Removing a u-joint without a press?

How the hell can I remove a u-joint without having a press? I've almost got my rear end swap done, but I need to get the old tiny 53 u-joint out and we have no press. Is it even possible? Big fuckin' hammer?

 

I use a big socket a little socket & a vice. You'll have to figure out the rest. But it aint hard.

Billy

 

beat me to it. the soclet trick in the vise!!

 

a c clamp would work also if you don't have a vise.

 

I've always used the socket, and vise trick. presses are a luxury item for a Po' Boy. A big C clamp would work,with help from a friend. good luck, sparky

 

I thought a vice WAS a press?
A Horizontal Press..!

 

Just used the "horizontal press" on my fiancee's Blazer a week ago. It was nice to be back in the garage, even if it was working on a late model.

 

The vice is just barely too small to fit the driveshaft and a socket in it......and my buddy already broke a c-clamp trying that. Looks like I'm screwed for tonight......

 

We usta pop tire beads with a bumper jack, under the bumper, using the weight of the car...I wonder if that'd work on a U joint?

No guarantees on that proceedure..!

 

we even tried to devise a way to do it using the port-a-power and the shop forklift, that didn't work either!

 

i see you have one of those "tire macines" too

 

i just used a hammer and a socket and a 2x4....

 

my method is pretty primitive but works for me, I use a hammer and an old socket that fits close as possible to the Ujoint and set the end of the driveshaft I'm working on over a 2X4 and wallop the crap out of them with a hammer til they come out, I use the wood cause its got some give and won't ruin the driveshaft itself

 

but don' force it.......i mean at least use a big enough hammer. lol!! seriously it should work just make sure you support it well before you 'go to beatin on it

''

 

haha i dont feel dumb anymore

 

Me either! And when that fails, you can take that 2x4 and smash it to bits on the garage floor ......jump in the car, take it to your local machine shop and have them pop it off. Most will do it for free as a courtesy to a fellow rodder. Most I've ever paid was 5 bones for his time. Big whoop dee doo!
xxx
Brandy

 

its hard to drive without a drive shaft....

 

And I guess you already removed the inner c clip or outer ones. Not trying to be a smartass, just I've had guys in my shop pounding the shit outta a ujoint with no progress. Take off the c clip and wow!
The socket/ hammer/ wood will work.
If you have the plastic bound ones (those are fun) you have to heat them with a torch so the plastic pops out. Then the joint comes apart.

If you have an air hammer/ chisel, go to town. Its my preferred method now that I think of it.

 

I worked in a driveshaft shop for 2 years, lay the cross of the u joint across the vise, lay the driveshaft on the bench, hit the yoke with a hammer the cups will come right out.

 

i was gonna say something like that. just tap around the yoke sorta lightly and the cap should vibrate out (don't hit it so hard as to throw it off balance).

 

Doing UJ's yaself is OK as long as the cups are held in by a circlip or a c-clip, if they are staked in (that means theres 6-8 small dents in the centre of the yoke hole where the cup goes into) they have to be done by a proper engineering shop unless you are really confident you can get the universal joint, dead smack centre of the yoke before you stake it.

I would say if you don't feel 100% about it, the best idea would be to take it to a eng. shop and get them to do it and it is not a big job (read- not expensive) for some pro to do as long as the old UJ hasnt rusted into the yoke.

Most car repairs anyone can do at home but others for the sake of reliablity and safety is best left to pros. A driveshaft coming loose at 60 plus mph aint a pretty thing especially if its the front uj thats come apart!!! it digs into the asphalt and leaves a nasty dent in your ass, not to mention other things.

 

i use the same system as racer..been doing it the same way for 40 years!.you can use the ball joint press that they sell OTC etc.lot of guy have them for ball joints and didn"t know that they can press u joints..

 

Use a nut in place of the small socket, it's not as tall.

If your vise is still too small for the nut and the big socket, hacksaw a piece of tubing or pipe so that you have a short ring about the same diameter of the big socket you would use.

Big trick is getting the U-joint moving.
Once you've done that and the vise is out of room, use a drift or big bolt you don't care about and tap the U-joint the rest of the way out.
(A slightly longer ring of tubing or pipe makes a nice anvil, set it on the floor, set the driveshaft yoke on the tubing ring, and tap away.)