Im getting ready to put this waggy dana44 under my ranger but first I want to put in new u-joints, what is the easiest way to get the old ones out? Any tips or tricks?

I poked at the little rings with some pliers for a few minutes before deciding I better just find out from someone who has done this before how to do it... thanks in advance.

weeeell you gotta get all 4 o them there rings out and then push the u-joint out. I use a u-joint/ball joint press. its like a big
C-clamp with a hole for the cap to go in to. or you could just beat it out with a hammer or use sockets and a vice. oh and its the same idea for any kind of u-joint they just have different types of clips.

Hopefully you have a vise. Use a chisel or narrow punch to tap the retainer clips out. Then rest one of the yokes on the jaws of the vise, so that one of the bearing caps from the other yoke is pointing up (the jaws of the vise will need to be open enough to allow the bottom end to be below the jaws). You will need to hold this axle shaft to keep the bearing cap pointing up. Take your trusty bfh and hit the base of the yoke hard. This will blow the upper bearing cap out. Repeat this process with other caps and you are done, should take only 10 minutes max to change 1 u joint. Sorry for the crappy drawing, hopefully it helps. No press or broken sockets required

Are you asking how to change the joint, or how to get the axle apart to get the shafts out? No offence, just trying to help....

I have a 20 ton shop press that I use for old joints. They can be stubborn, but the press says "Be my biotch!" :D

I pop the c-clips with a screwdriver and a mallet.

Originally posted by Wilson
Sorry for the crappy drawing

It is a pretty crappy drawing :flipoff2:

Originally posted by reddwarf


It is a pretty crappy drawing :flipoff2:

I know, it's fawkin late, I work outside all day in the heat and then spent the evening trying to get the truck together. I didn't want to do it, but didn't think my explanation would help.:flipoff2:

-yes, if they're really stubborn a 20 ton press and a game of "Who's Your Daddy" May be in order. Jess (High Angle Driveline) told me this trick last fall, and it works awesome. I'm going to mock up a set of "jaws" on my truck just for changing ujoints on the trail.

Air chisels have been known to remove rusty clips quite well ... just make sure your beer thievin', no helpin', lazy ass friend is standing "down the firing line."

Once the clips are out, it's just like any other u-joint.

cmk

try here: ujoint swap tech (http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/ujoint_install/)

What? I'm suprised that noone said to go out and wheel it, and they'll take themselves out! :flipoff2:

Go out and wheel it, theyl take themselvs out:flipoff2:

Cool.. thanks for all the tips guys, I will try tonight.

Originally posted by Weezer
Go out and wheel it, theyl take themselvs out:flipoff2:



I would except I have no steering, brake lines, or springs hangers yet.

great link to the trail fix...

That is the answer...

So is the 20 ton press though!