92 half shaft u-joints?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,672
Likes: 20
From: Lake Wylie SC
If I can offer 2 cents worth of advise: pull the axel and the half shaft as a unit. Remove the spindle nut, unbolt the U-Joint off the differential and once the U-joint is off the differential the whole unit will slide out as an assembly (didn't even remove the caliper or rotor to do it) after obviously unbolting the spring, dogbone (if you unbolt it from the knuckle rather than the diff, you won't affect your alignment settings) etc. Once I had the car up on jack stands (plus I left the jack under the batwing), I just put on the parking brake and was able to get the spindle nut off easily with a long breaker bar (prior to unbolting the spring, dogbone etc).
Once the assembly is out, it's very easy to replace both u-joints on the half shaft without being a contortionist trying to get it out. Same thing with the teflon washer, right out in front of you rather than trying to work on it under the car.
One other suggestion I can make is put a piece of carpet under the differential while reassembling. It helps keep the bolts from skittering all over the floor when you drop one or two (DAMHIK - dropped 2 before I was done with both sides). I had one slide dead center under the tire on the other side and jumped through hoops trying to find it. I even went to the Chevy dealer (before I found it) and found those bolts for the u-joint straps are not longer available from Chevy - at least for my 86.
I was nervous doing this on mine as it was the first real major repair I've done on my 86 myself since buying it last year and after doing alot of reading and prep work, turned out to be a piece of cake.
Hope that helps.
Once the assembly is out, it's very easy to replace both u-joints on the half shaft without being a contortionist trying to get it out. Same thing with the teflon washer, right out in front of you rather than trying to work on it under the car.
One other suggestion I can make is put a piece of carpet under the differential while reassembling. It helps keep the bolts from skittering all over the floor when you drop one or two (DAMHIK - dropped 2 before I was done with both sides). I had one slide dead center under the tire on the other side and jumped through hoops trying to find it. I even went to the Chevy dealer (before I found it) and found those bolts for the u-joint straps are not longer available from Chevy - at least for my 86.
I was nervous doing this on mine as it was the first real major repair I've done on my 86 myself since buying it last year and after doing alot of reading and prep work, turned out to be a piece of cake.
Hope that helps.
I use a moving blanket under the car, but the carpet idea is good.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,429
Likes: 608
From: Minneapolis Mn
Disassembly
Here's briefly the way I did mine.
First off I got 4 Moog U-joints from RockAuto and 2 Teflon washers from the local Chevy dealer. Collected the various ratchet wrench, extensions, sockets, box end wrenches, jack & adapter, jack stands etc.
Here's the thread I found with very good pictures: http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...d.php?t=144562
I didn't change the hubs but the shots on removal and u-joints are good, it made a good reference.
Loosen the lugnuts on the wheels, blocked them and jacked up the car and put it on jackstands. I left the jack under the batwing just in case, main weight on the jackstands.
I marked where everything was located, marked the casterated nuts, counted exposed threads etc and I was ready. When I have a wheel off, I use an old rim under the frame in case something slips so the car won't fall on me. I know I'm **** but I lean towards the side of safety as I don't want to get hurt.
I removed the tire. Set the parking brake and loosened the nut on the spindle with a long breaker bar and a 36mm socket. Unmount the spring, dogbone off the knuckle along with the toe rod.
Released the parking brake. Now using a ratchet, a couple of extensions and a 6 point 5/16" socket, removed the straps from the inside u-joint.
Just pulling out by hand on the spring mount on the knuckle, I was able to work the inside u-joint off the differential fitting (whatever it's called) and able to drop the inside end of the half shaft (I had some blocks under it so it wouldn't fall). I used a large screwdriver behind the u-joint to help separate it and get it clear so the shaft would come out.
Now with the nut still on the end of the spindle, holding onto the knuckle, rap the end of the spindle with a hammer and pop it loose. Remove the nut and washer from the spindle and the whole assembly (half shaft and spindle) slides right out from the inside of the knuckle.
I was now able to remove the straps on the outer u-joint and go to the hydraulic press and press out the old ones using the tool I made as I noted earlier.
I also noted where the nub where a zerk hole would have been if there was on the old one before disassembly. I wanted the new to go in exactly as the old was.
Taking the new u-joints, I put them into the half shafts orienting everything as it was in relation to the half shaft and spindle. I slipped in the retainer C-clips. It was tight, so I put the half shafts on some cardboard, taped the caps were still exposed and using the tool I had made I slipped a length of steel in the hole that it mounts to the ram of the hydraulic press and using that piece of steel gave it a couple of raps by hand to push the caps down against the retainer clips. Now the u-joints were loose like they should be.
Next I bolted the spindle onto the correct end of the half shaft torqueing to values spec'd in the FSM, using Blue Loctite on the threads
Ran some tape around the inner u-joint caps so they wouldn't slip off while assembling.
Next step was checking the inside of the knuckle to insure it was clean including the abs sensor.
I put a little grease on the Teflon washer and oriented it on the spindle with the lip towards the threaded end.
Now it's reassembly time.
I put some anti-seize on the splines in the hub. Slide the assembly under the car and carefully work the spindle into the hub. I threaded the washer and nut on the end of the spindle, just finger tight for now.
Now turn the hub so the u-joint is aligned right, pull on the knuckle to spread it enough to get the u-joint into the fitting on the differential. Pulled off the tape holding caps once the u-joint was snug it the connector on the differential.
