My gardener has a 68 ford pickup with standard trans...he needs to replace his universal joint...is this a big job...or simply a little disassembly and replacing the cross shaped unit and reassembling...?
I have never done this but am pretty good in general on cars/repairs/tools//etc...or should he have a garage do this ?
Thanks, Tim
On 8 Jan 2004 09:05:26 -0800, snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (Tim) wrote:
|My gardener has a 68 ford pickup with standard trans...he needs to |replace his universal joint...is this a big job...or simply a little |disassembly and replacing the cross shaped unit and reassembling...? | |I have never done this but am pretty good in general on |cars/repairs/tools//etc...or should he have a garage do this ?
It's straightforward, but there are a couple of gotchas. Here's the basics:
Remove the 4 bolts securing the rear flange to the rear axle pinion If it's a 2-pc driveshaft, drop the center support (4 bolts). Pull the shaft from the back of the transmission. Fluid will leak out. Have a plastic bag ready with a strong rubber band. Determine which joint is bad by moving them. They should move easily but have no slack. Chalk-mark the opposing yokes so you can line them up the same way on reassembly. Removing the joint: Take out the snap rings. these are either on the inside of the yokes, or in the ends of each journal. You will need special pliers for the latter, but they don't cost much. If there are no snap rings (unlikely, but be sure!) then you may have the type held in by adhesive plastic. You will need a propane torch to melt the plastic. Support the shaft on a bench with the joint end in a vice. the ideal is to have the yoke ear that is on the bottom supported with a socket big enough for the u-joint cup to fall into as it comes out. Using a drift (socket, etc) slightly smaller than the journal, hammer it through so the opposite journal comes out the other side. remove the cap. Now turn it over and hammer it the other way until you can remove the cap you started hammering on first. Now you should be able to work the cross out of one of the shafts Repeat for the other two journals of the u-joint. In all this be careful not to bend the yoke ears. Re-assembly is the reverse of disassembly :)
Actually, it is, but watch out for the main gotcha: Be sure none of the needle bearings get jarred out of place. They end up in the bottom of the cup and the first indication is when you can *almost but not quite* get the snap ring on. that's because that damned needle bearing is jammed between cup and journal-end.
Be sure your chalk marks are lined up.
Some people use a big vise in place of the hammer. I have ruined a vise that way. I prefer to break them loose with a hammer, then use a vise or press. If the vise requires a cheater bar, go back to the hammer.
Hope that helps. good luck
Rex in Fort Worth
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