Universal Joint Problem

[mscribellito]

I was taking the T5 out of a 95 5.0 Mustang this afternoon. Anyways, my 1/2 universal decided to quit on me, i had a backup but it's still frustrating. It is a Craftsman, so I am going to take it back to the store tomorrow. It is still intact, but will no longer accept a ratchet or extension. Weirdest thing I have ever seen. Any ideas on what could have happened? I hope they still have some Made in USA ones left!

 

[OEXL16B]

It is still intact, but will no longer accept a ratchet or extension.

Is there something wrong with the female square drive end of the universal?

 

[mscribellito]

That's what I think. It was working fine then it just quit. Still looks square to me. I've got about 5 1/2 drive ratchets and a handful of 1/2 extensions of various brands and none work, so maybe it got twisted somehow...

 

[smothers33]

Does it fit onto as ratchet but just slide off or not fit at all. If it just slides off then you could've chipped off a bit right by the detent. If it doesn't fit onto a ratchet it could've bent

 

[pipsters]

At my local store those are still US made. I've swapped 'em out no questions asked when they get floppy and worn away. That being said I bought impact grade ones for normal use now, only use chrome now when the impacts can't flex enough.

 

[d_rock]

I use craftsmen in my home garage, but not there uni-sockets anymore. Nothing but problems with them so I got a set of snap-ons off the truck at work for home.

 

[OEXL16B]

This is a regular chrome universal we're talking about, not impact, correct?

 

[HaroRider]

If it is chrome perhaps you used it on an impact?

 

[TwoInch]

im not sure i understand what the problem is he is having.

what do you mean it wont accept a ratchet? the male square on the ratchet wont go into the female square in the universal? i have broken the pins, but never anything like you are explaining.

the only thing i can think is that you may have hammed on it with the square drive barely in the female, and it tweeked it out of "square"

 

[TwoInch]

pictures?

 

[TwoInch]

and i believe the universals are all still USA. the stores here locally still have GK series stuff, which is at very least 2 or 3 years old NOS

 

[mscribellito]

im not sure i understand what the problem is he is having.

what do you mean it wont accept a ratchet? the male square on the ratchet wont go into the female square in the universal? i have broken the pins, but never anything like you are explaining.

the only thing i can think is that you may have hammed on it with the square drive barely in the female, and it tweeked it out of "square"

Correct. The female part of the universal would not accept a ratchet or extension anymore. I was torquing down a bolt on the top of the bell housing so it's possible I wasn't fully inserted and may have twisted out of square. Exchanged it at Sears with no questions asked and the new u-joint was USA made.

 

[TwoInch]

cool. i swapped a craftsman 1/2 uni about a week ago and got GK series. what was yours?

 

[4x4gearhead]

I broke one a few months ago on my 1/2 torque wrench, and it actually distorted the female side like you have described, it was actually really hard to get the female half off of my torque wrench, I had to pry it off with a bar. I bought a snap on on and have yet to snap it. I just dont enjoy hitting myself with a 1/2 torque wrench

 

[mscribellito]

cool. i swapped a craftsman 1/2 uni about a week ago and got GK series. what was yours?

I believe it was the GK series as well.

I broke one a few months ago on my 1/2 torque wrench, and it actually distorted the female side like you have described, it was actually really hard to get the female half off of my torque wrench, I had to pry it off with a bar. I bought a snap on on and have yet to snap it. I just dont enjoy hitting myself with a 1/2 torque wrench

How does the size of the Craftsman differ from the size of the Snap-On?

 

[TwoInch]

I broke one a few months ago on my 1/2 torque wrench, and it actually distorted the female side like you have described, it was actually really hard to get the female half off of my torque wrench, I had to pry it off with a bar. I bought a snap on on and have yet to snap it. I just dont enjoy hitting myself with a 1/2 torque wrench

FWI - you may know this already, but using a universal joint with a torque wrench will mess with your actual torque applied, considerably, and erratically depending on the angle the universal is on. straight up is okay, uni at any angle, no good.