How to remove stuck U-joint caps?

[vancouver]

First time post... I've got a 69 F100 and am trying to replace the two u-joints on the rear shaft. What should have taken 15 minutes has now burned several hours. I've removed the clips, punched out the cap so that about 1/4 inch is exposed, but I *cannot* get the caps off. I've tried channel locks, vise grip, torch, WD-40 and in desperation, a tool for pulling faucets (which wound up breaking the puller).

Is there something I'm missing? I've seen people describing using a grinder to break the u-joint, but I don't want to go down that route. Thoughts???

Thanks!

[HIO Silver]

I did this two weeks ago... First remove the grease fitting. Clean out the dirt and generously lubricate with a penetrating oil.

Get two sockets... one that is slightly smaller than the U-joint cap which will be the driver and the other larger than the U-joint cap which will be the catcher.

Place the catcher under the yoke and use the driving socket to hammer on. Don't miss. It **should** pop out. Remove the U-joint. Repeat for the other side using a deeper driving socket.. this time through the yoke's hole ya just removed the first cap from.

[cep62]

and another way if you're limited on sockets, is to lay the ujoint across an open vice, or two sturdy blocks.
Then tap down on the yoke or drive shaft , that will drive the cap up.
if it's real stubborn use a socket to protect the yoke from distortion.

And if you ever get a gm shaft that has the caps glued in you need to heat it enough to melt the glue first.

[tqwrench]

My ball joint press also does double duty as a u-joint press. It makes this a cakewalk. I usually don't hesitate to invest in tools. Rarely do they lose value. Plus is I ever became jobless (God-forbid), being able to fix things comes in handy.

The worst driveshaft experience I've had is doing double-cardan joints on a 76 Caddy. The centering ball between the two joints was a nightmare to get off. Had to get it glowing cherry red before it was removable. I always had the torches close at hand, especially doing GM joints held in by the nylon injection they used to do. 9/10 times I'd just cut the cross out of the thing and move on from there. The popping sound of grease frying under oxy/acetylene was always fun. Safety glasses a must here.

[cep62]

My ball joint press also does double duty as a u-joint press

That is the way to go , but it is a luxury for some.
I'll usually use the vice and hammer trick to take them apart, then use a Snap-on "C" clamp style press to install them.
(more control)
I've had some that were so rusty that I cut the cross out with a torch then air hammered the caps out.

[greystoneland]

I had the same problem and could not find any answers anywhere. I spent hours pounding away on that u-joint with no joy.... I asked around to a lot of old car guys and searched the web but no luck. I got the answer from a surprising source, my brother, who is the last guy one would think could have an answer, but as he is a union plumber, maybe he has some practical experience with stuck crap!

He came up with the following: Push one cap out until the u-joint cross bottoms on the yoke, pushing the cap out as far as it will go. Now press the cross back the other way, pushing against the cross, not the cap, and exposing the bearing surface on the cross below the pushed out cap. Now wrap wire around the exposed bearing surface of the cross. I used re-bar tie wire, it bent easily but was not too soft. I did about 6 to 8 times around. Now when you press the cap that is away from the wire wrapped side it will push the exposed cap all the way out. The wire acts like a shim and gives you more 'length of push' or some-such other technical term.

Good luck!

[jzjames]

a good time to check the YouTube videos.