Driveshaft U-joint Question
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 133
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From: Michigan
But when I replaced them with new ones.
Do the two caps have to be pounded in or do they just slide in real nice into the yoke?
(I had to pound mine in with a socket of similar size)
Do the two caps have to be pounded in or do they just slide in real nice into the yoke?
(I had to pound mine in with a socket of similar size)
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 5,671
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From: Tolland, CT
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...placement.html
Looks like yes, they need some help to seat them on the yoke. I haven't done this job since the late 1970s.
Looks like yes, they need some help to seat them on the yoke. I haven't done this job since the late 1970s.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
P.S. The further you get them to slide in, the less chance a bearing needle will fall out. Once you are almost there, tapping on them will usually not knock a bearing needle out of place.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 133
Likes: 2
From: Michigan
It's best to press them in with a vise or a press. You can drive them in like you did, and if the clips went in you were successful. If you have a hard time or can't get the clips in place, most likely one of the bearing needles got dislodged when you were driving them in. You can take them apart and start over if this happens to someone.
P.S. The further you get them to slide in, the less chance a bearing needle will fall out. Once you are almost there, tapping on them will usually not knock a bearing needle out of place.
P.S. The further you get them to slide in, the less chance a bearing needle will fall out. Once you are almost there, tapping on them will usually not knock a bearing needle out of place.
I also found out if I pound them in too far, even just a touch too far, they get hard to turn. So I had to pound them out and start over and go very slowly.
Thank you - Thomas
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Jan 2016
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If and when I have to do them again I will do some wire brushings and light sanding, and add a smidgin of grease and a C-clamp to press mine in, at least as much as possible.
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From: Virginia
I have tried a c-clamp, it never worked for me. The threads are too coarse. A balljoint press may work. The caps are a little tough to install sometimes.
The trick I have found is to pull all the caps off. Put the empty cross inside the driveshaft, and then get one cap started. If you are driving the cap in, hold the cross over so it goes into the cap you are installing as much as possible so the cross will hold the needles in place. Push that cap on in while holding the cross inside it. Once you get that cap installed, start the other one and like before, shift the cross over and hold it up in the cap you are installing to help hold the needles in place.
The trick I have found is to pull all the caps off. Put the empty cross inside the driveshaft, and then get one cap started. If you are driving the cap in, hold the cross over so it goes into the cap you are installing as much as possible so the cross will hold the needles in place. Push that cap on in while holding the cross inside it. Once you get that cap installed, start the other one and like before, shift the cross over and hold it up in the cap you are installing to help hold the needles in place.
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From: Angier, NC
That is if a needle did not fall out of place.
We use smaller joints on a drive shaft that goes from my tractor (18 wheeler) to a pump on the LP trailer and they go bad all the time.
The shop knows I can change them out if I have the parts so I have a spare in the cab.
I also have a extra shaft if the joint goes bad when pumping off 10,000 gallons of LP and yes I have had 1 go bad while pumping off.
Dave ----
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