U joint help

97 4dr 4x4
i found a post on here about it, but i couldn't find very detalied how to
But i had the diff side u joint replaced and now the trans side u joint it going on the rear drive shaft. I don't really have the money to get it fixxed, due to the fact im in school and 400 miles from home. I called a shop and they said i just need to take the back u joint off so i can get the drive shaft out, I also should have the back of the car jacked up so no fluid comes out for the t-case then pop off the c-clips and hammer out the cups and just put the new ones in.

Is this going to be as easy as said on a truck w/ 115,000 miles on it and doing this in an empty parking lot with a small tool box. or will it be ok to drive back home in 2 weeks? Right now it sounds terrible when im driving

I did several UJ's on my Triumph TR6. The more that I did the better I got at doing them. Sometimes they took a bit of hammering but they weren't too bad to do. I expect that a good lump hammer will be required. I think that I used a socket as a drift. I used circlip pliars or small screwdrivers to get the circlips out.

If it gets tricky then I expect that you can take the removed shaft to a shop and get them to fit the uj. You should save quite a lot of labor costs that way.

I certainly wouldn't drive far with them until you get it fixed. A roadside breakdown will make your empty parking lot look like heaven.

In the old days we would mark the postion of the drive shaft againt the flange with a couple of marks using a file. It was always best to put it back in the same place in case of balancing issues. It is just something that I always do now. I imagine that the front of the prop shaft is splined into the gearbox from what you are saying.

Get the shaft out - see how you go. If you can't move the joints then you can take the shaft to a shop and they will do it for you I expect.

Hope that makes you feel better about the job. Don't forget the lump hammer.


Mark

Before you start go to a local autozone and get the ball joint press from their loan a tool program, you'll get your money back when you return it. It will make the job much easier and help prevent any damage that could be caused by beating on it. You just press the joint through until the plastic retainer snaps.

http://www.autozone.com/in_our_stores/loan_a_tool/steering_suspension/ball_joint_press.htm

OK i'll try to use a hammer 2-morro the closest autozone from here is about 40 miles. So i'll try the hammer 2-morro and if doesn't worrk i'll take the drive shaft to the autozone and try it there in there parking lot.
incase i would lose t-case fluid, how much can come out for me not to lose sleep over.

With the back end jacked up, with jack stands under it, you'll lose hardly any fluid. If you are going to use just a hammer, those caps may be really hard to pop. There is nylon injected into a groove around them. Usually you need to heat the joint with a torch to melt the nylon. It may be worth the trip to get the tool from auto-zone. It would still help to melt the nylon even with the press.

Heating them can weaken/distort the shaft and cause vibration issues and premature U-joint failure.

Heating them can weaken/distort the shaft and cause vibration issues and premature U-joint failure.

I read that in the one u joint post. I dont' have access to a torch as it is, and if i didn't i wouldn't chance messing up my drive shaft and be mroe SOL then i am now.

Take the drive shaft out by removing the 4 bolts holding the rear U-joint to the rear diff, push towards the front and it drops out so tape the caps on cause thats your good one. Pull the shaft out of the trans and take it into a local machine shop (most NAPAs have them) and they will sell you one about $15 and install for $20 more - easy and 1 box end wrench is all you need - plus a few rags or paper towels - student budget can handle that.

Well i went out looking today, The closet shop beside a chevy dealership is about 50 miles away. Im just gonna bite the bullet, The dealership said they would do it for me for 70 bux including the joint. I don't have the right tools to fix it, and im not gonna pull a mcgiver w/ what i have on somthing as importiant as the drive shaft. i got a 2 dollar scracth off loto ticket and it was a 75 dollar winner :grinyes: so, it was ment to be. Im preety much getting it fixed now for 2 bux thanks to the great state of PA. If i was home i would have deff. done this my self, But im not. Thanks any way for all urs guys help once again