Press
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 417
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From: Massachusetts (Central)
Press
Has anyone ever made a u-joint/ball joint press before? If so could you tell me how? I've seen them and it seems like you could easily mickey mouse something together to work just as well. I have to change one of my front axle u-joints, do you think that i should soak the axle nut in some PB blaster or something or is it not that hard to get off, i have a impact wrench that does up to 500 ft lbs, would that be strong enough if it is rusted on there pretty good?
Thanks
Thanks
Record Breaker
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,456
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From: Gaylord, MI
RE: Press
Ohhhhh cause theres a kit you can buy that press's the u-joints out using an impact gun 
To use a vice to do it you need a big socket that the u-join will be able to fin into, and a small socket that will fir through the hole on the drive shaft. Put the shaft in the vice with the big socket on one side, and the small one of the other. Then start cranking it down, the small socket will push the u-joint out (into the big socket) then pull the caps off the u-joint and it will be able to come out of the shaft. To install you don't need the sockets, just take the 2 caps off the joint and put it into the drive shaft (just like how you pulled the old one out). Next put it back in the vice. Take the 2 caps and from the outside put them in place. Start cranking again and it will push them both all the way in, make sure to be careful not to bend the shaft by going to fast.
Once you di this they will probably be really stiff, and might not even move at all. This next part will seem funny but it is how you actually fix it, not ghetto rigging lol. Buut lay the shaft on something flat, like a table or the floor and get a hammer. You want to hit the shaft just below (on the welds) the holes that the u-joint is pressed into. Give it a good couple of wacks, then turn it over and do the same thing. The u-joint should now move freely, and if it doesn't keep giving it a few wacks on each side until it works!
Hope this helped, and when your wacking it don't go overboard, but get it a generous wack.
To use a vice to do it you need a big socket that the u-join will be able to fin into, and a small socket that will fir through the hole on the drive shaft. Put the shaft in the vice with the big socket on one side, and the small one of the other. Then start cranking it down, the small socket will push the u-joint out (into the big socket) then pull the caps off the u-joint and it will be able to come out of the shaft. To install you don't need the sockets, just take the 2 caps off the joint and put it into the drive shaft (just like how you pulled the old one out). Next put it back in the vice. Take the 2 caps and from the outside put them in place. Start cranking again and it will push them both all the way in, make sure to be careful not to bend the shaft by going to fast.
Once you di this they will probably be really stiff, and might not even move at all. This next part will seem funny but it is how you actually fix it, not ghetto rigging lol. Buut lay the shaft on something flat, like a table or the floor and get a hammer. You want to hit the shaft just below (on the welds) the holes that the u-joint is pressed into. Give it a good couple of wacks, then turn it over and do the same thing. The u-joint should now move freely, and if it doesn't keep giving it a few wacks on each side until it works!
Hope this helped, and when your wacking it don't go overboard, but get it a generous wack.