U joints tools

Lost in GA, are you using new OEM ujoints?

 

Been a while since I did a 1st gen driveshaft but helped a buddy do a 2nd gen. Some things to note-

We did his in his driveway since I didn’t have the room in my garage at the time. The jarring of smacking the cups back into place with a hammer and socket caused the needle bearings inside the cap to fall out of place. If we hadn’t paid extra attention knowing this might happen, we’d have a big issue and would’ve been doing the job a second time in short order as the ujoint failed prematurely.

Driving the cups out with a hammer and socket on the ujoint being removed and a set of channel locks to grab it after you max out the travel to drive it out is quick and easy since you shouldn’t have any worries damaging it since you’re tossing it, obviously make sure you have the right replacement part before you start the job.

I have a 20 ton press which I like using for the mechanical advantage, just have to support the end of the shaft not being worked on to level things out/line things up. I have used c clamps and ball joint presses as many have shown with success. The reason I prefer a press is the same reason there should be concern driving things with a hammer, this work is methodical and there's a measure of assurance not beating the piss out of stuff.

You can rent almost anything from parts houses like Oreillys and Autozone or buy your own and never have to worry about renting down the road, though for like $10 to rent depending on the value of what you’re renting, not really something to be concerned with.