U Joint replacement

[I Leak Oil]

I worship you Max! Not everyone can say they've been banned from Advanced Auto! Those stores suck...

[SafeAirOne]

I worship you Max! Not everyone can say they've been banned from Advanced Auto! Those stores suck...

I'm on a self-imposed ban from Advance Auto.

Funny, I was thinking---they were probably using a vise that they bought at Advance Auto. They must be really angry about the breakage since they can't order another one because they dont know the year, make and model vehicle that it came from.

[TJR]

U joints used to be pain to do since I only decent vise I had that would open far enough to use sockets etc. was an old blacksmoth type vise. Plenty strong but when open real wide the jaws faces were no longer parallel. SO.. I borrowed this tool

http://www.amazon.com/OTC-7249-Ball-Joint-Service/dp/B0002SRGXY

from a friend. I used it once and then bought my own. ( I piad at least 20% more 10+ years ago from local Autoparts store.) . UJ's have been a snap ever since. IT's simple to used and super strong.

..Talbot

[LaneRover]

I'm on a self-imposed ban from Advance Auto.

Funny, I was thinking---they were probably using a vise that they bought at Advance Auto. They must be really angry about the breakage since they can't order another one because they dont know the year, make and model vehicle that it came from.

Nice!

[Cutter]

I successfully swapped out the u joint on the sliding yoke end, it wasn't too bad but definitely took a few hours...glad I waited. Once I got one cap out the other didn't want to go back in straight to be pushed out the other side. I think I shaved a tiny slice off of the inner yoke way at the start pressing it in and getting it aligned which is unfortunate but the joint is in and quite smooth. Now that I understand how it works and is done, I think I'll take the other end to the shop down the street and see how much they want to pop it and replace. If too much or they aren't able, I'll dedicate the time to do that end, hopefully it will proceed quicker.

[Cutter]

well it certainly goes faster the second time! thanks for all the comments. I unfortunately dislodged a needle bearing on one of the cups not sure how..... So I ordered another u joint and will start over as I'm pretty sure I bent the bugger when I was pressing it in. Knew something was wrong when it wouldn't seat all the way.

Ah learning on rovers is fun, frustrating and not an inexpensive hobby. I took pictures of the whole process I went through so I might post for other beginners such as myself, up until that last 5 minutes it was easy and took 30 minutes to pop the old ones, clean and seat the new ones.

[I Leak Oil]

Ata boy!

[albersj51]

A write up would be great for those of us not familiar with it!!

[Terrys]

Next one you do, pack the cups with wheel bearing grease before you fit them. That will keep the needles in position. That's why I said to take the zerk out first; so as you're pressing them in, the grease is forced out the zerk fitting hole.

[Cutter]

Next one you do, pack the cups with wheel bearing grease before you fit them. That will keep the needles in position. That's why I said to take the zerk out first; so as you're pressing them in, the grease is forced out the zerk fitting hole.

I actually did, I filled them up about 2/3, enough that I got happy play doh jets of grease out the hole. I think I just happened to knock it hard enough to dislodge one. the yokes are slightly tapered so when I was pressing I had to tap things around to make sure they were going in straight. When I have a chance I'll post the process, probably not tonight.

[Cutter]

Universal Joints for the uninitiated (me)

Here's my verbose and perhaps too detailed write up. I did the removal once the hard way and once the easy way. The hard way (figuring out the easy way but with hammers and cursing) took 2 hours to pull one U joint. The easy way took 10-15 minutes. This of course will depend on the condition of the joints as well; mine were maintained decently so they weren't seized or rusted. Since the green bible has a less than helpful series of instructions, here's my brief walk through; I am a complete newbie to rovers and most automotive mechanical work, so this is what I would have liked to see before I started. I'll assume starting with the complete axle on the bench. Tools I used, note that the U joints are different sizes for the different years, my 74 109 has the largest size:

