Toyota u-joint problem

[Toolhorder]

Anyone a hum dinger at replacing Toyota truck driveline u-joints?

I'm having "issues" replacing mine. I have an 87 1 ton Toyota truck and the rear shaft has a bad u joint. It's got a lot of play and looks rusty even. I got the driveline out and used a Snap-on master u-joint/ball joint press.
I hope it's good at ball joints cause I'm less than impressed with the u-joint pressing performance.
First the instructions in the kit tell you to press off the platform part off the yoke that bolts the driveline in. Okay problem #1 is the platform part is tapered at an angle so good luck getting the other side of the tool to "hold" the other side so you can press with the other side. It goes sideways and just pisses you off. I managed to get it to play ball and I pressed the u-joint needle cup all the way through on the inside but the outside it's about halfway through. Can't remove the needle cap from either end. Pressed it back in.
Decided I'd remove the yoke side and deal with the other side on a vise. No luck same problem.
So I'm thinking I have to grab the needle cap on the outside somehow and try and remove it? The press presses it all the way until the cross part of the u joint hits the inside of the yoke. Can't go any further with it.

I'm not exactly jumping into the air and saying "I love what you do for meee, Toyota!"

 

[toolmaker1]

Yep on my yota I just pressed out till the yoke hits and grab the cup from the outside(it should be sticking out a bit) with my 460's and twist the **** out of it till it comes out. Then press the yoke the other way and repeat.

 

[evildky]

I know on the datsuns the U joints are staked in and it's generally recomended to replace teh shaft, or have a new one made that uses standard snap fit U joints, thats what i did

 

[Toolhorder]

Yep on my yota I just pressed out till the yoke hits and grab the cup from the outside(it should be sticking out a bit) with my 460's and twist the **** out of it till it comes out. Then press the yoke the other way and repeat.

Ahh okay then. She's pretty rusty but the inner c clip slot is visible on the outside now so it's probably just in need of a little help. Maybe it's just because this one is so effed up.

What a 460 anyway?

 

[Buckgnarly]

Ahh okay then. She's pretty rusty but the inner c clip slot is visible on the outside now so it's probably just in need of a little help. Maybe it's just because this one is so effed up.

What a 460 anyway?

Probably means Channellock 460s.

I've given up on old u joints, torch them out now. Broke an ear on a Ranger, had to get a new outer stub...thing was 18yrs of living in VT, now way it was going to be pressed out. Of course I'm sure a CA u joint looks nothing like a good old rusted in New England joint!

 

[Steevo]

Once I have the bearing cup hanging out the side of the yoke, I usually grab the cup in a vise and twist the yoke off of the cup.

 

[Toolhorder]

Okay maybe I was expecting too much from the tool then.

 

[Toolhorder]

Jesus Christ I've been working on this over an hour now and just barely got one needle cap out and I had to break it with a chisel just to get that far. I can push them all the way out almost no problem but the last little bit they won't come out. I used channel locks, vise grips, heat, PBblaster, lots of muscle and the SOB's won't come out. I'm just going to call a damn driveline shop this **** is ridiculous.

 

[tcsalvage]

when you push them through make sure the u-joint is square at the end of the driveshaft, if it is cocked slightly it will not push as far. if they don't push through all the way lock the cap in a vice and twist and pry it out. start the opposite cap back through the hole and press it through and lock cap in vice to remove the same way. some of them can be buggers to get out.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

This?

http://www.tigertool.com/product/20...4-81ae-7521-650f0d50e162&sortBy=DisplayOrder&

 

[toolmaker1]

Ahh okay then. She's pretty rusty but the inner c clip slot is visible on the outside now so it's probably just in need of a little help. Maybe it's just because this one is so effed up.

What a 460 anyway?

yep 460's are the big *** channelocks. one step down from the biggest they make (480)

 

[toolmaker1]

Also if you gently hold the shaft in the vice you can tap on the yoke around the cup as you twist it out. I feel your pain, u-joints can be a real S.O.B anywhere they use roadsalt. Luckily I've got to the point with my old dodge I have done them so many times I can usually get them done in no time even with my (cough,cough) chinese ball joint press. I will say that the snapon with the locking cups like you have sure looks like the cat's *** but I can't swallow the price on it for the amount I use one.

