I did an oil change and lube tonight and while I was greasing ball joints, I notice that the passenger side axle u-joint was shot. I called and ordered a new u-joint. Is the removal and the replacement of the actual u-joint completed the same as any other u-joint? I know how and have had the axles out before but never had to do an axle u-joint. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

Haven't had one of these apart but the older ones had the retainer clips inside the yoke,other than that it's the same

 

Ok cool. I know the clips aren't on the inside. Didn't really look at it hard but I assumed the clips are on the inside.

 

pull your wheels and brake calipers off. the lock outs have a big ring that snaps in the hub assemble its easy to get out pull the lockout out and there should be a snap ring and plastic washers on the axle shaft inside the hub assembly,take them off. the hub assembly has 4 studs with nuts on the back take the nuts off. hopefully yours will not be like mine when i first took them apart, mine were seased in and i beat and pried and cussed but finally got them out ended up putting new hub assemblys on a month later from beating on them then the bearings went out. try not to break you rubber seals that seal in the knuckle for automatic hubs but pull the hub assembly out and the axle slides right out. if your hub assemblys come out put some never sease or grease on the studs and assembly to keep them from seasing in there

 

Be careful pressing them out. I bent the ears on my axle pressing them out. I bent both passenger side (long and stub shaft) ears and ended up replacing the axles. Luckily I found one used and was able to buy a new stub shaft at a decent price. Needless to say what had been a smooth operation came to a screeching halt when the new u-joint wouldn't go in.

I talked to a guy at Houston Drivetrain and he said they always support the ears on the inside when pressing a u-joint out. I didn't and it bit me. Wish I would have known.

 

89LX306 makes a very good point. i've done the same thing.
i tend to smack the ujoint caps them selves with a hammer first. trying to break the corrosion bond.

 

Heat and penetrating oil are your friend. I like to use a propane or MAP gas torch and heatcycle the cap a couple of times. Get it good and hot then quench it with PB blaster or any equivalent penetrating oil from the opposite side so the oil is sucked up in to the cap/yoke area. Then do it again. A little patience and persistence here will pay off big time and make the day go a lot smoother.

 

Thanks for the advice. I have had both sides apart before to do the ball joints twice so pulling the axles out will take me about 30 mins. I just wasn't sure if the actual u-joint was just like any other driveshaft u-joint. I have replaced dozens of those. The only difference must be is that the clips must be on the inside instead of the outside.