Anyone have any tricks to changing U- joints besides the good old hammer, or a press.

Looking for some tricks to get them out easier.

I did a search, but didnt find much.

thanks.

 

doesn't get much easier than a press, either floor type or ball joint

 

Thats what I figure, and I dont have either one. Oh well.

What would a machine shop charge to press them out.

Its not that I cant do it, I have done it a few times before. I just dont have the time right now, and a press would speed things up.

thanks

 

There are a couple of ways to do it that work pretty well, and a lot better than the hammer method.

1. you can get a ball joint press and adapter kit through Harbor Freigh tools for about $40 and that will press just about anything in and out on most cars. I used my friends, very nice way to do it.

2. The other way is just like the ball joint press but kinda homade. Get a big 8" c clamp, and a socket that is just big enough for the cup of the ujoint to slide in and out. Use the socket just like the addapter and the clamp like the press. This actualy works pretty good as long as you dont use to small of a socket and press the cup into the socket.

I switched to doing them this way after finding out how bad the hammer method is for the yokes. The hammering tends to open up the holes in the yokes where the cups sit, causing the cups to spin, and the u joints to wear out alot faster.

Oh yeah, always remember to take the C clips off before attempting to remove the ujoint. Its not fun hammering on them only to realize that you forgot to and thats why they arent moving

Hope that helps a little.

 

Go to Auto Zone and "buy" their ball joint press, change out your u-joints, then go back to the Zone and get your money back for the press. They don't "rent" tools, they sell them and then give you your moeny back when you are done. It was explained to me by someone at my local Zone that they do it this way for insurance reasons. Good luck.-Dan

 

If your factory u-joints don't have c-clips, they're held in with injected plastic. You need to heat up the yokes around the u-joint caps until the plastic melts and comes out the holes. It makes removing the u-joint much easier once the plastic is out. I just use a propane torch to heat them up.

I've changed lots of u-joints. Usually just a hammer and a socket on my deck works fine. A vise works better.

 

When you put the new ones in coat the outside of the cups with antisieze, makes next time a snap.

 

Yeah, It is the original u-joints. It has the plastic instead of the clips. I will proably go with the ball joint tool. I have a big vice so I could also do the socket thing.

Thanks for the tips guys. I know alot of times everyone has little tricks that helps make a hard job easier.

thanks.

 

I have a good trick ! Altought I'm not sure it's the "right" way to do it

it worked for me several times !

All you need is 2 sockets ! 1 big one, one small one and also a large workbench vise.

The big one has to be big enough so the U-joint cup will fit into it.
the smaller one has to be small enough so it can push the other cup trought the drive shaft inserts.

Now you just put it the driveshaft in the vise with the sockets on each side and it will push the cup out of the inserts .

Make sure you use the "black sockets" since their made of stronger material and always wear safety gogle

Sorry if it's hard to understand, I'm french !