U Joint Install Issues?

Anyone run into issues getting the u joints installed into the yokes? I was trying to replace mine including carrier bearing and I blew through 2 u joints trying to press them in - first with a press tool and second just doing it with hammer and a socket. Very confused as to what the actual issue was that was causing it. Had to throw in the towel and got an appointment at a driveline shop tomorrow. Anyone else?

 

It takes an octopus, a good large vice, theres some fancy specific tools to make it easier....
good luck!

 

Haha yeah even with those things it was an unsuccessful event

 

Yeah, I did mine last Fall and ended up having to drive to town for a replacement on one I messed during the process. They can be a bit of a booger, especially if it's your first time.
A good, big vise is a big help. It's not for everyone.

 

I had one going bad in an S-10 and was headed out on vacation in another vehicle. Dad says leave me the keys and I'll take care of it while you are gone.

Came home. S-10 was repaired, appropriate thanks were given, yada yada.

Christmas came and a present from him was quite heavy. Turned out to be a 5" bolt down vice. Seems he had to give up working by hand, my old vice was inadequate, and he took it to a shop for installation. Never telling me the tale.

The vice was for 'next time'

 

Iv used quality u joints with no issue. The cheaper ones need finessing. ‍♂️

 

many different items were employed to keep the yokes steady

 

I went with MOOG 270s given that they were available at the parts stores within 20 minutes.

 

We’ve had and still have an 08 taco with 450k on it. I installed moogs 100k ago. Didn’t think the truck be going this long. Kid put a cheap 3” puck lift on it a year ago and came to me over the weekend and said, dad my steering is really tight with no assist. Looked at him and said take the lift off please so I can actually diag it correctly.

Both upper and lower ball joints are ready to come apart . Removed both tie rod ends and the knuckles don’t wanna move freely. Bunch of parts ordered for next weekend. Kid and I gonna get dirty …..
Did head gaskets on it 20k ago because a 1000 bucks in parts is a lot cheaper than another Tacoma

 

I'm a mechanic at a performance shop. We always send out driveshaft rebuilds/U joint replacement to a dedicated driveline shop. They are so much better at it and have all the proper tooling/experience.

 

I got got by the YouTube wrenchers giving me the confidence to do this. All this to fix slight vibrations and some squeaking

 

The driveline shop we use I think they charge $150 to replace all u joints and balance check.

 

I worked for a company a few years back that had a bunch of spare vises laying around. I got a Wilton 400 and an old Wilton Bullet vise for free. Those things are amazing and have really spoiled me. A good vise is worth it's weight in gold, in my opinion.

 

Despite their beefy appearance U-joints are a precision assembly with seating tolerances measured in single-digit thousandths of an inch. They don't take kindly to being installed with a hammer. Here are correct videos explaining the whys and the hows of proper UJ removal/installation:

REMOVAL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6QKs9JajQ4

INSTALLATION
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyAJdInryj8

ADJUSTMENT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10BhHuwnQ7I

 

no reason why you couldnt diag it correctly with the lift, thats a bit over the top...
Hopefully you were just irritated & he didnt actually have to remove the lift in-order for you to take a peak & see the obvious...

 

IMO the trick to installing new U-joints is clean the yoke and it's ears really well so the caps slide in like they were meant to. The time spent cleaning will pay off when the whole thing goes together smoothly. If you pull out the hammer to put a u-joint together you're doing it wrong. I used a wire brush, some scotchbright and simple green to clean up the area the bearing caps slide into, it all went together with zero drama.

 

Sometimes I wish he’d listen ;-) but I was young once! It’s a good learning experience for him. I just have to make time for another weekend working on the kids truck.

 

definitely makes sense. Hit it with a wire brush and cleaned the burrs before putting the new ones it but didn’t seem to make a difference. They were going in fine on one side of the + but once kept putting too much pressure on the other side of the joint when trying to get it seated with the retaining clips.