Okay, folks...I'm new here, so please bear with me on any utter stupidity I show. I just bought my first 'Vette, a '76 coupe. It had a really bad "thunk" when I let off the gas hard and sometimes when I shifted (It's a 4-speed) My first instinct was universals, so I replaced them in the drive shaft. That didn't stop it, so I removed both half shafts. The driver's side joints were bad, so I replaced them. Now for the problem...When I took off the passenger side shaft, the plate on the wheel end (First 'vette...remember? I don't know what it's called), the plate was slightly bent. So, for my first question, can that plate be straightened out and used, or do I need to buy another plate?

Second problem, also on the passenger side...When I was ready to install the new joints on the shaft, one of the universal caps just went right into the hole. Evidently, it's been stretched out and is too big. My q is, with only the retaining clip holdng the joint in, do I need to get a new half shaft? I have already gotten the new shaft, but I'd like to know if I really needed to.

Any help will be greatly appreciated...And if Dep would ever answer his phone, I might not have had to ask this.

 

HEY BILL!!!! Welcome to the forum! You're better off with posting these questions here than asking me. I know next to nothing about the Rube Goldberg driveline on these things. I do think that there needs to be tension along with that c-clip. At least, there always has been on other cars I did u-joints on. Wait for replies from the experts on here. If you don't get any and this post drops down because some dillweed is asking what color looks best on his lugnuts, just hit reply and post ttt and it'll send it to the top where it will be seen again.

Dep :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:

 

Welcome,
I just did a 75 1/2 shaft on Friday. You are referring to the U-Joint flange that bolts to the rear spindle flange. These flanges bend very easy and most guys don't don't know it. The job I did was on a flange I thought I straigthened good enough to use-BUT 100 miles later the cap popped off. I replaced the new joint and the flange. Found the flange was still too bent to use.

There are a couple of ways to remove the old joints without wrecking the flange.

1- Cutout the joint cross with a torch or die grinder and tap out the caps. clean up the clip grooves and the bores and carefully line up the caps. I then press them in.

VERY IMPORTANT with these flanges- use a back up plate to bolt the flange to before working on them. I have a piece of 5/8" steel I put a small coounterbore in so the flange sits flat. This will prevent the flange from bending. You can use an old spindle flange if you have one,but I rather use steel. The vendors sell this as a tool too-way overpriced though.

2- You can press them out. Use the backup plate, and sockets to press them out. Some have used a bench vise but I never had much luck with a bench vise to remove them. I use a 20 ton press or torch.

The clips should go in the grooves wthout much trouble. If they don't go in the flange grooves it most likely is bent. If you can push a cap into the bore without much effort I would replace the shaft. ok since you already have one. Check your flange good. When I rebuild them I paint them with cast blast paint and lightly coatthe clips to see if there any movement after driving a while. There shouldn't be.
Good luck,
Gary