U-joint puller

[alan camby]

Do you guys that work at dealers and Indy's use u-joint pullers or do you use a hammer, vise, and old sockets.
A friend asked if I had a U-joint puller he could borrow. I have never seen anyone use one.
I have always done the other tools I mentioned. Sometimes a torch was needed for factory u-joints that have the plastic retainer molded in.

 

[Loudpipes66]

Tiger tool u-joint puller is the only way to go on big trucks. I think you are talking about cars and pickups though, right?

 

[Professur]

Ball joint press and a propane torch.

 

[Cope]

Ball Joint press like the OTC. I have a vintage Snap on U joint press as well. There are several ways to do it, I used a couple of sockets and a vise or hammer many times.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... I just rotate the drive shaft, 'n put a hyd. jack under the yoke, 'n push against the weight of the truck,....

 

[L.Cheapo]

I don't work in a shop, but I keep busy maintaining my fleet of toys. I've used the vise method, the 20 ton press method, and the hammer method. This time, I bought a TigerTool, did the job in a fraction of the time, and kicked myself for not buying it earlier. Never going back!

 

[73 Mike]

I mostly do cars where the ears on the shafts tend to bend. The method I've learned to use is take a cutoff wheel and chop the neck of the joint. Sometimes you have to cut the neck on both sides. Once the body is removed, you use two sockets and a vice to remove the cap from each ear of the shaft. No bending because you're supporting the ear that you're pushing on.

I will look at the Tiger tool though. You can never have too many tools!

 

[jgorm]

Ball Joint press like the OTC. I have a vintage Snap on U joint press as well. There are several ways to do it, I used a couple of sockets and a vise or hammer many times.

I dont work at a shop, but the OTC ball joint press makes short work of u and ball joints. If you have to do more than a couple, then get the right too.

 

[logikal]

OTC Ball joint, until I found the tiger tool...greatest invention ever. Well for u-joints at least.

 

[devoncoolman]

Have a old snap-on ujoint press use this the most. Otc balljoint press. Snap-on bjp1 with ujoint adapter for all the big fords and dodges. Used a hammer, press, vice, torch. Can be done various ways. Sometimes compination of both depending on style and difficulty.

 

[rsanter]

large C clamp and a couple of sockets always worked for me

bob

 

[alan camby]

Is this the ball joint press that is being recommended as a ball joint and good compromise u-joint puller? Or is there a part number that includes more adapters that is recommended?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002SRGXY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

yes it is for automotive.

Friend is trying to get the u-joint out of a Yamaha grizzly ATV. Have not seen it but he said it is all jammed after doing whatever he has already done to the u-joint. I thought most of the Japanese atv's had CV for the driveshaft.

 

[toufue_yang17]

No point of wasting money on any of those tools. Set the ears on top of the vise and pound on the flange to get the caps out. And then set the u joint on top of the vise and pound the yoke. Takes less than 1 minute to pound 4 rusty caps off of a u joint rather than monkeying around with a tool.

 

[devoncoolman]

Is this the ball joint press that is being recommended as a ball joint and good compromise u-joint puller? Or is there a part number that includes more adapters that is recommended?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002SRGXY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

yes it is for automotive.

Friend is trying to get the u-joint out of a Yamaha grizzly ATV. Have not seen it but he said it is all jammed after doing whatever he has already done to the u-joint. I thought most of the Japanese atv's had CV for the driveshaft.

Yes thats the kit.

 

[shockwave]

Snap on bjp1 in you needs press but sockets and vise are how we do it at the shop

 

[justme-]

Ayuh,..... I just rotate the drive shaft, 'n put a hyd. jack under the yoke, 'n push against the weight of the truck,....

Perfect way to bend a yoke. Had a shop bend the yoke on one of our trucks - couldn't keep u-joints in for more than 6 months. Took a while to figure out the issue (couple years). New yoke problem fixed.

I've done the OTC Ball joint press, hydraulic press, and vice with sockets as a press and vice with sockets and a BFH.
Too much time on my back in the dirt has caused me to adopt another method - pull the shaft (or have my mechanic pull it since it's always a winter issue) and send the thing to a driveline specialty shop. I get it back with new US made joints and rebalanced for short money, then it's just reinstalling the shaft.

