TROUBLE replacing U Joints

[Fordman5]

I am replacing, rather trying to replace the 2 most rear U joints on a 67 bump. I took off the nuts on the 2 most rear U joint and took out all the springs for both and I can not get drive shaft to drop out. Of course being 43 years old and the U joints look froze in. PLEASE HELP!!!!

[mkpj1]

I' m confused by your post but it's probably not your fault. Do you have 2 shafts with a carrier or a single shaft? Do you mean needle bearings when you say "springs" ?

[Fordman5]

Sorry, I have 2 shafts with the carrier in the middle, The springs I am talking about are the little flat washer like objects that you put in to help hold the U joint in place, sorry its the best I can describ it.

[mkpj1]

Gotcha, okay you should have 2 u-bolts that hold the rear u joint to the rear end. you took the u bolts loose and with the 4 nuts and cannot pull the shaft free from the end?

Should be no "C-clips" here to deal with to my knowledge. Don't deal with those until the shaft is completely out. I cannot remember my carrier set up as I have gone to a single shaft but you may have to pull the whole deal to release the rear of the shaft out. Forward smaller shaft bolts to transmission with u-bolts and then there are 2 bolts that hold carrier bearing up.

Really though I thought the longer back shaft has a slip yoke at the front right? Should be able to slide rear shaft forward on this and pull rear of shaft out.

Does this sound familiar to what you have?

[Fordman5]

I took the nuts off the C-clips and the clips are not coming out, but I plan to get a crow bar and man handle it without messing anthing up. I know what you are getting at, I know the C-clips are rusted onto the old U joint. Thanks for the info, this site has a bunch of people that know a lot. thanks again

JC

[fordman]

here is the whole procedure for the rear shaft removal and u joint replacement in either shaft front or rear.
to remove any of the driveshafts from a dual driveshaft truck. yo umust remove the rear shaft first.
to do this you remove the nuts from the u bolts around the u joints. then on the frotn of the shaft is a nut that holds the front of the rear shaft onto the rear of the frotn shaft just behind the carrier bearign. usually this nut doesnt have to be messed with. but you are suppose to remove the nut fromt he shaft so the drive shaft will slide off of the front shaft. then you can take a screwdriver and pry the whole shaft slightly out of the rear end yoke. once the driveshaft and u joint have cleared the rear end yoke you pull the whole shaft from the front splined shaft. take the driveshaft out and clean up all around the outer clips and groove. they will be dirty and greasy and this will make the clips very hard to pinch together to get the clip out. tapping inward on the clip and u joint cap may be needed slightly to help looseen the stress or dirt from the clip. i use a pair of needle nose pliers or small regular pliers to pinch and or try to spin the clip if it wont come out of the groove. do this to all clips and sooner or later they will come out. once the clips are out use a vise and two sockets. one over sized one one undersized. the over sized socket will fit at the side of the yoke of the driveshaft. the under sized one will fit inside of the yoke. but on the u joint. hold this setup in a vise and close the vise. that will push the u joint out of one side of the driveshaft yoke. once the one side is out you remove the u joint cap from the one side that has been pushed out of the yoke. and then switch sides of the shaft to push the other cap out of the shaft. to put the new u joint back in you just do it backwards with the sockets as you just did removing the u joint. do not grease the new u joint until you are completely finished installing the shaft in the truck.

to remove the front shaft you must now take the two bolts out of the carrier bearing. and then un bolt the yoke from the transmission yoke. or if it is a slip shaft you pull the yoke out of the transmission. have a drain pan under the transmission to catch any fluid that may leak out.

that is most of how to do it. there are other things that i have not said anything about. such as removign a slip shaft yoke from the driveshaft. but it is basically the same as doing any u joint. you just have to push out the slip shaft yoke u joint caps first.

[mkpj1]

Fordman5 . I use large flathead screwdriver and lightly hammer it between the u-bolt and u-joint cap. Then wiggle the screwdriver and it should break free. Then tap the ends of the u-bolt out. Be careful because the shaft may drop out on you. Other issue I thought of it make sure you are in neutral with no pressure on the shaft, wheels blocked. then it should slide off splines on carrier. Then the fun begins. Honestly the easiest way is to go to a local machine shop and have the u-joint pressed out if they are that rusted. I've used a " large C-clamp" and the right sized socket to fit in between the yolk on the end cap to press out the u joint. Probably will need to soak it first though. Good luck.

[Fordman5]

Thanks, I plan on doing on side of the shaft and having someone else do the other side. I might go ahead and replace the carrier as well as long as its apart.

[390Nut]

Thanks, I plan on doing on side of the shaft and having someone else do the other side. I might go ahead and replace the carrier as well as long as its apart.

If you are going to do that, make sure your driveline is marked as to how it goes together. The driveline is balanced as an assembly, and if it is not put together the same way it came apart you'll be chasing vibrations in your truck until it is balanced out correctly.

[wildcard]

[quote="mkpj1"]Really though I thought the longer back shaft has a slip yoke at the front right? Should be able to slide rear shaft forward on this and pull rear of shaft out.



I was thinking the same thing. I know mine has a slip yoke.
After you get the U-joint out, take a screwdriver or such and clean out the slots the clips go in. Helps to get the new "C" clips to seat properly.