<rant>

Ok... so whoever designed that piece of **** nylon pin lock at GM deserves a "worst idea ever" prize.

Seriously, how could anyone think that having that nylon **** was a good idea?

I just finished swapping a u-joint for a new yoke, and holy **** that took WAY WAY longer than it should for a simple U-joint swap. BTW I am so not looking forward to the other TWO U-joints in the back of the driveshaft.

</rant>

 

That's why you take a torch to the old ones. That way that sh*t just oozes out. Followed by a BFH.

 

X2, heat the area around the ujoint caps and the plastic just oozes out. Those pins have held for how long...? I'd say that's pretty good.

 

I probably should have followed through with the BFH, I uses two.
After both sides are melted out, I set the round end of a medium pall peen
hammer on the cap of the joint, and give it some persuasion with a 3lb. short sledge. If you can support the driveshaft in say a vise, all the more better.
Once you get it started, you can use an old socket to punch it down until you get the cap to pop out the other side.

 

I'd say the factory U-Joints were an awesome design for the times. I just recently changed both in my 76 in which were original that lasted 145,000 miles.
I doubt very much the new greasable moog ones will last that long.
Btw I pulled the driveshaft out and brought it to my local mechanic to remove and replace both.
Unsure of the cost of the U-joints, However for $125.00 out the door I was happy to let them do the job.

 

+1.

- Eric

 

Back in the 80s I didn't have a torch so I just used a hammer and a socket to pound them out. Seriously deformed that socket and it became my "u-joint changing tool" that I still have today.

 

I don't know of anyone that was ever able to pound their way through one of those plastic clips without destroying something.

 

What's the one that, if you heat it, it will blow something across the room? U joint with a zerk fitting?

 

I don't heat them any more. I have a 2 inch tall piece of pipe that the U joint cup will fit in. I set one end of the drive shaft on it and the other end of the drive shaft on a 2x4. Have one person hold the ball end of a ball-peen hammer on the cup and another person with a BFH to hit the other hammer. Only takes one hard solid hit and it brakes the plastic. Use quality hammers...

 

Yeah I heated the crap out of it until that **** started oozing out, then hammered it out, but not before something made a loud bang like a gunshot. The torch must've burned something in there.

I like easy things. Like popping a c-clip, then pressing out the joints, no impact, no torching. Easy. Reusable if you might.