Half Shaft U-Joint Replacement

[564crewdog]

Hey Everybody,
What's the level of difficulty and time required to swap out the U-Joints of the half shafts. The FSM guidance looks pretty straight forward...is a hydraulic press for a must for the caps?
Thanks!
Rich

[-=Jeff=-]

Yes the press will help.. however I have swapped them with sockets and a vise, just a but more time consuming than having a press..

[Paul Workman]

Hey Everybody,
What's the level of difficulty and time required to swap out the U-Joints of the half shafts. The FSM guidance looks pretty straight forward...is a hydraulic press for a must for the caps?
Thanks!
Rich

I bought my Spicer U joints from a Drivelne shop and had them also install them and balance the drive shaft* while at it also. That said, I've used a big "C" clamp or a vise with a socket of appropriate size as well as a hammer and a large drift punch (of sorts) on occasion too. FWIW.

*The relatively LOW rpm of the half-shafts may exclude them from need of further balancing.

P.

[mike100]

It takes more effort to get the half-shafts out of the car then it does to install the u-joint on a bench imo.

I have done two sets now and I have used sockets and hammers. I would have purchased a dedicated tool, but the aluminum yokes proved to be so easy to work with I have not bothered. It is absolutely imperative that you use the brand name Spicer u-joints or no guarantee that the new ones won't be a tight fit. Those $12 parts store imports will really need to be pounded in compared to genuine Spicer parts. believe me on this.

I also used 25 lb lead bricks I got surplus from a university to set the aluminum shafts on so they wouldn't get dinged up during the process. U can't really do this on a wooden work bench- you might have to get down on the garage floor (hence my soft lead bricks so I can do it on a bench).

[FU]

DANA SPICER 5-1350X or DANA SPICER 5-3615X on the half shafts.

[564crewdog]

Thank you all! Would you say this job is easy, takes ~5hrs?

[Jagdpanzer]

A good u-joint source I've used on several occasions:
http://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/c37_u_joints.html

http://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/img/products/thumb/1358631754_CorvetteAluminumaxlehalfshaft1350Series RebuildKit_Cor.jpg

[XfireZ51]

A good u-joint source I've used on several occasions:
http://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/c37_u_joints.html

http://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/img/products/thumb/1358631754_CorvetteAluminumaxlehalfshaft1350Series RebuildKit_Cor.jpg

Same here Phil. And to the OP, I used sockets and vise

[nelson007]

Hello Phil,
I need to replace the half shafts in my 95. Would this be the ones that I need?
Thanks,
Nelson007

http://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/p423_corvette_aluminum_driveshaft__aluminum_half_s haft_rebuild_ki.html

[Jagdpanzer]

Nelson
That kit will do both half shafts and the drive shaft plus replace all bolts and straps. Its the one I always go with. That way you don't have to look back.

[mike100]

Out west, PTO Sales has the spicer stuff in stock. There are other truck and driveline service ditributors everywhere that will have stock. The coated ones are big bucks, but the standard universals are $19-$22 ea and you can use antisieze if the dissimilar metal issue bothers you on the aluminum shafts.