best u-joint tool

Clubbs

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Location
Blounts Creek
I'm so tired of beating u-joints out, anybody ever used one of those u-joint removal tools. I see them in the back of off road magazines every once in a while. Are they any good, what have you used and where can I get one?

Dave
 
transman731 said:
hammer is the only tool i grab. i have a few that go into an air hammer, but i don't like them because i can't "feel" what's going on. i also have a u joint press but i don't know if i've ever used it.
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You're a bigger man than I. I like to use a shop press, but you have to be extremely careful not to bend the yoke. Tweak it and you might never get it back in.

Back to Transman's hammer technique: Elaborate if you will. Set it up and get to pounding, or is there more to it?
 
I just us a hammer and two sockets. One socket the same diameter as the cap (or just a hair smaller) and one big enough for the cap to drop into. Never had any reason to use a press and the hammer and socket method works well on the trail.
 
i lay the u-joint in the vice, a few smacks on the yoke and one cap is out, flip and repeat. just never hit the tube.
gm's with teflon rings get heated first(never pointed at your face)(i've personally seen them hit the ceiling).
i can't explain how to do a double cardan because they suck, i do them but it's much more difficult to explain.

some of the youngsters won't remember this (i can't believe i'm this old), but it used to be they didn't reman cv axles, you either bought them at the dealer new or you rebuilt them. i actually went to cv classes and used the knowledge for a few years then remans became big business.
 
I use a dead blow hammer too and use a piece of 1.25" .250 wall DOM that I cut to about 3.5" long so I'm not smacking the cap directly (you can mess up the needle bearings in the joint if you're hitting the cap directly). smack one side almost out, then pull the cap out, then put the whole thing in my big ass bench vise and use a 1 1/4" socket on one side and a 9/16" socket on the side with no cap and it pushes the other side right out when you tighten the joint because the small socket goes through the shaft hole and the cap pushes into the 1 1/4" socket. I can do it in less than 3-4 minutes. Dana 60 joints would take a larger than 1 1/4" socket.
 
Trail = hammer & sockets

Home = shop press

Both = one med whack with hammer to backsides of yoke to "equalize" the joint/caps once clips are in...
 
willness33 said:
I just us a hammer and two sockets. One socket the same diameter as the cap (or just a hair smaller) and one big enough for the cap to drop into. Never had any reason to use a press and the hammer and socket method works well on the trail.
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this
 
I used just about all the methods described above. I have sockets that have been beat to death and only useful for the purposes of smacking caps in and out. Maybe I'm just getting lazy, I'll go get my hammer...

Dave
 
Maybe something about these tiny Japanese joints makes them impossible to get out. I think they're held in with Shinto magic! Just about every Samurai joint I've replaced has required either the use of a press or a plasma cutter to get the old one out. Believe me, I've done a few joints. I've used hammers, vices, etc, I destroyed one Samurai yoke trying to get the joint out! If there's a magic technique I haven't picked up yet, I'd love to see it in action. Anybody want to teach me, I'll bring some driveshafts and beer! ;)
 
Opportunity knocks!

Would one of you experienced u-joint replacing guys like to do a tech article? Better yet, how about doing a video of the actual process!

We (NC4X4 mods and admins) have discussed such things as this. hmmm We can make ya famous!

Aight now it's on! Who has the drive!
 
I could demo our U joint press in a video if everyone would like??? It's a little pricey but I have a few guys that swear by it and have a could that have swear because of it!!! Could possibly do that this weekend...
 
transman731 said:
i lay the u-joint in the vice, a few smacks on the yoke and one cap is out, flip and repeat. just never hit the tube.
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x2

I had to rebuild my double cardon in my Bronco in a rest area parking lot on the way back from Tellico, lol.
 
I wish some of the u-joint jobs I have had to do were as easy as smacking it with a hammer. When you get one that is good and stuck torch and press. But I have recently picked up a ball joint/u joint press kit from harbor freight for around $60 with a coupon and its a life saver and you can even change the u joint in some cases ex. an axle shaft without even removing it. All you need is the press kit and a good impact for tough joints or a wrench or ratchet for easier ones. Here is a link to the Kit http://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-1-ball-joint-u-joint-c-frame-press-service-kit-38335.html
 
I made a tool when I had the red jeep, it had 2, 1/4" plates welded, stood up, with notches cut on the ends. They were placed to just hold the cross. I had a perfectly sized piece of DOM with a cap welded on that was used to hit the ear just outside the cap.

As a point of reference, even at home, I usually try to do there repairs using ONLY the tools I have and normally carry in the vehicle. I had a small tool bag I used to tear a front hub down, small pick, alen wrench, right size sockets etc.. Made it easy to grab those tools for a repair vs digging for all the small hard to find tools/bits etc..
 
OTC, Snap-on, Mac make very nice presses for doing this job, I have a snap-on master set ($700). Still need the hammer to release tension. It does ball joints also. Saves the hammer marks off the yokes.
 
i never said i haven't messed up a driveshaft. i can say that i have done a lot of u-joints and have only hurt 2-3 shafts.
the only reason i don't use any of the press type tools is i've seen more of those mess up a yoke than a hammer. when people throw the impact on it, they are more likely to stretch a yoke than dent it.
i think the real issue is that some people don't know how to swing a hammer. i do 99% of all my hammering with a 16oz dead blow. i get on my techs all of the time, i tell them they swing a hammer like a pussy.(this comment was not intended for anyone in particular)(if this comment got your panties all bunched up.......maybe you should learn to swing a hammer)
 
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