u-joint replacement
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,348
Likes: 233
From: SCMR Rat Pack'r Charter Member..Great Bend KS
Depends on the tools available to, and the experience of, the person doing it.
How long does it take you to replace a clutch? Take that time and mulitply it by .87......that should give you a ballpark number.
Larry
code5coupe
How long does it take you to replace a clutch? Take that time and mulitply it by .87......that should give you a ballpark number.
Larry
code5coupe
Pro
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 638
Likes: 0
From: Plano TX
I did mine this weekend... only the half shafts though because I couldn't get enough room to get all the way under my car for the drive shaft. I took time to clean things up nicely to make better fits. If you get down to it, it shouldn't take really much more than an afternoon. Much like Larry said, it all depends on experience and tools.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 638
Likes: 0
From: Plano TX
Nope, the wheel bearing stays in... and actually check out Vader's page for a link to a photo "how to". It's way easy to follow. All you have to do is disconnect the tie rod from the knuckle, remove the spring bolt from the knuckle, drop the strut rod, and then remove the half shaft. There are 8 5/16th bolts holding the u-joint strap in. You pull away the knuckle and the half shaft drops right out... maybe with a little coaxing.
Good luck!
Good luck!
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Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 737
Likes: 4
From: Decatur Alabama
thanx to all for the responses....a good friend has a shop with a lift, press, etc......i was figuring the best part of a day anyway...not gonna change any butt gears out this time around.......
Pro
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 638
Likes: 0
From: Plano TX
Depending on how crapped out your u-joints are, it'll most likely take more time to remove the u-joints from the shaft than it the time it took to remove the half shafts. Using the press should help you with that though.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,263
Likes: 0
From: CV ca
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13
If you jack it up and pull the wheel, you can extend long enough to undo 1 u-bolt, then rotate the shaft, do the other. Do the same from under the car for the outer u-joint. A little bit of working it around and it comes right out. I was suprised how easy it was. But after a heater core, everything seems easy.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,554
Likes: 13
From: Romeoville IL
Yeah just the shaft out and back in (I had to replace the buster shaft, new one came with u-joints installed). Only took about an hour. I also did the rear lowering bolts, and spend probably as much time letting it settle and readjusting the height as I did replacing the halfshaft.
I agree with everybody else it should take you an afternoon. Definately a job that can be done in a day.
I agree with everybody else it should take you an afternoon. Definately a job that can be done in a day.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
From: louisvlle ky
I did the half shafts on my 87, the first side took about 3hrs with trips to pep boys, the second side took me about 1 1/2 to do, once you get into and know what your doing it is not that hard. good luck
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
I need to see some pics of what parts need to be dropped...C4 (rear)susp is new to me. Id undo the wrong bolt and the whole diff would fall on me.
I can see all new bushings and polishing everything underneath..No such thing as moderation here.
I can see all new bushings and polishing everything underneath..No such thing as moderation here.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 638
Likes: 0
From: Plano TX
Check out this write up... I followed it and it worked great!
http://temp.corvetteforum.net/c4/vad...orpujoint.html
Last edited by evmlarry; Mar 8, 2007 at 01:22 AM.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 638
Likes: 0
From: Plano TX
Just a few more tips... have a 5/16, 18mm, and 21mm socket handy. You'll probably also want an 18 and 21mm combo wrench handy, a rubber mallet, and maybe a small block of wood.
I found it easier to remove the tie rod ends by carefully tapping them out from below with a block of wood and mallet. Also, just make sure you mark everything to get things to line up the way it was before you removed it all. It probably wouldn't hurt getting an alignment when your done anyways to make sure you got it all.
Also, my strut rod needed a slight bit of convincing to come out... same with the half shafts. It wasn't really difficult; just had to add some pressure with the wood handle of my mallet.
I used Liquid Wrench LIBERALLY. I also used a propane touch to cook off the old loctite on the u-joint strap bolts. Cleaning all of the bolts and mating services made the install a breeze.
I found it easier to remove the tie rod ends by carefully tapping them out from below with a block of wood and mallet. Also, just make sure you mark everything to get things to line up the way it was before you removed it all. It probably wouldn't hurt getting an alignment when your done anyways to make sure you got it all.
Also, my strut rod needed a slight bit of convincing to come out... same with the half shafts. It wasn't really difficult; just had to add some pressure with the wood handle of my mallet.
I used Liquid Wrench LIBERALLY. I also used a propane touch to cook off the old loctite on the u-joint strap bolts. Cleaning all of the bolts and mating services made the install a breeze.
