring, and gave her a whack (or 3). BINGO! the snap ring snapped, and the u-joint pivoted like it was designed to.
The differential side took about an hour to resolve. LONG story short, I measured the dimensions between the yokes, both on the inside and the outside. This side was .005 GREATER than the other end. So, out came the trusty BFH. Gave it a couple of good whacks, and remeasured. The difference was less, s I attempted to re-install the u-joint.
The problem was still there. I could neither get both snap rings in, nor would the u-joint pivot. Took it all apart AGAIN (I think this was the 4th time.)
It became apparent to me that I was not fitting the cup of the u-joint perfectly square into the mating hole in the driveshaft. If you get it cocked off to one side, even just a little, the u-joint cannot go straight into the socket on both ends. It is pretty simple geometry. even a few thousandths tilt on one side will be amplified on the other . Triangles...Makes me curse that stinker Pythagoras.
I do that regularly.
Anyway, I pressed the caps in easily this time, with a big C-Clamp (the one I use to compress disc brake pistons). I hope the guys in the shop next door were listening..."Come on baby...just a little more...OK its IN!!!!"
And for this, I have been told, I shall burn in hell. And my response to that is always the same..who wants to spend eternity alone, without his friends?
driveshaft u-joint issue