 

[Toolhorder]

When I called the driveline shop they said $25 an end to change them. Seems like a hell of a deal so I dropped it off.

When I dropped it off he said that's how these yotas are. He said the ears are tapered so you can't get a press to sit flat on the ear and it pushes the needle cap sideways causing it to jam.
Lesson learned.
He said American trucks no problem I could do them easily with my Snap on press kit. He said that Toyota is a PITA.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

On a Toyota, clamp the BJP1 in a vise and then press them out. I modified a receiver cup by putting a bevel on it to match the ears and they come right out.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

I use a hammer

 

[metaleltr]

Torch and an air hammer has never failed me. If you ever do any late model gm u joints heat is mandatory because the factory caps are bonded in place with an adhesive that requires heat to remove. When sufficient heat has been attained the adhesive will ooze out of a hole in the yoke ear.

 

[Knuckle Buster]

I use a hammer

+1.

 

[Brentocool]

A good vise,Big hammer,2 sockets, Period..

 

[bgott]

Torch and an air hammer has never failed me. If you ever do any late model gm u joints heat is mandatory because the factory caps are bonded in place with an adhesive that requires heat to remove. When sufficient heat has been attained the adhesive will ooze out of a hole in the yoke ear.

I like to set 'em on the floor and heat 'em up and shoot 'em across the shop!

 

[GoBlue]

This calls for the torch wrench

 

[TheFarmer]

I use a hammer

Same here. I find a cheap socket that fits over the needle cap and just pound them out one by one in the proper order to get 'em off the yoke and shaft. On the real rusty ones, they can take quite a beating until it will start to give.

 

[Toolhorder]

You guys just don't know. I used a BFH, sockets, press kit, induction heater (better than a torch and no flames or char marks) and still nothing. Seriously I spent 2 hours on it and got one cap out. I tried mounting the Snappy press in a vise. The taper of the yoke just makes the press **** eye the cap out. I tried the tapered adapter too. I don't have anything to modify to make it work better. Snappy needs to come out with a better adapter. I'm interested in the one you made if you want to post up a pic Georgia.


Driveline guy also said the one u-joint is so bad that he wasn't surprised I had trouble with it. Also said putting a torch or any kind of heat is asking for trouble on the yoke ears.

 

[diesel research]

The ujoint I work with the most is a Spicer SPL250, it seems to have a lot in common with that smaller yota joint.

Pushing the cross won't fully push out the caps since it bottoms out. Even our hydraulic press is practically worthless for the task and often doesn't have enough force.

I use a tigertool pusher like the one pictured above (but much bigger) Since it pushes the cap square, I can easily pop the cap out by hand, pliers, chisel, air hammer.

Once it gets cocked, you are screwed, just as you found out. That tigertool requires some serious turning torque though, it laughs at MG725s and ir2135timaxs. Well, I mean the larger version I use.

 

[BTI]

Toolhorder - I just did all 3 in the shaft of my 1-ton.
I feel your pain...they are a major PITA
I still have my stubborn vibration.
Good luck!!!

BTI

 

[Toolhorder]

Just an update. Just picked up my drive line from the driveline shop. The total was $105 and for that they removed my stuck u-joints from the driveshaft, replaced them with new spicer u-joints w/zerk fittings so I can actually grease them unlike the original ones, then the balanced/weighted the shaft and painted it in black so fresh and so clean.
I'm a happy camper. $105 isn't **** when you include the parts. I don't know how the stay in business on that labor charge.
They're getting all my business from now on and when I open my shop anything giving me trouble will be going to these guys.

 

[Toolhorder]

Toolhorder - I just did all 3 in the shaft of my 1-ton.
I feel your pain...they are a major PITA
I still have my stubborn vibration.
Good luck!!!

BTI

You have a 1-ton Toyota truck too?