Rear U-Joint Cap(s) Removal

[daspyderman]

'92 CK1500, 2WD... alright, i give in! been trying everything (i can think of anyways) to get the caps removed on my rear u-joint. 170k on the truck and it's never been replaced, they are rusted solid... tried pressing with c-clamp and oversized socket on other side (ended up bending clamp), freezing lubricant/overnite soak, torched, read about plastic melted in to hold caps in place by GM... drilled out (couldn't burn/melt afterwards cause the cheap torch head from a_zone quit after one use). Tried knocking out w/ hammer but nothing budging. Give in to the Buffalo rust gods or any other suggestions please?

[maxwedge]

Heat em up with a decent torch, careful don't go to far here and distort the shaft.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by daspyderman

'92 CK1500, 2WD... alright, i give in! been trying everything (i can think of anyways) to get the caps removed on my rear u-joint. 170k on the truck and it's never been replaced, they are rusted solid... tried pressing with c-clamp and oversized socket on other side (ended up bending clamp), freezing lubricant/overnite soak, torched, read about plastic melted in to hold caps in place by GM... drilled out (couldn't burn/melt afterwards cause the cheap torch head from a_zone quit after one use). Tried knocking out w/ hammer but nothing budging. Give in to the Buffalo rust gods or any other suggestions please?

a small hand held turbo propane torch which can be had at a plumbing supply/homedepot store...you heat until the plastic bubbles then drive out...be careful not to bend the ears....

[rockwood84]

go to walmart and get the red bottle in the propane section and it will heat it up then use a socket that will just fit the inside of the driveshaft holes for the cups. one good tap should loosen the cup .then drive it thru and this will push the other side out.

[daspyderman]

duh, didnt realize that injected plastic went all the way around the joint caps... anyways, i heated again, this time a little more intense heat and the plastic bubbled right out, the caps came out with a few taps and all set now. sometimes the first time takes more work than the next 10 times!

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by daspyderman

duh, didnt realize that injected plastic went all the way around the joint caps... anyways, i heated again, this time a little more intense heat and the plastic bubbled right out, the caps came out with a few taps and all set now. sometimes the first time takes more work than the next 10 times!

this is how I first found this easy job ...these plastic retainers need a good amount of heat [in a small area] to allow the removal...
with the correct tools and technic this is very easy..