Technical Rear U-joint retainers '55 Ford

Is there some special tool for unbolting the rear U-joint retainers on my '55 Ford. They appear to be 1/2" heads but I can't get any kind of open end or box end to grip them. They haven't been touched since about 1968.

 

If it's the Strap style instead of U-Bolt style, I believe the bolt heads were 3/8" not 1/2". I have never had to use anything that isn't normal in my Tool Box.

 

IIRC, those have a sheetmetal 'washer' under them with locking tabs that are bent up against the bolt heads. Clean off the bolts and bend the tabs away from the bolts. Then you can get a wrench on them...

 

I totally forgot about the Old Locks. One-piece locks 2 bolts. No lock washers as we know them.

 

the lock straps look like this. those tabs are bent up against the flats on the bolt. It'ds probably been 50 years since I change one of those.

 

and they're probably not "retainers", they're probably the bearings, with their mounting ears.

 

Yep, most expensive u-joint I think I have ever bought for a car...

 

Someone told me they were called “mechanics” style U-joints. They have been referenced here before..

 

Also referred to as bat wing style U joints.