Does anyone know of a shop near Goshen that will press u-joints out?

[Noland]

I need all of the ujoints replaced in a driveshaft assembly of a Ram3500 chassis cab.

The unit is out of the truck and I would like to drop it off somewhere and have them replaced. I would be willing to put the new ones in but getting the old ones out is crazy difficult for me and my shadetree skills.

I have called two shops that won't touch it, including the local machine shop that does "all types of press work".

Anybody know of a place?

 

[fire259]

We don't have a press at work and change u-joints all the time. I just use a 3lb hammer and a block of wood

 

[Noland]

I have done it dozens of times with a hammer too. These babies won't come out that way.

They are big, rusted, and the caps are held by injected plastic crap.

 

[fire259]

I have done it dozens of times with a hammer too. These babies won't come out that way.

They are big, rusted, and the caps are held by injected plastic crap.

Oh the plastic. Yeah those suck. You have to use a torch to heat the yoke around the u-joint until the plastic oozes out then you can get them out. Just be careful not to get it too hot or you will bend it when you drive the u-joint out.

I would offer to help you out but that's about a 3-4 hour drive.

 

[kirch86]

I have gotten them out using a vice before. Put it in the vise with an old socket that you dont mind messing up. Put a smaller socket on the u-joint cap and a bigger socket on the other side so the u-joint can pass through the socket. Put some pressure on it and smack it with a hammer to jar it. Sometimes you have to move the u joint back and forth to get it free. I've had to cut them out with a torch too. not fun but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

 

[Rookie]

I think autozone has a u- joint tool. I just use sockets and c- clamp. .

 

[Vlad the Impaler]

I have gotten them out using a vice before. Put it in the vise with an old socket that you dont mind messing up. Put a smaller socket on the u-joint cap and a bigger socket on the other side so the u-joint can pass through the socket. Put some pressure on it and smack it with a hammer to jar it. Sometimes you have to move the u joint back and forth to get it free. I've had to cut them out with a torch too. not fun but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

^^^this^^^
I used a c-clamp and sockets to do a pair of U-joints on my last truck. They had the plastic retainers too. I put pressure with the clamp and took a MAP gas torch to the plastic. When the plastic started to char at the injection hole, I tightened up progressively keeping the heat on, and it finally gave in. The replacements came with snap ring retainers.

 

[phylodog]

I bought one of these a few years ago and it made life pretty easy. Changed the U joints in my Dodge pickup with it and they were froze pretty badly. Sounded like a shotgun blast when they popped loose but they did come out using it.
3-in-1 Ball Joint/U-Joint/C-Frame Press Service Kit

 

[Sureshot129]

Northside Automotive in Elkhart did Axel shafts on my jeep, out of the jeep they still charged me $100 but the job got done.

 

[jeremy]

Got a hammer and a Socket Set?!

Poof...
You now have a press...

 

[1$Chuck]

I have done it dozens of times with a hammer too. These babies won't come out that way.

They are big, rusted, and the caps are held by injected plastic crap.

Do you have an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel? We change bunches of rusty old U-joints down on the farm. There isn't any reason to waist time taking the old cross out whole, we just take the cutting wheel and slice them out. The caps should be easy to push inside the yoke once the cross is cut out of there.

I suppose you could use a torch if you don't have a cutting wheel, but proceed with caution.

 

[Dave00c5]

The use of a oxy/acyltelene torch will have em out in a jiffy. Like others have said a ball peen hammer and punch or a air operated chisel also helps. Most repair shops can do it if you desire.

 

[Aaron B.]

Do you have an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel? We change bunches of rusty old U-joints down on the farm. There isn't any reason to waist time taking the old cross out whole, we just take the cutting wheel and slice them out. The caps should be easy to push inside the yoke once the cross is cut out of there.

This. Old, rusted 1-ton running gear sucks to get apart. My axle shaft u-joints basically laughed at my attempts to drive the cross out. Cut that baby out, heat until the plastic melts, and grab your biggest hammer.

 

[Hardscrable]

If you still need a shop to do it, try RAP Automotive @ 574-534-2511