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]

Originally Posted by 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

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

[XfireZ51]

Originally Posted by Jagdpanzer

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

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...ebuild_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.