removing a u joint

bret497 · 04-12-2009, 04:24 PM

Can anyone tell me how to remove a bad u joint? I have tried PB blaster and it's not working... I have a 2004 Chevy Silverado.

**mack1** · 04-12-2009, 05:36 PM

Hi Bret and welcome to TSF,

Do you have the drive shaft removed from the truck?

Pull the snaprings from the four bearing housings. Using a brass drift punch and hammer, drive the X member toward the other side (hitting the x member, not the other bearing). That will push the bearing out on the other side. Turn the shaft over and drive it the other way. Again, just hitting the X member. Be careful not to hit the bearing housings. Do the same for the other two bearings. That will let you take the x joint member out of the shaft.

Putting it back in is the hard part. You have to be careful not to let one of the needle bearings get behind the x member in the cap bearing. On the new u joint, slip the bearings off the x member and put the member into the drive shaft. Take one of the bearings and slip it over the x member and into the inlet of the housing. Keeping the bearing surface engaged with the needle bearings, carefully drive the bearing into the housing. Always keep the x member engaged with the bearings. Turn the shaft over and pick the x member up partway, just enough to get the next bearing to engage the needle bearings. Hold that position as you drive that bearing in. Drive the cap bearings in just enough to install the snaprings. If the bearing won't go that far, you have let one of the needle bearings get behind the x member and you will have to pull it out and put the bearings back into the cap and try again.

If you've never pulled a drive shaft, the rear bearing has two u shaped clamps that when removed will let the shaft push towards the transmission a little to get the shaft end down. Then pull the shaft out of the transmission.

What is a PB blaster?

Very best regards,
Mack1

**bruiser** · 04-12-2009, 06:09 PM

PB Blaster is a penetrant similar to Liquid Wrench.

**Midnight Tech** · 04-13-2009, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bruiser

PB Blaster is a penetrant similar to Liquid Wrench.

PB B'laster....goooood stuff!

http://blasterchemical.com/display.cfm?p=50003&pid=4
(Yes...it's a shameless plug!)

**wrench97** · 04-13-2009, 01:48 PM

PB's good but if you ever have the opportunity to try this I think you'll see the difference.
http://www.kanolabs.com/google/

Volt-Schwibe · 04-23-2009, 04:29 PM

I've always removed u-joints in a vise with a handfull of sockets. One socket just right sized to push one cap, and one socket large enough to receive the other cap. I've always preferred the vise to the drift punch because i tend to injure myself when hitting a punch with a hammer. (i actually can injure myself doing anything, but the hammer has got to be the worst)

My father had a special set of tools for this, but they were basically just sockets without a hex ground into them.

04-12-2009, 04:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
bret497 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 1 OS: xp	removing a u joint Can anyone tell me how to remove a bad u joint? I have tried PB blaster and it's not working... I have a 2004 Chevy Silverado.

04-12-2009, 05:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
mack1 TSF Articles Team Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Texarkana, Texas Posts: 1,245 OS: xp sp3 My System	Re: removing a u joint Hi Bret and welcome to TSF, Do you have the drive shaft removed from the truck? Pull the snaprings from the four bearing housings. Using a brass drift punch and hammer, drive the X member toward the other side (hitting the x member, not the other bearing). That will push the bearing out on the other side. Turn the shaft over and drive it the other way. Again, just hitting the X member. Be careful not to hit the bearing housings. Do the same for the other two bearings. That will let you take the x joint member out of the shaft. Putting it back in is the hard part. You have to be careful not to let one of the needle bearings get behind the x member in the cap bearing. On the new u joint, slip the bearings off the x member and put the member into the drive shaft. Take one of the bearings and slip it over the x member and into the inlet of the housing. Keeping the bearing surface engaged with the needle bearings, carefully drive the bearing into the housing. Always keep the x member engaged with the bearings. Turn the shaft over and pick the x member up partway, just enough to get the next bearing to engage the needle bearings. Hold that position as you drive that bearing in. Drive the cap bearings in just enough to install the snaprings. If the bearing won't go that far, you have let one of the needle bearings get behind the x member and you will have to pull it out and put the bearings back into the cap and try again. If you've never pulled a drive shaft, the rear bearing has two u shaped clamps that when removed will let the shaft push towards the transmission a little to get the shaft end down. Then pull the shaft out of the transmission. What is a PB blaster? Very best regards, Mack1 __________________ "If you like yourself others will like you also" me "Don't drink downstream from the herd" Will Rogers Submit New Articles Here

04-12-2009, 06:09 PM	#3 (permalink)
bruiser TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,973 OS: xp	Re: removing a u joint PB Blaster is a penetrant similar to Liquid Wrench.

04-13-2009, 01:48 PM	#5 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,567 OS: Win7	Re: removing a u joint PB's good but if you ever have the opportunity to try this I think you'll see the difference. http://www.kanolabs.com/google/ __________________ Power Supply and Selection

04-23-2009, 04:29 PM	#6 (permalink)
Volt-Schwibe Asst. Manager, Automotive Forums; HJT Trainee Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Behind you, watching you as you type. Posts: 7,372 OS: Click "My System" to view details My System	Re: removing a u joint I've always removed u-joints in a vise with a handfull of sockets. One socket just right sized to push one cap, and one socket large enough to receive the other cap. I've always preferred the vise to the drift punch because i tend to injure myself when hitting a punch with a hammer. (i actually can injure myself doing anything, but the hammer has got to be the worst) My father had a special set of tools for this, but they were basically just sockets without a hex ground into them. __________________ <signature> TSF is funded by our Admin's pocket, care to help? Power Tip: Subscribe to your thread (Thread Tools) to receive an instant email notification when you get a reply. New Members: Creating a single new thread in the correct section is the best way to assure your thread will receive a reply. </signature> Last edited by Volt-Schwibe; 04-23-2009 at 04:30 PM.