u joint?

[3dubs]

OK I know this is here somewhere. My U Joint just broke in the middle of the rode. AAA got me home but I am having to fix it in the rain. I can take the caps off the rear axle but I am trying to figure out how to get it off the drive shaft. If someone knows which TM has how to remove the U Joint or can just tell me I would be very happy. But still wet.

 

[SPECIALTYLC]

Drive the joint as far as you can in one direction, then pull that cap off with some visegrips. Drive the joint the other direction and remove the last cap. Joint falls out. The hard part is putting it back together if you have no expierence. Good luck.

 

[niferous]

Here is a video that goes over changing them. It taught me how to do it.

YouTube - Replacing a Rear Axle U Joint : Preparing & Installing a U Joint onto a Drive Shaft
Also most driveline shops can change them out for pretty dang cheap. My local one will change them out for as cheap as the new u-joints would cost me at the auto parts store. Plus they can check the balance while it's there.

 

[Somemedic]

IF it is the original u joint they have to be heated. Theres a teflon bushing inside that really, really holds on well until its heated. YOU WOULDNT BELIEVE how well of a job that nylon/teflon works. When you heat it, you will hear the "pop" and then it will come out with a few light whacks of a hammer.

 

[Blood_of_Tyrants]

Easy. Take the clips off and drive the u joint out as as far as you can. You should be able to remove the cap that is driven out the most. Now drive the u joint back the other way and remove that cap. It doesn't matter which caps go into the shaft or the saddle. Put some electrical tape around the caps that you are going to put in the saddle and follow the instructions above for putting them back on the shaft.

 

[Screamin' Metal]

Yes...it isn't hard once you've done it correctly....to a newbe....its worse than being in your first firefight.....

 

[Recovry4x4]

At least you are only wet. They are more fun when they break in the mud!

 

[HardCorps79]

O'Reilly has a Ball-joint/U-joint press you can rent for a fully refundable $120 deposit. Just put the clamp on and tighten it down until the snap ring breaks and it pushes the end out. Then flip it over and do it on the other side. Takes a bit of elbow grease and is easier if you have someone to hold the driveshaft in place so it doesn't rotate. You may also need to use a socket on the end of a driver extension and have to give it a few whacks with a hammer- just be careful not to bend the ears.

The first time I had to do this it probably took an hour. I think I could probably change a U-joint out now in 10-20 minutes. If the drive shaft was out of the transfer case, don't overlook filling it back up to replace any lost fluid.

 

[3dubs]

Yeah, a friend did not even put his sandwich down to get it out. I pulled the drive shaft out of the transfer case and took it over. Put it in the vise for him. He talked some smack then grabbed a butane torch. Stuff oozed out the holes then came shooting out. Then just hit the u joint to that side and it fell right out. Then just did the same to the other side. The TM showed clips. I was going crazy trying to find the opening in a clip. The new U joint has clips. So if someone reads this trying get their u joint off and there are no clips. Get a torch and heat it up. But have a bucket of water to cool it off. That is not in the TM.

Thanks for all the replies. If I was in the mud it would have been better than the middle of a six lane road. Friendly people telling me I am number one while I try to push it across three lanes of traffic with two bad knees. But I had to get it out of traffic. My knees are telling me they are not happy. If it was in the mud I would have left it and called for help. My favorite is when I was trying to push the truck off the road and a lady stopped in front of me making me jump on the brakes and she just wanted to tell me a pipe was hanging down from my truck.

 

[4x4 Forever]

My favorite is when I was trying to push the truck off the road and a lady stopped in front of me making me jump on the brakes and she just wanted to tell me a pipe was hanging down from my truck.

It always helps when your in the middle of a major intersection pushing the truck by yourself and everyone pulls by pointing to the 'pipe' but wont stop to help. This happened to me during rush hour and after being honked at 3 times, I took my time, and laughed at every honk...