<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%">Has anyone attempt replacing their u-joints? I have a 2001 F250 CrewCab short bed and getting a squeek somewhere in the drive line. Happens on trans shift point and accelleration.

I have the last half of the drive shaft off and want to press off the old u-joints. What have been successful?

Dave
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I used my ball joint press. Basically it's a C-clamp on steroids.

 

I've always used the same as Kwik. An over grown c-press for ball joints.
It also helps to secure the c-press in a vise and use a differential bearing cone puller to install the bearing cup in the center of the companion flange... works like a charm when centering. Makes the spring pressure no problem at all.

Good luck,

Austin

 

The second part of my post would only apply to guys with a double cardan shaft. I was thinking ext. cab not crew cab.

Austin

 

I tried to press the u-joint out, but I can not get the cup far enough out to pull out. the u-joint binds with the axle and I can not press any more. Looks like I need another 1/2 inch. I'm worried that I will bend something.

 

You can tap the yolk right beside the cap with a hammer and it will walk out. Becareful not to damage the yolk. I was shown this "trick" at a stealership when i had a u-joint go bad 500 miles from home. I coulded get it out so I had to take it to them.

 

I used the press and a hammer. I did all new u-joints and new carrier bearing. I shimmed it wil I was at it. Remember to grease the slip yoke while you have the line out.

 

how do you take off the fwd u-joints?

 

When you say that, do you mean on the front driveshaft, or at the knuckle?

The front shaft just unbolts, similar to the rear. 4 bolts hold the flanges together at the t/case, and then 4 bolts and 2 straps hold the u joint to the yoke of the differential.

If your talking about the ones at the knuckle, you pull the unit bearing, and the whole shaft slides out, then replace the u joint just like any other.


Double cardans are a real PITA. I usually use a u joint press myself, which is a slick little tool, and when that doesnt go far enough, i believe its a 13/16 socket (gotta love craftsman warrenty.... I swear it was cracked, and THEN i used it as a punch) to move it the rest. If your doing double cardans, be very very certain to get all the needle bearings, springs, seals, etc back into their designated area, or youll have some serious issues, and fast. Normal u joints are a piece of cake.

 

the ones at the knuckle. so you just do like the book says a small socket on one side and a large one on the other and just press. or if i am going to junk it i could just beat it out?? and get a new one

 

That works fine too if you have a vice with a large enough opening, you dont need to be as carefull when extracting as you do when your re installing. You must make sure all needle bearings stay in their places.

 

I should get a u-joint press as i have always used a hammer and an old socket and beat 'em out then tap new ones back in. i have replaced al u-joints on my wifes excursion and my truck. Definitely grease the slip yoke while you have it apart.

 

where is this slip yoke?

 

Slip yoke is were the yoke slides into the transfercase. Two piece shafts have this on the superduties, it was also very common on chevy's, one or two piece shafts. If you pull your driveshaft out of the transfercase, all that will be showing is a splined shaft, and an oil seal, your slip yoke slides into that place.

 

Pressed them out with one of those monster C clamps. Still had a very hard time with them. Seems the rust on the inner portion of the cups were holding them in. What I ended up doing was to clean as much of the surface rust as possible with a Dremmel tool and then slightly push the caps through and clean the rest of the rust off. Then push them all the way. Made for a little more work, but I think worth it. Only two of the 12 caps actually popped off after pushing them as much as they would go. The others had to be coaxed out in some form. In fact some were so hard stuck in, that the top of the cap exploded off when pushing from the opposite side with the c clamp. First time it happened I thought a bullet shot out. I had shop rags covering everything but the cap hole just for that reason. I was placing so much pressure (I think) that I thought I was going to break the c-clamp.

Once they were all out, I cleaned all the rust from the yoke and pollished the inside. That made the installing of the new u-joints much easier, just slid in with much less effort.

I did replace all the u-joints, but the carrier bearing was replace about 2 yr ago. All the u-joints were still in very good shape. And I found the source of my squeek, and another possible problem. The squeek is my Torque Converter going out. Squeeks on shifts and some accelleration. Going bad now faster since it is pulling my idle down while in gear, and if I switch to nutral, the idle pops up to 900+ rpm and settles down to normal idle around 650 rpm. Brian (BTS) says it is probably my sprag in the TC going south.

Now another question, how much play should I see at the differential? I can turn the pinion at the differntial about 5*. What is normal or should I be thinking on getting a rebuild?


Thanks for all the help!


Dave