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1/2 Shaft U-Joint install

42K views 95 replies 28 participants last post by  gtr1999 
#1 · (Edited)
Ok, I like doing this post because I get to show that great USA made NAPA zerk joint that cracked in 1/2 after 18k miles on a 350-300 336 vette. No hard abuse and it cracked shifting into 3rd gear at 3,000 rpm on the highway!
This is a pre-chinese junk part as well.







These are all I install on my vettes now. Spicer solids. I had a set of TRW zerks on my 72 for 800 miles and tossed them out and put these on.



RIP- here is the tool for the flange. I tapped the 4 holes 3/8-16 and just bored the face so the flange sits flat.




Here is the flange bolted to it. I cut the old joints out with a torch but you can use a cut off wheel as well. I don't use a bench vise or a press to remove them. Always use a bolt on tool before working on these. The flange will bend very easily if not. You can tell if a "hack" worked on them before- look at the tube near the yoke for flat spots. That means the tube was crushed in a vise, something your more experienced vette dealerships were fond of doing.



Once apart, I clean,blast, paint them with POR15 and a top coat.



Clean up the bores but don't make them sloppy. I like a snug fit. I used to use never-sieze on the caps when installing but an old time driveline guy told me it retains heat and to just use a little oil. Ok, either way works for me.



Here we have a Spicer and typical cheapo " as good as spicer" joint. You can decide what you want to use on your car.



I use the vise to install the new joint as there should not be any load on them. Be sure you fit the caps so the needles don't fall in the cap. If it stops before the groove lines up- stop and see why.







Ok if you do use spicers watch this black plastic pre-load cap. If you over press it then you'll break it. I've seen some vendors call these joints bad because of this but once you understand them you should be ok. If the joint comes out of the box with the rings loaded then hold the cap in a vise and pull/twist the cross off and it should not break. I do have extra rings I got from Spicer though- just in case.
NOTE: These have been replaced by white caps which are more pliable and won't break like the black ones.



If the flange is or was bent then these joints are not going to fit. They are a tight fit but will work.

Since they are larger I usually have to put a small radius in the yoke to fit them. Check yours before you start to assemble or you'll be cursing very quickly. The new flanges usually do not require a radius,and this one is a little too much but I used it to show what area to radius. Sometimes you only have to do one side too.



I like to witness mark them. Probably no good reason other then to see if the clip ever moves. I like the look- what can I say!



When done the shaft should move with no binding. If you loosen the 4 bolts and it binds then the flange is bent and cap failure may be a nasty result.


Tape the caps until you install them.

I use a very good quality French lock. Torque them to 75 ft/lbs


Replace all 4 at a time too. Good luck - you can do it.
 
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#2 ·
Great write up and pics. I did my own on my '77 some years back. For those of you who haven't replaced your U-Joints ,you will be doing it sooner or later.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Good stuff Gary...thanks. When the time comes I can get the dimensions from my flange and make one up.....if I can get back into the shop. :laughing: .......if not I have a buddy that can do it for me.

I've toyed with the idea of making a pin gauge to check the old flanges for warpage. Maybe a pin with an O.D. .001" under the O.D. of the U-joint and long enough to go through both sides of the flange. The gauge would go through one side and should (if the flange isn't warped) slip through the opposite side. If it misses the other side by very much it would indicate a warped flange. Just a thought......

Thanks again for the write up.

Rip
 
#8 ·
Cool, Gary--My diff is on the work bench as we speak. I'll be in touch shortly for all the stuff between the tranny tailshaft to the trailing arms.....
I would not have dared tackle this without the help & confidence you have given me.......
Thanks,
John
 
#9 ·
John, Since you have the diff out there are some things you can do to beef it up or just check it. The post on diff's I have going (where I used to post pictures) has got all the info in it. I know a lot of guys have copied it so if you can't find it there you should be able to get it before I can write a new up for here. That may be one of the last ones I write due to the involved procedures. Regardless if you have a question or need help let me know. I've walked a few guys through them in the past as well.
 
