Hey, I've never replaced u-joints before. Imagine that. I've been watching videos and it seems pretty straight forward for the most part. My biggest question is what type of grease to use and if there's a preference on brand of u-joint. I've read a bit and like many things it seems everyone has a difference of opinion. I'm of the opinion that I have no opinion... since I haven't done it before. The rear on my 77 has gotten bad, It's got a lot of slop. I get noise/vibration on accel and none on decel, so I'm going to attempt to replace it Monday or Tuesday when I'm off. I might try one on my Bronco as a guinea pig since I don't drive it often and it wouldn't hurt to have it down for the day if I run into a problem with the learning curve. Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks.

 

Moog is a decent standard name brand. Buy the greaseable type. Park on a hard flat surface. Chock your front wheels, front and back. Put the rear axle on jack stands. Mark exactly how everything lined up, so you can put it back together in the same alignment.

Now is the time to check your differential pinion seal and your transmission extension housing seal.

U-joints are one of those jobs that is simple enough but the result puts a smile on your face for a few weeks every time you are expecting the vibration and it is doesn't happen.

 

Many good u joint brands , I prefer Spicer

 

Use a press or big "C" clamp to push the old caps in/out. Driving them with a hammer can screw up the shaft. If you must be sure to rest the drive shaft end on something and level the shaft. Again so as not to put pressure on the shaft itself.

 

2X on using the gradual pressure of a C-clamp over a hammer (even with a brass drift pin).
It sometimes happens that the new part is off by a thousandth or two. My last U-joint replacement was on a '76 F-150 and the new part was just too big to be fitted properly even with prepping the yoke with emery paper to assure absolute cleanliness. The micrometer uncovered the problem. Interestingly, switching to a less expensive replacement worked out just fine.

 

I rent the ball joint press from auto zone for u-joint replacement.

 

X2 on BRAND name like Moog or Spicer and rent a tool. X100 on chalk both sides of the rear tires and set the e brake. The hammer/socket trick is fine for trail repairs.

Some say grease-less are stronger due to design. If you use a greaseable one make sure you put the u joint in correctly. Meaning later on you CAN get the grease gun on it. Some grease zerts have a 45 bend to them and if put in wrong you can NOT get the grease gun end on it with the d/s installed.

Mark how your drive shaft tube and slip yoke go together BEFORE you remove anything. That way you are "drive shaft phasing" and do not create more problems.

Also make sure you use a torque wrench on the u joint straps, over tightening them can cause problems.

 

One other thing, on the new u-joint , pull all caps off and grease sides to keep pin bearings straight an stuck to the wall of cap when installing new u-joint as if one pin falls sideways in cap when installing can cause issues as vibration , or show up at later date after you think everything is ok

 

In a pinch you can do it in a bench vise with proper size sockets to press them bearing caps out. An extra set of hands helps.

 

Used Spicer joints on my shafts.

 

Alright, I'm taking notes.

A search of the local parts houses online gives me a couple options on Moog and Spicer. I have some Moog parts on the truck right now with them being my tie rods, king pins, and radius bushings. So far so good, so maybe I'll give them a try. They apparently have two u joints that are the same minus the location of the zerks. One has the fitting on the body at a 45 and the other has it on one of the caps which appears to be easier access for greasing, but is a needle style zerk? I still gotta get the grease and a grease gun and something to mark everything up. Woo!

From what I've read from various places people say to avoid moly grease if I use greasable u joints? Is this so? I'm pretty new to the greasing business. I need to get grease to use on my tie rod ends as well, they haven't been on long enough to need greasing I don't think, will they use the same grease?

The videos I've watched have shown several methods. Bench vise with some sockets. 2 pound hammer, sockets, and beer. That giant C clamp tool you can rent. A couple other make shift setups. I'll probably try renting the tool even though you gotta put a grip load down to get one. I'll most likely be doing this in the street in front of my house. Hopefully it stops snowing when that time comes. It started snowing this morning when I got off work, which was a bummer.

Jklnhyd, that's what one of my co-workers told me yesterday when I asked about u joints. I have no experience with those either. I did watch a pinion seal video to get an idea of what it entails and it does look fairly simple. Is that something I can come back to later after I see how well my u joint job goes? From the looks of it, it appears that it's just a matter of taking off some bolts to drop the drive shaft at the rear, which would make it very simple to come back to, say, the next weekend I have off if it's actually in bad shape when I look at it and need to replace it. I don't want to take on more than I can handle in a couple hours in one day with possible inclement weather since I have to drive this daily at this point.

I just took a look at Summit and they have the ones I need at half the cost of the parts stores here. I'd have to buy like 11 or 12 of them to get their free shipping though, lol. 9 bucks a piece for a greasable Moog u joint sounds pretty good. I'd have to wait like a week for them, that doesn't sound appealing. Decisions decisions.

I might as well ask a question for a future project. My Bronco needs at the very least front drive shaft u joints, I get a lot of clicking when its in 4wd, so I'll check the u joints on it some time after I get the heater system put back together. I'm new to 4wd setups and noticed the front axle has u joints. Are those only replaceable by taking off everything and pulling the axle shafts? I'm so not looking forward to ever doing that if that's the case.

 

Ooh, those look sexy painted up black. Damn, I might have to do that even though I'm pretty partial to rust. lol

 

I have never done a pinion seal or extension housing seal, lol. If they aren't leaking, don't fix them but be sure to check em ahead of time.

I have been reading up on the trans extension housing seal and bushing replacement. I may need to do it if I keep this truck. I am planning to get a different one after the first of the year so I am only reading

 

I've watched a couple videos on both and, although they weren't for my applications (C4 and 9" rear) they seemed simple enough. I'm wanting to swap my engine and trans down the line whenever $$$ allows, so if mine aren't leaking I'm gonna leave them alone. I'm basically limping this drive train along until that time. The engine runs strong, but I think this tranny would need a rebuild eventually if I kept this setup for the long run.

 

Yea they look great until the first mud puddle. Lol