Breaking ujoint caps during installation
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From: Upper Saucon PA
Breaking ujoint caps during installation
I broke a second ujoint cap during installation on the front axle shaft on my 05 F250. The first time was by hammering it in, the second by use of a ball joint tool. I cleaned and deburred the bores carefully before installation. The first cap would go on fine. Once the clip was in, I'd press the other side in. I kept working the new ujoint back & forth as I pressed the cap in slowly. The second cap wouldn't go all the way in. Since I broke one already, I was careful in making sure the needles stayed where they were supposed to. I even removed both caps several times and started over. It got to the point I just hit it with the impact and that's when the second one broke. The yoke doesn't appear to be bent but I had one hell of a time hammering and pressing the old ones out. I'm just about ready to order a new stub shaft just to get it done.
Cross-Country
Joined: Aug 2012
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Only time I ever had a problem installing ujoints was if a needle fell out of place but I never broke a cap and for what it's worth, I always used an impact with the ball joint tool to press them in. To help keep the needles in place I would smear grease in each cap to hold them from falling out. I also would push the first cap further in than it was supposed to go so the joint stuck out on the opposite side. This made aligning the opposite cap to yoke easier.
Fleet Owner
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From: 0,0,1
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Joined: Jul 2017
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From: Upper Saucon PA
Thanks. Never really had a problem with ujoints in the past either, this is a first. Still debating whether to just keep at it more carefull or just replace the stub shaft. The shaft took quite some abuse trying to get the old ujoint out. The other axle shaft went together not problem, it's this particular shaft that presents an issue.
Cross-Country
Joined: Aug 2012
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Just a quick question, where are the caps breaking? Is the end popping off or the side breaking? I'm thinking if the end is popping off, you may have bent one side of the yoke inward and when trying to press the joint in place to install the snap ring the distance is too short thus pushing the joint through the end of the cap. Just a thought.
Mountain Pass
Joined: May 2003
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Always use some fine grit emery cloth inside the joint shoulder sleeves, oil their side a little before going in and never, ever beat on them to install. I would not even recommend using an impact wrench on a ball joint tool, way too much vibration for the delicate needle bearings. The only time I use a hammer (brass hammer) is after they are both in you give each side a whack where they go in and the impact actually makes them slide out just a hair to release the preload that you certainly don't want. I always did them in my large vise with two sockets and some muscle. The HFT ball joint kit did an awesome job used in replacing both sets of front spindle hub joints on my V10 a couple of years ago.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2008
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I use an ancient giant Reed vise that's probably a hundred years old. I use different sockets for pushers and stuff. I also have a u-joint junk yard for extra pins and stuff. It helps if you can have your wife or whoever help out by holding the other end of the driveshaft while you are at the vise end. I did the double cardan centering ball conundrum on my bronco about four years ago....
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Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2015
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From: very South Texas
insert u-joint cross in yoke.. push down on cross.. insert cap from bottom, lightly tap to set... rotate assembly 90 degrees keeping cross in cap.... press or hammer cap in to yoke.. repeat for other side.
works for me for 50 years.
works for me for 50 years.
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From: Norlina NC
keep in mind the yoke "ears" on the shafts are easy to bend on these newer trucks when not done properly.. if you "pressed" the originals out (which most people tend to do) you most likely bent the ears inward.. most likely this is why you keep busting the caps because your trying to compress them further not realizing your trying to compensate for the fact the yoke ears are bent. theres a special tool just for removing the ujoints on these trucks to prevent bending the yoke ears..
if i remember right the ears should be 3" apart. but will double check when i get home to be sure. i have the specs written down because i had this problem with the axle shaft on mine.. big fat bolt and large washers helped with bending them back out into proper width..
Edit - Double checked my book when i got home... the Yoke ears are supposed to be 3" +/-.005".. you can use a portapower to open them back up or a like stated before a large bolt with large nut and couple large washers..
if i remember right the ears should be 3" apart. but will double check when i get home to be sure. i have the specs written down because i had this problem with the axle shaft on mine.. big fat bolt and large washers helped with bending them back out into proper width..
Edit - Double checked my book when i got home... the Yoke ears are supposed to be 3" +/-.005".. you can use a portapower to open them back up or a like stated before a large bolt with large nut and couple large washers..
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From: Upper Saucon PA
I did use several c-clamps and beat the hell out of it trying to get the old one out so it makes sense that the yolk is a little off. I did clean the burrs with emery. And yes, it's the end of the cap already installed that popping off. I'll have to measure it to see where its at. I like the porta power idea. Have to give that a shot. Thanks to all who replied for your input.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: Spanaway
The last set of front axles I did I did not bother trying to press anything out. They would not budge
Went straight to the cutoff wheel and cut all the crosses out and then used a pneumatic hammer to
drive them out from the inside to the outside of the yoke. I then cleaned up all the rust and scratches.
The new joints went in very smoothly with a ball joint press and a hand wrench.
One thing that was in the kit was a set of different thickness snap rings to install then with.
These were spicer joints non-greasable.
Went straight to the cutoff wheel and cut all the crosses out and then used a pneumatic hammer to
drive them out from the inside to the outside of the yoke. I then cleaned up all the rust and scratches.
The new joints went in very smoothly with a ball joint press and a hand wrench.
One thing that was in the kit was a set of different thickness snap rings to install then with.
These were spicer joints non-greasable.
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