When doing the u joints on the front axle does one need anything special to remove the axle, do you have to go inside the diff at all or do they just pull out? How about changing the u joints themselves need a shop press or can a person use a hammer and punch?

Just wondering thinknig of tackling this tomorrow to try and track down the front end grinding on my truck.

Cheers

 

you don't need any special tools for doing it just pull it out but becareful that you don't cut the seal when putting it in ... and a vise and a hammer

 

A couple of sockets for the cups and a vise is really all you need. A shop press does make a lot easier though. Remember to pull the c-clips out!

 

yep that work well socket and vise ,,, i just use a hammer ... but i have only done a few hundred

 

I am doing these in the back ally so all I have to use is a socket and a hammer. thinking of that I need to buy a bigger hammer.

Thanks guys.

 

your trailer hitch and a jack stand works done that many times when i was on the side of the road

 

never done the trailer hitch trick lol I will have to remeber that one.

 

thanks for the info. especially on the seal and ngreat idea using the hitch as a press.

 

make sure you have a backup tho. I dont know what these guys are talking about hammering the u joint out, i bent the handle on my arbor press trying to get my u joints apart.

 

shouldn't need that much force even on baddly rusted ones.

 

well they were brutally rusted, sure made a bang when i put it in the real press. and yes i did take out the c clips

 

farmer trick i guess . i have never used a press for a steel shaft , but i do on alum ones

 

They pound out pretty easy once you've done a few, and a lot faster then a press once your good at it

 

I bought a ball joint/universal tool, worked awesome.