Frozen rear ujoint - tricks to freeing it?

[I_Publius]

I am working at the moment on replacing my rear ujoint on my m1009.

I have tried every trick I know of and it is not popping out. Can anybody suggest any other way to unfreeze the old one, so I can put in the new one tonight?

I currently have it in a vice grip and am trying to pound out with a socket and sledgehammer. It is not coming out.

Any better tricks?

 

[porkysplace]

A press.

 

[I_Publius]

I am trying to use the big vice grip this way and will see if I can press it out.

 

[I_Publius]

Dang!!! I broke my vice grip!

 

[porkysplace]

You beat on it long enough you will bend the ears on the drive shaft .

 

[Nuke113]

Wow never seen a vise break like that, never had one stuck that bad only thing I can think of is heat it up and try a bigger hammer. Best of luck to you.

 

[I_Publius]

I'm going to the parts store tomorrow and see if they have a press i can borrow. I DEFINITELY do not want to bend it!

 

[DieselBob]

Just a thought. But if that is the original “U” joint than GM used a injected plastic to lock it in place. A dead give away is the fact that there is no internal or external clip to remove. The only way to remove them is to heat each ear of the yoke enough to soften the plastic and press/drive it out while the plastic is still soft.

 

[I_Publius]

I thought those old vise's were supposed to be tough.

 

[I_Publius]

Maybe hearing it up IS the trick. But, using what type of heating tool? Butane torch?

Here are more pics of the problem ujoint.

 

[antennaclimber]

Diesel Bob is right.

Heat it up first.

 

[I_Publius]

And here i thought this would be an easy Friday night project! Ugggg.....

I'm betting a lighter wont heat it enough.

 

[DieselBob]

Nothing to fancy. A plain old butane/MAP torch will do. Heat it just enough that the plastic starts to ooze from the injection holes and you should be able to drive/press it out.

 

[I_Publius]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

 

[firefox]

If the originals have the plastic injected into them to make them stay,
How do you get the replacements to stay? I am assuming that they are made so you can use the
ones with the insertable clips, right?
Bruce

 

[I_Publius]

Great question.

I know the replacement i bought has clips. It might not work.

 

[misupratwin]

The little nubs sticking out each side of the ears is the nylon. At my shop we just heat them with a torch, the nylon inside will melt and ooze out. Don't get it to hot or t
he grease will blow a cap off.

Firefox, the new u joint will use inside clips to hold it together. when the u joint is installed there will be a groove in the cap that will be on the inside, the little c clips will snap in and hold it.

 

[Skinny]

The replacements have clips on the inside of the joint cap. Use heat and a hammer, impacts to the joint work best. DO NOT use a press. You will end up bending the ears or busting the shaft. I have a very fancy snap-on ujoint press...never used it. Never something I recommend but a BFH and some junk sockets are the best methods.

 

[cliffyp]

The auto part stores that loan tools have a ball joint / U joint press. Works real quick. I was using the one Oreilly's loans out earlier today.

 

[porkysplace]

Just a thought. But if that is the original “U” joint than GM used a injected plastic to lock it in place. A dead give away is the fact that there is no internal or external clip to remove. The only way to remove them is to heat each ear of the yoke enough to soften the plastic and press/drive it out while the plastic is still soft.

Forgot about GM doing that with the plastic .