#16 ·
That's a nice, stout looking tool.

But is it really needed? I've never done half shafts but on drive shafts, I have always cut out the joint as Gary suggests above and then used a vise to drive out each half against a larger socket. This should prevent any warping shouldn't it?
 
#15 · (Edited)
Working on some 3" shafts today. They were a bit rusted in the caps/rollers. When you have some like this one, cut them out otherwise you'll distort them in a press. Then bolt the flange on the plate and drive out the caps.



 
#18 · (Edited)
I spent a good bid of time working on 4 shafts today. They were pretty nasty looking, the one above is one of the 4.
Cutting them outside was fun today too, 30* and icy but it went well.
Here they are cut out, bead blasted, and the bores wire brushed. Now I'll use POR15 Metal Ready, POR15 black and high temp cast blast and SS paint on them. When dry and hardened,24-48 hours, I'll install the new Spicer like above.
People do this job in many ways. Look at your shafts for the flat spot near the yoke. If you find it then the joints were replaced in a vise in the past. These arms were so locked up there was no way they were going to come apart without the torch and re-use them. I wouldn't do the job without the plate I made.

Jim, if you need help just PM me.



 
#20 ·
I had a couple bind up on me, I straightened them out with a vise, installed my u-joints and went about my merry way.











About four months later I was replacing the u-joints AGAIN, might as well do it right the first time and save yourself a lot of headache.:thumbsup:
 
#21 · (Edited)
Yeah, they run about $50 each for those flanges. Sometimes you can bend them back,sometimes you only make it worse. It is a judgement call when doing them. I've used, with mixed success, reconditioned(used) flanges sold on the market. Some were good and others were bad out of the box.
 
#23 ·
In respect to removing material from a yoke to fit the joints, check them first. Sometimes they fit without cutting in a radius. Just remove enough material to fit the joint, sometimes just one radius is all you need. I just did a set of new flanges and the joints fit without any mods.
 
#28 ·
I have a question about the need to radius the yolks to get the Spicer 5-779X solids to fit.

Inspired by your Great Work, I ordered a set of solids, which arrived today...(yea!). They are bigger as you stated, but I tried to check if I need to radius or not, and if I pull two caps off, (to be pressed on from the outside of the yolk bore), I can easily get the body of the u-joint in.

So this has me wondering about the ideal install method. Are you only supposed to remove one cap and fit the body and opposing cap into the yolk from the inside, and press the previously removed cap, the body and the opposing cap all together in one press movement?

If this isn't clearly querried, how about: Why don't you just remove both caps, drop the body into the yolk and press both caps from the outside, capturing the body in the process?
 
#31 ·
Hi Guys
Just wanted to mention a change I've seen in Spicer joints. The inner black retainer for the needle bearings or rollers if you prefer to call them that changed. The earlier joints from the past few years had the bottom of the inner retainer as part of the inner cup. Now the bottom part of the retainer is separate so you have to watch when pulling off the cap, many times the black piece sticks to the cross and if you're not careful you could drop it off. Is this clear?
 
#33 ·
Hi Ray
Yes that is correct, I noticed this on the last set of joints and the new ones I just got in. Probably just an upgrade from the other design- unless someone loses the black base to the cap, then it could be a problem! That's why I figured I sure post this info. I didn't catch it at first either, first timers wouldn't know.:thumbsup:
PS you should have yours in on Friday,they left here before we got pounded with another 24" of snow.
 
#34 ·
Hey Gary,
Ouch...that's a lot of snow! I was wondering today if you guys were without power when I read the reports from back there. We only got about 6" today but it still took me 1 1/2 hours to plow our place.

Yes I ran the FedEx tracker # today and they were in MSP early this afternoon so they should easily make it on Friday. Thanks again, I can't wait to see them!
:cheers:
 
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