First off I would like to start by wishing everybody a Happy Thanksgiving!

I am replacing U-joints as part of my front end rebuild (wheel hubs, bearings). So after about 2 days of PB Blaster and hammering I got the old ones out of the half shafts. I bought a new set from Advance Auto... Brute Force U-joints. I went to press in the new u-joints and realized that there is so much rust and corrosion that the cap would not fit though the hole. The first one I got in was so tight the new u-joint shaft was binding like a rock. So I pulled it back out and decided to "hone" the hole lightly with a grinding stone and dremel. I honed both sides. The first side had a nice tight fit and did not bind... perfect operation. But the opposite end of the u-joint... lets just say I got a little carried away. The U-joint cap does not move around in the bore of the axle, but I can push the cap in and out with my finger effortlessly. It did not need to be pressed in at all... it didn't even need any persuasion.

My concern is that the cap is going to vibrate around in the bore thus damaging either the half shaft (its not aluminum thankfully) or the cap itself, making the gap bigger and eventually damaging the u-joint. Is this a vaild concern. And if so how do I fix this situation? Also, how tight do these u-joint caps need to be in their bores. Wish I would have just hammered them in and let it go.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Dan

 

Take a center punch that you would use with a hammer to mark a piece of metal before you drill, and punch little marks evenly all around the id where the cap goes in. The punch will raise the metal up around it, and this should be enough to tighten it up.

 

Or Loctite. Not really any other options without replacing parts.

Best to press the cups into the yokes, resist the temptation to hammer - the needles will get dislodged as it goes together, plus too easy for more damage.

 

Exactly what i was going to say. It is like knurnilng a head to make a valve guide seal fit

 

Ohhh... Thats pretty slick.. I am going to have to give that trick a try!


If that doesn't work, the locktite idea..... is that a permanent solution or will I be able to get those axles apart in the future?

Dan

 

Yes, using Loctite you can take the cups out again in the future, if you use a lower-strength grade.

 

Went out to Lowes today... no such luck finding the locktite I "think" I need. Will standard thread locker (blue) work. I can;t seem to find anything else.

Anybody know who carries the "cylindrical locktite" I am looking for?

Dan

 

yes blue will work.