When i was pushing the old u-joint out of the passanger side axle shaft, the press ended up bending the piece in the picture to where i cant get the new u-joint in. Could i use the driverside shaft untill i can get to the wrecking yard and get a new one?

Second, how do i remove the shaft coming out of the differential so i can clean and replace u-joint and seals?

Thanks
JM

 

I would just use the press to bend the yolk back open so you can put the u-joint in.

As for removing the passenger axle shaft, there is a "C" clip inside the carrier that goes on the end of the axle shaft. Look inside the spider gear on that side. You need to pop that off then the axle will come out

 

I looked and did not see the 'c' clip. Did i just not look hard enough or do the gears need to come out in order to remove it?

 

The very first front axles did not have a c-clip, they just had a retainer plate on the outside. After the plate is loose, you just jerk it out of the pumpkin. Sometime later they went to the c-clip style pumpkin. My old 80 did not have the c-clip.

 

That sounds about right. Thanks!

 

I had to hammer the hell out of mine to get it out, in the process it tore apart the bearing which was unsalvageable.

 

I went out with a hammer and it took me 2 minutes and it came out nice and everything was intact. The bearing also looks brand new! The cool part is is i got the truck for $100 bucks, the front brakes were all brand new, the bearings looked to be brand new as well! And NO RUST!!! lol It makes me happy when i find things like that!

 

Another thing. The axle shaft in the second picture, I got that out, but now i cant get the bearing retaining ring off the end so i can replace what needs to be replaced. I read that you have to break it off of there but i dont want to do that until i know i can get a new one... Long story short, where can i get that retaining ring?