Slip some carpet under the diff in case you drop something and start bolting on one strap (worked best bolting the top side due to access) then carefully turn the hub so the other end of the u-joint doesn't slip out, and bolt on the other strap. I used Blue Loctite on all the u-joint bolts.
Once everything has the bolts in on those straps, turn it so one set is on top, set the parking brake and tighten them up to torque values from the fsm. Release the brake, turn the hub so the other side is up and set the brake and do the other side.
Once those are tight, reassemble the spring, dogbone and toe rod, torqueing with values from the fsm using the adjustment on the spring bolt based on your initial recorded values. Now tighten the spindle nut (don't forget the washer under the nut). I read that the value in the fsm is low, use 200 ft lbs so that's what I did. Be sure to use cotter keys where required.
At this point you put on the tire and you're pretty much done with one side. Do the other side in the exact same manner.
Double check everything then take it for a test drive. I suggest taking it easy and stay close to home the first time. Drive it a little then check everything after about 20-50 miles or so.
I think that covers everything. That's what I did on mine and it's worked out fine and saved me a bunch of cash doing it myself.
PS Doing this off the top of my head, I remembered a thing or two I've added. Hopefully I have not forgotten anything else.
First off I got 4 Moog U-joints from RockAuto and 2 Teflon washers from the local Chevy dealer. Collected the various ratchet wrench, extensions, sockets, box end wrenches, jack & adapter, jack stands etc.
Here's the thread I found with very good pictures: http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...d.php?t=144562
I didn't change the hubs but the shots on removal and u-joints are good, it made a good reference.
Loosen the lugnuts on the wheels, blocked them and jacked up the car and put it on jackstands. I left the jack under the batwing just in case, main weight on the jackstands.
I marked where everything was located, marked the casterated nuts, counted exposed threads etc and I was ready. When I have a wheel off, I use an old rim under the frame in case something slips so the car won't fall on me. I know I'm **** but I lean towards the side of safety as I don't want to get hurt.
I removed the tire. Set the parking brake and loosened the nut on the spindle with a long breaker bar and a 36mm socket. Unmount the spring, dogbone off the knuckle along with the toe rod.
Released the parking brake. Now using a ratchet, a couple of extensions and a 6 point 5/16" socket, removed the straps from the inside u-joint.
Just pulling out by hand on the spring mount on the knuckle, I was able to work the inside u-joint off the differential fitting (whatever it's called) and able to drop the inside end of the half shaft (I had some blocks under it so it wouldn't fall). I used a large screwdriver behind the u-joint to help separate it and get it clear so the shaft would come out.
Now with the nut still on the end of the spindle, holding onto the knuckle, rap the end of the spindle with a hammer and pop it loose. Remove the nut and washer from the spindle and the whole assembly (half shaft and spindle) slides right out from the inside of the knuckle.
I was now able to remove the straps on the outer u-joint and go to the hydraulic press and press out the old ones using the tool I made as I noted earlier.
I also noted where the nub where a zerk hole would have been if there was on the old one before disassembly. I wanted the new to go in exactly as the old was.
Taking the new u-joints, I put them into the half shafts orienting everything as it was in relation to the half shaft and spindle. I slipped in the retainer C-clips. It was tight, so I put the half shafts on some cardboard, taped the caps were still exposed and using the tool I had made I slipped a length of steel in the hole that it mounts to the ram of the hydraulic press and using that piece of steel gave it a couple of raps by hand to push the caps down against the retainer clips. Now the u-joints were loose like they should be.
Next I bolted the spindle onto the correct end of the half shaft torqueing to values spec'd in the FSM, using Blue Loctite on the threads
Ran some tape around the inner u-joint caps so they wouldn't slip off while assembling.
Next step was checking the inside of the knuckle to insure it was clean including the abs sensor.
I put a little grease on the Teflon washer and oriented it on the spindle with the lip towards the threaded end.
Now it's reassembly time.
I put some anti-seize on the splines in the hub. Slide the assembly under the car and carefully work the spindle into the hub. I threaded the washer and nut on the end of the spindle, just finger tight for now.
Now turn the hub so the u-joint is aligned right, pull on the knuckle to spread it enough to get the u-joint into the fitting on the differential. Pulled off the tape holding caps once the u-joint was snug it the connector on the differential.
Slip some carpet under the diff in case you drop something and start bolting on one strap (worked best bolting the top side due to access) then carefully turn the hub so the other end of the u-joint doesn't slip out, and bolt on the other strap. I used Blue Loctite on all the u-joint bolts.
Once everything has the bolts in on those straps, turn it so one set is on top, set the parking brake and tighten them up to torque values from the fsm. Release the brake, turn the hub so the other side is up and set the brake and do the other side.
Once those are tight, reassemble the spring, dogbone and toe rod, torqueing with values from the fsm using the adjustment on the spring bolt based on your initial recorded values. Now tighten the spindle nut (don't forget the washer under the nut). I read that the value in the fsm is low, use 200 ft lbs so that's what I did. Be sure to use cotter keys where required.
At this point you put on the tire and you're pretty much done with one side. Do the other side in the exact same manner.
Double check everything then take it for a test drive. I suggest taking it easy and stay close to home the first time. Drive it a little then check everything after about 20-50 miles or so.
I think that covers everything. That's what I did on mine and it's worked out fine and saved me a bunch of cash doing it myself.
PS Doing this off the top of my head, I remembered a thing or two I've added. Hopefully I have not forgotten anything else.
Last edited by hcbph; May 16, 2014 at 12:02 PM. Reason: typos
