U Joint

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no1newb

no1newb

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This may be a simple thing, but im not sure and i need to change my U joint, and i dont want to just jump in and end up not being able to drive it for days because i messed it up.

How easy is it to pull the drive shaft and replace the u joints in my 65 barracuda? I watched some videos on youtube on a ford explorer, but im not sure if it would be that easy or if these are different.
 
Not hard at all. Pull the driveshaft, get the shaft in a vice and have at it :)
 
how long should it take, knowing i dont know exactly what im doing right now, i need to drive it tomorrow, and i got about 3 hours left of sun light.
 
Well if it's your first time I would save it for a weekend project, that way you are not in a rush and can do it right.
 
The vid looks good...
 
I also have a ball and trunnion front u joint, not the cross and roller front u joint. so yeah, im defiantly going to be saving this for a weekend kind of thing, I dont want to risk panicing, and ect. ]


I cant find anything on ball and trunnion videos, and in the book, im getting a little confused. what do i do exactly?
 
Get the manual and read it. And make sure that who ever replaces your cross shaft presses it in only-no hammers! And it must be "equal" length on each side, plus/minus .003". And grease the boot to put it on over the cross shaft
 
Bring it to your local driveline shop. . . .

Or would you rather me tell you how many of you guys asked this question on line and then walked in the shop AFTER wrecking things....

I can tell you i have seen more people F it all up than get it right... Especially with the older cv type...

If you're asking how, You will be part of the 80% that are going to need more than just joints after...

NEVER use a vice unless you know EXACTLY where to hold it, another issue i see atleast 3 times a week...

"tried changing my own joints and i got a vibration"
"my friend on line told me to do it like this"
"my mechanic changed the joints and now"
"was supposed to be a 15 minute job and i've been at it for 3 days"
"everyone said it's easy and 3 weeks later"

I've seen it thousands of time, same goes for diffs.

.
 
any idea about how much it would typically cost at a local shop? i know it should vary, and ill probably be going around and asking different places. but what should i think is a good deal?
 
no1newb said:
any idea about how much it would typically cost at a local shop? i know it should vary, and ill probably be going around and asking different places. but what should i think is a good deal?
Click to expand...

if you pull the drive shaft and take it in should be no more than about 1/2 hour labor.
 
Supershafts said:
Bring it to your local driveline shop. . . .

Or would you rather me tell you how many of you guys asked this question on line and then walked in the shop AFTER wrecking things....

I can tell you i have seen more people F it all up than get it right... Especially with the older cv type...

If you're asking how, You will be part of the 80% that are going to need more than just joints after...

NEVER use a vice unless you know EXACTLY where to hold it, another issue i see atleast 3 times a week...

"tried changing my own joints and i got a vibration"
"my friend on line told me to do it like this"
"my mechanic changed the joints and now"
"was supposed to be a 15 minute job and i've been at it for 3 days"
"everyone said it's easy and 3 weeks later"

I've seen it thousands of time, same goes for diffs.

.
Click to expand...

Been doin it with a vise for almost thirty years and never had a problem. Say, do you always talk to people like you need a drive shaft stuck up your ***?
 
The only reason i didnt dive into it like i did with my brakes and carb was because i have that different front u joint that seemed like it didnt have a sliding yoke on the tranny. so i got a quote from a local shop and have just been sitting on it trying to figure out if i should spend the 90 bucks or not.
 
Well, just like all the rest, best advice I have ever heard and continue to give is, buy a FACTORY service manual for your car. Not Chiltons, not Haynes, but CHRYSLER. I just picked one up for my 63 Dart for 18 bucks shipped. It's almost 3" thick. It's an original 1963 book. It's yellowed and the cover isn't perfect, but the information is.
 
well, the car is from 65, engine is from 73, and transmission is from an 'early a-body' not very much is original
 
no1newb said:
well, the car is from 65, engine is from 73, and transmission is from an 'early a-body' not very much is original
Click to expand...

If you get a 65 manual it will cover the car. The 904 is nearly identical for any cable shift unit. The engine is very similar to the 273 that was used in 65. So in reality it would be very useful. And like Stroker said the factory serv. manual is by far the best. If you plan on working on your car much at all they are invaluable. This thread is a perfect example. If you would've had a FSM you could have looked up what it takes to do your U-joints in 5 minutes.
 
StrokerScamp said:
Been doin it with a vise for almost thirty years and never had a problem. Say, do you always talk to people like you need a drive shaft stuck up your ***?
Click to expand...


Do you always read into something like you want a beaten, or, you are that kind of guy all the time? . .

Anyone that uses a vice is just asking for problems..

Doing something wrong for 30 years doesn't make it right, or the type of smart advice anyone with somewhat of intellect would pass on to someone who doesn't want to wreck there stuff....

Assembling motors aren't rocket science, grinding cranks aren't rocket science, assembling / building suspensions aren't rocket science,. porting heads aren't rocket science....

I wouldn't recommend doing any of that either to someone asking a question that has never done it before or may not have the tools of knowledge when all it takes is a mistake to screw it all up....

Some things people say are kinda stupid.
 
no1newb said:
The only reason i didnt dive into it like i did with my brakes and carb was because i have that different front u joint that seemed like it didnt have a sliding yoke on the tranny. so i got a quote from a local shop and have just been sitting on it trying to figure out if i should spend the 90 bucks or not.
Click to expand...


(when reading this, remove all attitude not present in any of this print)



Spend the 90, it'll make you happier, or you can source all the parts and do like mr happy there and take a chance doing it wrong, which is exactly how to F-up a detriot cv. . . . . fast

Another option is to have them change the detroit cv and install the flange stub and slip conversion.
Which sometimes may need to be done when the pin doesn't want to press out, not a usual occurrence but i have had a few which i suspect were done once before by a mr happy type guy with heat, which i also don't recomend since when doing that the main stud can walk and cause balancing.
 
Tip #1 Service manual for sure
Tip #2 If its your 1st crack at it and pressed for time...dont start!
Tip #3 If asking for advice on the forum, and if you are a newbie, say so, some people on here assume that you arent and it ends up being harder or taking longer than you think.
Also I have never done the old ball and trunnion type, so I cant give you 1st hand knowledge. I have worked on cars for years and done many a u-joint, pretty simple, but last year went to change u-joint in my 01 F150 and I couldnt get the bolts out of the back end, so I had to take it to a shop. If its got tits or tires.........
 
Personally I would suggest taking it to shop you have confidence in, that way it will be done right, your car won't be out of commission. If you do, take it for a test drive befoe you pay them to be sure there's no vibration.
Also agreed a factory service manual will be a big help to you in the future. Good luck No1newb.
 
The first time I did a ring and pinion the service manager asked me if I knew how to do it. I said I haven't done one before but I can read and you have the service manual.

I've never done anything before until I did it.

As far as putting a shaft in a vise, I don't. If you ding, kink, bend or otherwise put a dent in the tube you'll have a vibration. I do use a vise to press the cups in and out.

With your front joint you can always just take it to a shop and have them press the pin in and out for you. I don't know about you but spending $15 or $20 makes me happier than spending $90.
 
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