I removed my front drive shaft and discovered that my ball joint needles had broke. I replaced the ball joint and the u joints but to discover the u joint was to small to fit into the clips going into the front differential so I got a larger one but that one wouldn't drive into the yoke did anyone else have this issue?

 

Check the clips off the old one, Sometimes the new ones have thicker clips and you need to use the old ones. Also make sure none of the rollers fall into cap stopping it from going in all the way. Lastly how did you get the old one out? Press? It may have bent the yoke.

 

what part numbers did you get on the joints? if the smaller one fit into the driveshaft ok, and seats ok on the yolk of the front end, I would go with the use the old clips idea.


when you say the bigger one wouldn't fit, do you mean diameter wise or you couldn't get the retainer clips to go in?

 

I used a old socket and a hammer to drive the bearing's out. I went to the store and they had different size clips but they would not fit

 

I couldn't fit them in diameter. What I don't understand is that the old bearing's measure 1.125×1.125 and that it would fit in the clips but not fit in the yoke

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They are press fit.... if there is any crud inside 'em, they aren't going to want to go in there real bad.

 

Yeah, you really need a vise that's half heavy duty (although I've heard of guys doing them out on the trail with a hammer). When I do them I tap on the vise toward the joint/shaft a couple times during the squeeze to relieve the tension on them too. Helps keep them going in straight and the last tap is usually a pretty firm one to get that last bit seated to make it so the clip will go in. Then give the yolk a good strike around the weld area just below the yolk on the shaft to take the tension of the joint so it swivels smooth.

 

I usually use my ball joint press but I've used a vise many times with great luck. Sometimes when you drive the old u joint out you actually press the ears of the yoke together slightly. Then as you press the new u joint caps in you collapse the ears together a little more making it difficult or impossible to get the clip in. You can usually make the ears go back by giving the yoke a good wrap with a hammer. Also as mentioned check the thickness of the new clips vs the old ones. If the new ones are thicker you might not be able to get them in.