Replacing the POS "unihubs" :barf: on my 97 Ram 1500 with the D44. While I had to pull it all apart, thought I'd replace the u-joints while I was at it with the new 5-760x's from Spicer.

Well, I f'd up the stub shaft while pressing out the axle u-joint last night. One ear is fine, the other is slightly bent with a tiny twist to it. Can that be fixed and anyone in the Sac area do it for a reasonable price? I tried spreading it myself and tapping on it, but it won't go back. I can get the cross inplace, the the ears are bent far enough that I can't get the cap all the way down ont eh one side and get a snap ring on it.

The driver side is so rusted in place I can't get the caps to budge and since I messed up the pass side,I don't want to use the same press on it. The old socket and BFH method does not work either. How do you get out a stuck u-joint without thrashing the shafts?

Got a solid bench mounted vice? you can open up the jaws so that when your stub shaft ears are 90* off the floor you can rest both ears of the long shaft on top of the jaws. Then take yourself a BFH and knock the crap out of the stub shaft on the beefy part right next to the cap. Flip the shaft over 180* and repeat. Then adjust the jaws so you can sit the cross on top and remove the long shaft. or just fire up the cutting torch and cut the cross out and then you shouldn't have any trouble with the caps.


As far as the bent ears I think you are out of luck. Unless you didn't bend it too much and you can use a file on the flat surface of the bent ear to get the clip to seat. Remember that this WILL make the shaft weaker, but if you need to get it back togeather it could work. :)


EDIT: If you have abs be really carefull of the neato lookin ring with all the teeth on the stub shaft. If you booger up those teeth your abs may not work properly

Jason sorry to hear about your problem - it happens to the best of us- in a pinch you can acyually take the bend out of it -it does require a bit of metal working skills- and some common sence- the ears are steel so the will with hold some tweaking and not break- if you get a chance call me tomorrow before noon- i 'll be in for 4-5 hours working my tail off- Jess 530-877-2875

I'd like to know how to fix those too. :)

I tried both of my BFH's and they didn't budge. I don't have ABS so that is not a worry and I don't have a torch so I can't cut them out.

I think I am going to try RCD Monday or Wednesday and have Sean press them out for me since my donated, now junked, press is what caused the problem in the first place (base is not straight, perhaps that is why the guy gave it too me?)

Jess, I'll call you tomorrow... I also popped the top off a cap of the new joints you sent me when trying to get the new joint in the f'd up yoke before I realized it was jacked.

It has not been a good day and I need to make my truck driveable by 5am Thursday!!! If I have to I'll stick the driver side back together with the old joints and new hub and then pull the passenger shafts and just stuff the stub shaft in the new hub and go from there til I can get ahold of a new setup (have a lead 140 miles from here).

Thanks guys

just remeber tey can fight the best of us sometimes your not alone- i'll try my best to offer help where i can-Jess

take a grinder to the stub and hope for the best.
the BFH method does not work too well on the original joints, just did that myself on my dodge d60 stub.
it is the stub that wont lay flat not the press

I am going to run out to my friends place (about 140 miles from home) and part out his D44 he just swapped out of his Ram.

And yes it was the press, the cup does not sit flat on the base. I took the cup off and it sits flat against the ears.