Ive got a popping sound that happens when I back up the truck and Im pretty sure its a universal. I found one at the back of the driveshaft that looks a bit old so I tried to pop it out for replacement. Getting the straps off was easy, but the other ends were stuck in the yoke and wouldnt budge even with heat, PB blast and a gear puller applied.
How do you folks usually pop one of these out? I thought about pulling the driveshaft and putting it in a shop press or something, but that wont be so easy on some of the others.

 

I've had to use a torch to cut the cross out of them before. Then drive the caps out. By the time the cross is cut, the rust should be pretty much burnt out.

 

Bump Test. Bump Test.

 

You did take the snap rings of first, right? Probably an obvious question but none the less.

If they still won't budge a torch works best.

 

On my truck we took it out, put it in a vice and beat the heck out of it. We finally resorted to using a bandsaw. Just cut it in half and beat on it a lil more and it came right out.

 

That is the way I do u joints. There is a reason I do that, first sometimes I have seen plastic or what ever used to lock the cap, that melts the darn stuff. If you are not carefull when trying to drive out the entire u joint the other way the yoke can have the ends bent in a little and when you install the snap ring the cross will drag on the caps on the inside. I have had to take a drift and lay the drive shaft on some thing solid next to the end, not on the tube to bend the yoke or what ever the correct name is where the cap are pressed in out to free up the u joint or just get the snap rings in.
By cutting the cross that makes thing at lot easer for me. Just drive out the caps. Clean the rust out, I use anti-seize on the caps when I drive them in. I like to drive the first cap in with the cross installed in correctly( that means you can grease the joint and the zerk is not backwards) past where the cap is suppose to be at. The reason is that way you can pull up the cross and install the other cap and use it for a guide and help the needles from falling down. Well I hope that some of this helps good luck Jim