getting u-joints out
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
The reality is that the cups on these joints get rusted tightly to the inside of the yoke arms. Shooting with PB Blaster (et al) and letting sit for significant time is a good start.
But, once you put pressure to these cups, you have to do one other thing...
While under load, hit the offending yoke arm with a decent rap from a steel hammer. That shock impact will almost always break the rust-bond between the cup and yoke and the cup will be removed more easily.
If that does not work, some have had success with applying torch heat to that specific cup/yoke...also while under load.
One thing I would caution: Once you have the cup under significant pressure, you run the risk of bending the yoke arm and making proper alignment an issue after installing a new joint. Use hammer shock or heat to get that cup to break free BEFORE bending the yoke arm.
But, once you put pressure to these cups, you have to do one other thing...
While under load, hit the offending yoke arm with a decent rap from a steel hammer. That shock impact will almost always break the rust-bond between the cup and yoke and the cup will be removed more easily.
If that does not work, some have had success with applying torch heat to that specific cup/yoke...also while under load.
One thing I would caution: Once you have the cup under significant pressure, you run the risk of bending the yoke arm and making proper alignment an issue after installing a new joint. Use hammer shock or heat to get that cup to break free BEFORE bending the yoke arm.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,175
Likes: 3,986
From: Connecticut, USA
It take me a few seconds to remove U joints. I lite up my cutting torch and cut them in half, then tap the parts out of the yoke.
Won't even heat up the shaft. Going together is the easy part.
Worked for me all these years, especially on the constant velocity joints.
Dom
Won't even heat up the shaft. Going together is the easy part.
Worked for me all these years, especially on the constant velocity joints.
Dom
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 226
From: PA
Thank you all for the guidance. I managed to get another off tonight using some of your ideas. Unfortunately I don't have a torch to cut them with. But I've added support for the yokes and with some more strategic blows it's working better. I've checked parallelism of the two yokes now done and they appear to be fine.
Gary, by solid spicers do you mean without grease fittings? Also, thanks for the recommendation on POR15, I looked it up and it looks ideal. I'll need to find some place though to blast them.
And just to confirm, for the 80 with automatic it should be 1330's all around, is that correct?
Gary, by solid spicers do you mean without grease fittings? Also, thanks for the recommendation on POR15, I looked it up and it looks ideal. I'll need to find some place though to blast them.
And just to confirm, for the 80 with automatic it should be 1330's all around, is that correct?
Last edited by vince vette 2; Feb 8, 2018 at 10:39 PM. Reason: additions
Had a 1976 L-82, 4-sp
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 5,338
Likes: 1,213
From: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
Royal Canadian Navy
If your using a vice and sockets to remove the u-joint caps, try hitting the jaws of the vice, not the yokes, with a 2 or 3 lb hammer. Keep tightening the jaws bit by bit with each blow of the hammer. Worked for me.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 479
Likes: 106
From: Beamsville Ontario
The REALLY stupid ones will spend $300 in tools to spend 6 hours doing what a professional could do in 30 minutes for $35. And the professional would do it better. And warranty it.
In case you're wondering, I'm a REALLY stupid one.
Smart money would, indeed, leave it to a pro. I had spares and wanted to fiddle...that's why I got the car in the first place.
In case you're wondering, I'm a REALLY stupid one.
Smart money would, indeed, leave it to a pro. I had spares and wanted to fiddle...that's why I got the car in the first place.
I confess..I am a Really Stupid one too
