Hammers.....and the sound of the duelling banjo's off in the distance.....

Sorry, couldn't resist that one. There's "in a pinch" fixes that call for desperate measures and anything will do, to get you home. I've used more than a few of them, but have always taken the time to do the repairs properly once back home and able to use the proper tools, methods, and parts. A hammer is just simply NOT a recommended idea. I've tried this as well, btw. Ended up costing me the time and efforts of a machine shop to replace the yolk on my shaft, as well as re-balance it. Not worth it. As for doing it properly with a hammer? No rocket science in swinging a hammer....but I could also see this voiding the warranty on a good socket or two as well. Just my $0.02

 

glad the majority rules. never heard again from the lister. must have gotten tired of our fighting. "gentleman you cant fight in here, this is a War Room" Dr. Strangelove. anyone else feel this way..

Kurt

 

[QUOTE=RR4E]Hammers.....and the sound of the duelling banjo's off in the distance.....

Comments like this are enough to give you a case of the *ss. If you feel better putting u-joints in with a vise, then I respect that. But don't feel the need to compare someone to a hillbilly if they choose another method. It just so happens that the BFH method has worked for me in the past, and I have somehow resisted the urge to swing the hammer like an ape and destroy my yokes. Next time you post, stick to advise, not insults or innuendo's as to someone's IQ.

 

[QUOTE=big hoss 29]not to mention, that you can bend or tweek a driveshaft/axleshaft in a press as easy as you can with a hammer.

But then again, the experts think that 'us hillbillies' don't know how to change ujoints properly. Or the fact that I don't have space for a press, or I would have one.. or that every time I've put a ujoint in a vise, it never will come out, unless you use a BFH. it does work to put them back in though.

bottom line is you can bust stuff no matter what tool you use. Learn how to use a hammer right, and then when you _have_ to use one, you'll know how.

 

Here's a laugh for ya, I stripped out the bolt heads trying to get the shaft off the rear flange, ended up using vice grips and a propane torch. Then I went to a buddy's house and used his vice but could not push the old u-joints out. We busted out the BFH and proceeded to smash four of his sockets, chew up the yolks, split the needle caps on the two new joints and my thumb. I bought two more new u-joints, went home and ruined two more of my sockets...got em' in , put the driveshaft in and realized I forgot to lube the slipyolk.

"DO AS I SAY...NOT AS I DO"
There is a special u-joint press tool on the market but hard to find, looks like a C clamp with special pressure feet made for pressing u-joints. Or use a good vice or press, if that don't work...pay the shop. BFH ...never again.

 

I'll say this. I've swung many hammers in my day, of various sizes. The do come in handy for many things. In a pinch, I'd use one to change a u-joint....but ONLY in a pinch, and with some very carefully measured blows. To recommend this to someone who is doing this for the first time is neanderthal at best. I didn't say it can't work, it's just very archaic. The vice method is the average norm. I've seen many shops do it the same way FYI. Providing you're using sockets(or pipe with the right ID and OD) to do the job, and GENTLE application of more pressure, rather than just brute force, u-joints come out easy enough. I've worked on many older vehicals, many still with the factory joints installed, and never required heat, over-excessive force, or a BFH to remove one.

My comment was made in humor, and I'm sorry if it offended you, but I'm sure most others got a chuckle out of it. If you feel the need to slag, at least post the rest of the post, as I also admitted to the need for an "in a pinch" type situation. Sometimes one has to use what they have at hand. If there are alternatives, such as borrowing a friend's work-bench and vice, or press, that is the better route. Let's not make a habit of giving out instructions that really only apply to what you do not have access to for making repairs. Others may have access via friends, neighbors, and aquaintances, that would allow for the job to be done properly, rather than taking a chance on someone who's not maybe the most mechanically inclined, to help them ruin a perfectly good driveshaft and cost them more money. The idea here is to save a few bucks, and help other owners. Any person new to changing a u-joint would be better off spending a few bucks to have a shop do it, than beat it out with a hammer, and end up needing new yokes welded in, plus replacing the already new u-joints they've destroyed in the process.

 

You do have a point, and you can lose needle bearings if you'll not careful. It is cheaper to have them pressed out then breaking them, but I'll continue to change mine with a hammer, at least until I get a press.

And I also want to mention for everyone.. Whether or not you use a press, vise, or a hammer, you want to use impact sockets if you don't have access to pipe or something. You'll smash regular sockets with a hammer, and you can crush them in a press as well.. impact sockets will take the abuse, especially from a hammer.

 

a u joint press is the same as a ball joint press. most of your large discount auto parts stores (checker autozone schucks kragens) will rent you one free of charge. basically a deposit you get back. just ask. not sure about the other w of texas. have yet to go back there in years..

Kurt

 

Good point Husky, and for the Canadians in the forum, Canadian Tire has a loan a tool program as well. As for mocking up a press....I've used a bottle jack and the bottom of the truck frame before (out in the boonies) with sockets to press them in and out. Works if you really need it to, and an extra pair of hands to hold the shaft up really help, but it's not impossible to do.

 

I buy my u-joints at a driveshaft place, and they always install them for free on their press, when i walk in with my shafts in hand.

Jim

 

jim you can walk in a driveshaft place with any thing you want in your hands but arround here no body does anything for free ive been changin u joints with a hammer for the pat 20 year and i havent had a problem with it yet infact i dont even use 2 sockets i use one and a piece of railroad tie i got for a buck the only driveshaft ive ever had to replace was one on a bronco 2 the day i baught it the u joint was so dried up it froze and split both yokes the one on the reat and the end of the shaft

 

The project was a success. Front and rear shaft joints changed.
The vise I had access to was not big enough for all of the work. Had to use a lightweight hammer with measured force. The joint were not difficult to drive out or replace. Did manage to whack my thumb once with the hammer. I think I cracked the bone.

As a side note, one front shaft joint was destroyed. I noticed what looked like red clay residue on the joint before removing the shaft. I thought this was odd since there isn't any red clay in the area I live. Turns out that the red was rust and grease. The needle bearings at one side of the yoke were dried, rusted, and turned to powder in the bearing cup. Explains the noise I was hearing the last time I used the 4x4.

Ended up returning all of the joints that I originally purchased. They were Neapco Brute Force Joints. Suppose to be up there in quality with Spicer. The moron who sold them too me didn't sell me the correct part number. Ended up purchasing Precision U-joints from another store. These are geaseable. Probably better off this way.

No more clunking in the driveline.

Thanks for all the help.