Replace U-Joints on half shafts
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 772
Likes: 6
From: Huntsville AL
Replace U-Joints on half shafts
I think I have a U-Joint on the right rear going bad. I hear clicking sound and it got really bad this morning for a short time but then stopped.
Question (since I am at work and don't have access to my manuals), how big of a deal is it to replace the U-Joints and any special tools I will need.
Thanks
Question (since I am at work and don't have access to my manuals), how big of a deal is it to replace the U-Joints and any special tools I will need.
Thanks
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 772
Likes: 6
From: Huntsville AL
It was doing it any time the car was rolling. I have never torn into the rear of this car. (that is about the only thing I have not had apart).
It does it in reverse or forward. Only a few clicks when you first start off during lunch.
It does it in reverse or forward. Only a few clicks when you first start off during lunch.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 847
Likes: 0
From: Colorado Springs CO
Racer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
From: Seattle WA
You can check the U-joints by jacking up the rear of the car and crawling under there and then rotating the tires forward and backward by hand with the parking brake off (they'll only move an inch or two in each direction if the car's in gear (manual) or park (auto) but that's all you need. Look for any free play in the u-joints.
Replacing them is pretty straight forward, you just have to keep rotating tihngs to get the little bolts where you can reach them.
Replacing them is pretty straight forward, you just have to keep rotating tihngs to get the little bolts where you can reach them.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,002
Likes: 5
From: No Opti Here Tn
St. Jude Donor '06
I am 99% sure its the washer
Those washers fail about a billion times more often than the U-joint
My car did the same thing and I thought it was u-joints also
The part # from GM is 14076924
about $7 a piece They will have to order them
I did both of mine even though only one was making noise
Very easy fix, about 1 hr for the first time 5 bolts and one large nut (and I dont mean me)
Now that Ive done it I could do each wheel in half an hour
I have posted on here how to do it
PM me if you cant find it
Those washers fail about a billion times more often than the U-joint
My car did the same thing and I thought it was u-joints also
The part # from GM is 14076924
about $7 a piece They will have to order them
I did both of mine even though only one was making noise
Very easy fix, about 1 hr for the first time 5 bolts and one large nut (and I dont mean me)
Now that Ive done it I could do each wheel in half an hour
I have posted on here how to do it
PM me if you cant find it
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 772
Likes: 6
From: Huntsville AL
Found the problem.
I got the car jacked up and crawled under and w/ the tranny in neutral, spinning the tire you could hear a hard click at one point at the top u-joint. Pulled the shaft out and the top u-joint is siezed up. You cannot rotate it by hand and one of the open end caps was gauled up as well.
Spun the hub and no noise now.
Tomorrow will take the shaft to a shop and have them press the old ones out and the new ones in. My vise does not have enough jaw width.
Thanks for the suggestions/help.
I got the car jacked up and crawled under and w/ the tranny in neutral, spinning the tire you could hear a hard click at one point at the top u-joint. Pulled the shaft out and the top u-joint is siezed up. You cannot rotate it by hand and one of the open end caps was gauled up as well.
Spun the hub and no noise now.
Tomorrow will take the shaft to a shop and have them press the old ones out and the new ones in. My vise does not have enough jaw width.
Thanks for the suggestions/help.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,050
Likes: 147
From: Phoenix AZ
2021 C4 of the Year - Modified Finalist
u-joints
I did mine with a C-clamp. it's easy, but the c-clamp has to be turned with a HUGE set of channel locks.
I just pressed the joint out with a small socket into a large socket.
I just pressed the joint out with a small socket into a large socket.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 847
Likes: 0
From: Colorado Springs CO
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,455
Likes: 6
From: MichAgain
I had one fail on mine. I went ahead and replaced all 6 while I was under there...no sense in going back in a few months later when another fails. After I started digging in, I found the previous owner had some, but not all, changed. He took it to "a Corvette shop"...instead of pulling the support beam along the drive shaft, they BEAT the bodywork around until they could remove the shaft!
Also, broke my vise trying to push out the old joint on one of the shafts...okay, I wanted a new vise anyway. Then I got my new (bigger, better) vise and STILL couldn't get the darned things out. I ended up taking the shafts to a shop and putting them on a 30T hyd press and FINALLY they came out.
The one that failed was like you describe...rusted out, galled cap, needle bearings gone...
What's this washer others are talking about? I have a 91 coupe...did they use this washer on all C-4's or just some year/models?
T
Only two more months till I drive her again!
Also, broke my vise trying to push out the old joint on one of the shafts...okay, I wanted a new vise anyway. Then I got my new (bigger, better) vise and STILL couldn't get the darned things out. I ended up taking the shafts to a shop and putting them on a 30T hyd press and FINALLY they came out.
The one that failed was like you describe...rusted out, galled cap, needle bearings gone...
What's this washer others are talking about? I have a 91 coupe...did they use this washer on all C-4's or just some year/models?
T
Only two more months till I drive her again!
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
I have a 91 Vert just started the clicking. I thought it was u-joints but jacked it up today and I can't get it to make the sound... don't see any rust around the u-joints and I can't feel any play? The click just started but I had to drive about 30 mile to get it home and it was much louder by the time I got home. Moved it to the shop 2 days later and I didn't hear any clicking. Is there a write up on replacing these teflon washers?
