Trying to remove the u joints on a 1992 Chevy 3500 pickup. I got the u joint removal tool (the one that looks like a really heavy duty c-clamp) and pushed the cups as far as they will go on one half of the u joint. Now, one of the cups is pushed into the middle of the yoke and the other cup is sticking out the other end of the yoke. My problem is that I can't get the yoke to let go of that cup. It's sticking out about half way, but I can't get a good grip on it to pull it out.

Is there a method for doing this that does not involve a cutting torch?

Some manufacturers inject plastic through a hole in the yoke to secure the joints. This makes it hard to extract the caps. On every one I've ever worked on, I was able to push the entire joint through the yoke until the cap literally dropped off.

Then, I had to press in the other direction until the opposite cap came out the other side.

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

GM has done this for some time. My 1984 Deville had the injected plastic for retaining the cap. In my two experiences with this design once the plastic was sheared the caps only required 'light' force with a clamp or press to remove them.

I'll take another look. Maybe there's room to push it further.

I have read that in some cases, the geometry won't allow the cup to be pushed all the way out. The suggestion I read was to grip the exposed part of the cup in a vise, then drive the yoke off with blows from a soft hammer.

I have a driveshaft that I'd like to service, but oh joy, the cups are "staked" into position rather than held in by clip rings. Count your blessings!

I've always used a vice and appropriate sized sockets to disassemble u-joints. Why wont the C-clamp continue pushing?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

This u-joint is attached to the shaft coming out of the transmission. I can't get the driveshaft out of the truck without disconnecting the u-joint, so I can't put it in a vice without putting the whole truck up on the work bench.

I don't know why the c-clamp won't continue pushing. I need to take a look with a better light and see whether there is more room to push.

Are you sure there's no bolt plate or U bolts holding the differential U joint in place? I've never seen a driveshaft that you had to remove the joints to get it off...

Even 2 piece driveshafts with a center support work this way.

My '90 chev has 2 U bolts holding the shaft on at the differential. I can have it off in under 5 min. with one wrench.

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

The rear u-joint is attached to the differential by u-bolts. The front u-joint just has two yokes - one coming out of the back of the transmission and one on the front of the drive shaft.

I'm not supposed to pull that yoke out of the back of the transmission am I? That never occurred to me. Maybe it's on a spline like a pto shaft or something.

Yes, pull the slip yoke out of the tranny... Undo the U bolts holding the rear U-joint, drop the shaft and slide it out of the tranny.

Beware of some tranny fluid leakage from the end of the tranny shaft.

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

Hmmmm?? Never tried to disassemble a u-joint while still in the vehicle. Are you saying that you have to disassemble the joint to get the shaft out? Something goofy going on there.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

That would be me.

I think KarTek has me straightened out. I didn't know that yoke would slip out of the back of the transmission, but that's got to be the answer.

Thanks to everyone who answered.

No offense, as you probably already know this, but I'll ask anyway: Are you match marking pieces as you go (e.g., the yokes) to make sure that the balance of the driveshaft assembly isn't unnecessarily disturbed on reassembly?

Yes. I did remember to do that.

Grab the cap that's sticking out with the biggest pair of Vice Grips you can find and work it out. The arms of the cross are beefy enough that they stop the bearing cap from being pushed all the way through. I replaced all the U-Joints at once in my old Chevy, so I removed the drive shaft (two piece BTW). As I remember, the rearmost U-Joint was connected to the differential with straps, so it was just a matter of unbolting them and dropping the carrier bearing in the middle of the driveshaft.

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1984 300TD