I have never replaced a U Joint...i looked for the part online and it says I either have a steel driveshaft or alluminum driveshaft, how to I tell, second, I have a 1990 RS 305 TBI...Can someone give me a step by step guide to replacing the U Joint and a good brand to buy and what all do I need to buy? I see retainer clip, u joint, etc...what are the things that I need to buy. Thanks a lot.

 

i'm sure you have a steel DS, but rust and a magnet will tell you for sure. after you remove the DS remove the clips, if it never been replaced before apply heat to the trunion and DS and plastic locking stuff will squirt out, either use a press and push one cap untill you can get the oppsiate cap off then reverse for the other side or use a socket and BFH. assembly is in reverse order, stick the trunion in the DS and install both caps as best you can and press or squeeze together. spicer makes about the best drive line parts you can find.

 

Yea, a propane torch on the "ears", and you'll get an oozy snake coming out of the hole, do that until it "pops". Wear ear plugs, that "pop" scares the crap out of me... Oh, then the smell will hit you, i've never wretched so hard before... Have a good time!

Then you can set the yoke over a 1 1/4" socket, and put a 9/16" on the top cap, and hammer it in, until the lower cap pokes into the 1 1/4" socket, then flip and reverse.

I think I used Napa parts. They ask if you want inside or outside lock rings, you want outside. (goes with the steel driveshaft that you most likely have).

 

IIRC the steel driveshaft on that year of camaro gets the replacement u-joint with the inside locks, at least on the transmission end, as the bearing caps are perfectly flush with the outside of the yoke, with no clips showing. I just went out in the garage and looked at the stock steel one from my 89 to make sure. Also, you don't have to actually melt out the old plastic if you have a strong press or the c-clamp style u-joint tool to press out the old one with. I used the c-clamp tool with an impact wrench, and it just snapped the plastic. Since the original caps were held in with plastic, there's no grooves in the ears of the yoke for an outside lock, hence the reason the replacement one comes with inside locks.