• vice or press of some sort, with around 7" opening
• circlip remover or needle nose if you are a masochist like me
• a socket with an outside diameter that will fit within the yoke races- a 3/4" fit well on mine
• a socket large enough to accept the bearing cap (the shiny bit-if you are lucky- on the ends of each arm of the spider - the + shaped bit) inside it- 1- 1/16" worked here
• some hammers just in case things start taking too long
• some wheel bearing grease
• pliers or a 5/16 socket to pull the grease fittings

The green bible does a decent job describing the removal of the sliding member, and removal of the circlips/grease fitting. Right at step 8 where things get interesting it bails out and says tap the yoke to eject the bearing cups. Proper.

1. Start with the sliding member end as it is smaller and easier to work with the first time around. Open up your vice/press and position the smaller socket on one side of the joint and the larger on the other, ensuring that the bearing cap will clearly slide into the socket when pushed through. These photos show the joint already half apart, it made for an easier to see things but is the same process.

note that the yoke is angled and therefore the larger socket is not parallel to the u-joint. I was able to use a spacer to straighten this out but its not shown here. It helps to have everything aligned to get things in/out straight, though it takes care of itself once its in a ways.

2. Slowly tighten the vice and the caps/spider should start to slide out, if if binds or the resistance changes, back off and make sure everything is straight. I pushed until the cap being pushed inward was almost out but still seated in the way. On my joint, that bearing cap had to be pushed back out the other way, on others it may be possible to free it from within the yoke arms, not sure.

3. Since these are destined for the bin, I used a vice to clamp down on the cap that was 3/4 of the way out and pulled it free spinning back and forth.



4. Place the smaller socket into the yoke where the cap was just removed, and back into the press, pushing against the spider so the other cap backs out until the spider hits the inner yoke. Then you should be able to slide the spider back out of the cap and remove from it from the yoke, separating the joint halves. I then pushed the cap back in and out the interior of the yoke arm.


and

spider out, and

pushing it all the way back through

5. You probably should take note of the orientation of the yokes as you take them apart so when they are reassembled the go back the same way. Repeat the above on the other axis of the joint. Here's a shot of the old wooly spider next the new replacement, with the new and old caps in the background



6. I dumped the yokes in degreaser and cleaned things up, be sure to scrape out the gunk from the circlip grooves. some will repaint etc but I prefer the natural protection of 90w oil that is constantly sprayed around the undercarriage.



nice and clean



7. Reassembly is pretty much the same process in reverse. As mentioned in this thread earlier by Terrys, be sure to put a good glob of grease into each cap and make sure all the needle bearing are seated properly- and leave the grease fitting off. Put the spider into the yoke arms, with the hole for the grease fitting facing away from the flange. Put the two caps in position and press them in, ensuring they are going in straight. It may be easier to do one at a time to ensure they are straight, but you'll have to deal with the angled yoke side.



8. Go slow and if you encounter any change in resistance stop and check that you haven't dislodged a needle bearing- I did despite gobs of grease because I banged the thing accidentally and bent the needle pressing. You shouldn't feel any grating or resistance when the joint is all seated, if you do something probably isn't right.

9. only push until the cap reaches the inner edge of the circlip groove, otherwise you have to push it back in the other direction which is time better spent on the internet.



10.Repeat this on the other caps and voila, a new U joint.

[stomper]

Have you ever thought about writing a section for the Rovers North News? Great write-up! Coincidently, I happened upon a similar write-up on U-joint replacements in an old issue of Land Rover Enthusiast last night. I honestly feel yours is better than the published version.

[Cutter]

Ha thanks but I think I need a few years wrenching before I qualify. Hopefully the next guy in my shoes will search and find this and it will be of some use. Got the driveshaft in yesterday am and it is great, no more noise from the joints when coming to a stop.

[Hawaii_SIII]

I've started replacing my U joints. Thanks cutter for posting the great pictures and step by step description.

[matthamilton]

Great write-up!!!!