 

[AA/FC]

Perfect way to bend a yoke.

I take it you've never dealt with "push-out" style drive shafts on semi trucks? Some semi trucks have drive shafts/U-joints that are NOT held in with bolts and straps. The U-joint is pressed into the yoke on the rear diff, just like it's pressed into the yoke on the drive shaft. Using a jack is sometimes the ONLY way to remove the shaft.... even the tiger tool won't budge the U-joint sometimes.

 

[superchargedv8]

i just did some u joints on a 10 bolt gmc front differential and they were hands down the hardest ones I've ever done. Ive never had a problem with ujoints but i think the deal with these was that the ears on the axle actually point outwards instead of straight out so when you put the axle on the press it doesn't sit flush so the best method for me was to use the vise method and even still was a bit of a struggle since u joint seemed to be seized in place.

 

[RedneckWelder]

No point of wasting money on any of those tools. Set the ears on top of the vise and pound on the flange to get the caps out. And then set the u joint on top of the vise and pound the yoke. Takes less than 1 minute to pound 4 rusty caps off of a u joint rather than monkeying around with a tool.

I've used the hammer method in the past on other stuff but I just did the balljoints on my truck last week and used a ball joint press for extra care. Didn't take that long to do. I'd rather not take the chance of damaging/bending the ears.

 

[Cope]

In addition to the Snap on UJP-1 and the OTC BJ press, I have a Blue Point UJT1 U-joint tool. It requires a big vise, and does the job. I think it is out of production.

 

[littletoes]

Holy Cow!

I looked at the price of the Tiger, and decided my old Snappy was just FINE!

Although, like said above, don't forget to heat it up a bit with a torch, most truck u-joints have plastic inserts that lock 'em in place!

WHOO-HOO! Good news guys. I've an old snappy u-joint press, purchased in the 80's that had a bad screw. Tried to talk to a dealer 2 years ago to get it replaced. I was willing to buy a new screw, or whatever it took to get it in good working order, but the guy just didn't seem interested.

Ok....now, two years later, I call snap-on direct, and the guy on the phone tells me that screw isn't made any more, but they have a replacement and it should be here in a few days.

Talk about getting a guy in good mood! It's great to get a quality tool back in working order!

Thanks Snap-ON!!!

 

[L.Cheapo]

Holy Cow!

I looked at the price of the Tiger, and decided my old Snappy was just FINE!

Although, like said above, don't forget to heat it up a bit with a torch, most truck u-joints have plastic inserts that lock 'em in place!

WHOO-HOO! Good news guys. I've an old snappy u-joint press, purchased in the 80's that had a bad screw. Tried to talk to a dealer 2 years ago to get it replaced. I was willing to buy a new screw, or whatever it took to get it in good working order, but the guy just didn't seem interested.

Ok....now, two years later, I call snap-on direct, and the guy on the phone tells me that screw isn't made any more, but they have a replacement and it should be here in a few days.

Talk about getting a guy in good mood! It's great to get a quality tool back in working order!

Thanks Snap-ON!!!

Glad you were able to get the part you needed.

About the TigerTool: The reason it costs what it does is because it's a high quality, well made tool produced by good honest people in Canada. Since I couldn't find much information about it online, I contacted the manufacturer and was impressed with the prompt replies to my numerous questions before purchasing. Holding the tool in your hand, you can just feel the heft and quality of it. It worked flawlessly--almost made doing axle u-joints fun. Worth every penny to me. YMMV.

 

[littletoes]

Great pic L.Cheapo!

Do you have one that shows how the tool engages the u-joint? It's a tough looking tool, but I already have the press, and access to a large shop press-the easiest way by far to remove even the toughest u-joints!

 

[L.Cheapo]

Great pic L.Cheapo!

Do you have one that shows how the tool engages the u-joint? It's a tough looking tool, but I already have the press, and access to a large shop press-the easiest way by far to remove even the toughest u-joints!

Sorry, I don't have a picture of that. I was running out of daylight.

