nonhog

Is there c clips on both sides of the u-joint?
I have the shaft out and I've been wearing my readers but I see no clip that I can get ahold of to remove. I have a ball joint press as well as my trusty vise. I don't want to start pressing and screw something up.
Please help! My 65 is up on stands partly sticking out the garage door.
Nice planning ahead huh?

Its been 15 years and I swear it was easy on my Chevelle.

MDchanic

I can't vouch for your '65, but I think they're all the same - one clip on each cup, on the INSIDE of the fork (to keep centrifugal force from flinging them out), usually completely buried in grease and crud.

Probe around with a screwdriver to see if you can find an end.
It's also possible that some previous owner could have had trouble getting the cups in all the way, and left one clip off - I just did one like that; the PO had fashioned a "clip" from sheet metal because he couldn't get the cup seated and the proper clip wouldn't fit .

- Eric

droldsmorland

Agreed with Eric. Unless your pinion yoke has the locating tabs/ears on the outside of the yoke cups it will need the "C" clips, clipped on to the bearing cups of the u-joint. This keeps the u-joint centered in the yoke, otherwise how could you get it centered? It would definitely vibrate at speed. I like to see the clips open end favor the saddle straps. Use blue removable loctite on the cleaned saddle bolts and torque to spec.

nonhog

Thanks guys you were right. I get the idea I was thinking the furthest outer piece (the clip) was part of the cup. So its late and I had to wrap it up. Now to get the part way cup all the way out. Ideas? LOL Man I am out of brain power tonight.

nonhog

ps no rush I pushed it in, I tried vise grips on the cup sticking out but no matter how tight I thought they were they spun.

MDchanic

Usually once I get the cup to where it won't move out any further, I can manipulate the cross out of the yoke, then hit the inside of the yoke with a hammer and drift.

- Eric

droldsmorland

You need to drive the ujoint out as far as possible until it contacts the inside of the yoke on the shaft. At that point the cup should be hanging out enough to wiggle it out with vice grips. Try whacking the ujoint on either cup (the two not in pressed in the shaft) with a hammer, not so hard you distort the yoke. You may have to do the same thing to the opposite cup. Once the cups are out of the way the ujoint will come out.
To install: Clean the driveshaft yoke. Next pull each cap and coat the needle bearings with a good coat of high quality chassis grease so they are less likely to fall out when assembling. But not too much that it pushes out of the cup. I know it will already have assembly grease in it but I always put more of my own high quality stuff in there.
Next, hand fit the first cup into the driveshaft enough that it doesn’t fall out, then insert the ujoint into that cup keeping everything from moving then insert the opposite cup. Now you have to juggle everything up into the vice. Place a socket of a slightly smaller diameter of the cup and partially drive both cups in with the vice. Now its critical that you insure the ujoints lining up with both cups. Gently move the joint so its inserted partially in both cups and centered before driving it home with the vice. You’re checking for alignment and if any needle bearings have slipped out. Once you’re sure it’s lined up and the needles are all in place drive the cups all the way in and install the clips if it has any.
Check to see that the ujoint moves nice and smooth. If it feels like its binding tap on the ujoint with a drift in one direction then the other on the installed cups until it moves smoothly. Its too tight if its binding. Don’t forget to keep things clean and grease it if it grease able.
Or do what I do and take it to the local driveshaft shop and have them do it. Takes them 10 min! I’ve learned it aint worth my time now-a-days.
Use Spicer or Precision ujoints if avaliable, superior quality.

nonhog

Took much more time than I hoped. Had to press back and forth a few times till the cups would spin with the vise grips. Oh well. As things are now. The Mrs. being out of work project money comes slow. Hope next time we will have 2 incomes and I'll farm it out.
Thanks all for the reply's.
Next I have to lift the car back up and install the shaft. At the same time I sawed off the nasty resonator and muffler. Not ready to install my Pypes set up yet so I'll temp up an exhaust of some sort. But not in the drivetrain area.