I'll explain it the best I can. There is a conical forging with a U-shaped lip that slips over the ear of the yoke on the shaft you're removing the joint from. That forging rides in a track on another forging, shaped like an upside-down letter U. The legs of the "U" have arc-shaped bottoms that ride on the yoke of the opposite shaft. Once you've removed the first two caps, those arc shaped ends then ride on the U-joint cross to press it out. There is a finely threaded pressure screw that you turn to press the caps out. The manufacturer says you can use an impact, but I prefer to use hand tools for feel and control--I'm just a hobbyist.

I've tried the other ways, but balancing the shaft, positioning sockets, and operating a hand-pump hydraulic press was way more difficult than using this tool. I would estimate removing each joint took less than 3-4 minutes, using hand tools.

Here's a youtube vid by the mfr showing the process:

 

[littletoes]

Holy Cow! That's a great video....

I'm re-thinking my thoughts...that DOES look easier than even a large shop press. Like you said, balancing the driveline just about takes two guys, with adapters.

Too expensive for my blood, with what I already have, but if I didn't have anything, this would be worth it, even if a guy had to make a couple of payments!

I'm into EASY!

 

[skylinegtr20]

For full plated U-Joints which must be done on the truck the "Tiger Tool" is the only way to go. For everything else hammer is the quickest way, the tiger tool works on them too just takes longer

 

[toufue_yang17]

I've used the hammer method in the past on other stuff but I just did the balljoints on my truck last week and used a ball joint press for extra care. Didn't take that long to do. I'd rather not take the chance of damaging/bending the ears.

It will take a lot to bend the ears. The caps will break before the ears will. I've rebuilt a lot of driveshafts and have yet to break 1 ear. 3R, 7290, 1310, 1330, 1350, 1410, 1480, SPL80, 1610, 1710, 1810, you name it. I've replaced them all before. The hardest ones to do were the 1480's series from a 1 ton cummins. They get rusty just like the front hubs.

Ball joints though, are something else.

 

[ttpete]

Holy Cow!

I looked at the price of the Tiger, and decided my old Snappy was just FINE!

Although, like said above, don't forget to heat it up a bit with a torch, most truck u-joints have plastic inserts that lock 'em in place!

WHOO-HOO! Good news guys. I've an old snappy u-joint press, purchased in the 80's that had a bad screw. Tried to talk to a dealer 2 years ago to get it replaced. I was willing to buy a new screw, or whatever it took to get it in good working order, but the guy just didn't seem interested.

Ok....now, two years later, I call snap-on direct, and the guy on the phone tells me that screw isn't made any more, but they have a replacement and it should be here in a few days.

Talk about getting a guy in good mood! It's great to get a quality tool back in working order!

Thanks Snap-ON!!!

And this time, lube that screw with synthetic EP grease. It'll last a lot longer.

 

[Shadowdog500]

I've used the hammer method plenty of Times as well as doing it on a HF 20ton press. Eventually When I get get an arbor press for my shop I plan to do them like this.

Chris

 

[Double J]

The Tiger Tool makes quick work of a U-joint when used with an impact.

 

[littletoes]

It will take a lot to bend the ears. The caps will break before the ears will. I've rebuilt a lot of driveshafts and have yet to break 1 ear. 3R, 7290, 1310, 1330, 1350, 1410, 1480, SPL80, 1610, 1710, 1810, you name it. I've replaced them all before. The hardest ones to do were the 1480's series from a 1 ton cummins. They get rusty just like the front hubs.

Ball joints though, are something else.

Oh yea! The hardest I've done were 1 ton cummins!

And this time, lube that screw with synthetic EP grease. It'll last a lot longer.

I do, the trick is NOT to loan it out to specific folks!

 

[justme-]

I take it you've never dealt with "push-out" style drive shafts on semi trucks?

you are absolutely correct - worked on 1/2 to 3 tons growing up. Biggest things I've worked on truck wise is a Mercedes Unimog (I was more helper) and our shop truck Fuso FG450. Nothing class 8. thanks for explaining about those - hope I don't have to deal with them. I got passed over for a job starting in a local Penske 2 years ago.


I like the tiger tool for pulling them - never knew they made one for smaller size joints. the only size I see in catalogs in for medium and heavy duty size joints. I don't really see a reason to replace my OTC with one of those but if I ever needed to I sure would.

 

[littletoes]

http://www.tradeindia.com/fp828618/Universal-Joint-Cross.html