D44 Axleshaft Question

[BizeeB65]

I need to replace the u-joint on the driver side axleshaft on my 73 K5. I have the Dana 44 axle. I have searched, with no luck finding any info about doing this job. Does this u-joint have to be professionally installed, or can I do it with a shop press??? anyone know whats involved? Thanks!

 

[74757685k5]

its just like any other joint. clips on the in side.

 

[BizeeB65]

So just take the clips out and press it out in a vice like the book says? I am doing this at the shop i work at, and i need to be able to drive it home after i am done, cause i cant leave it there...

 

[guido666]

Yeah, or use the old big socket, little socket, and mini-sledge method. That's my favorite.

 

[big83chevy4x4]

i don't use a vice or a press, takes too long. 2 ballpeen hammers 1 small, smaller than the cap, and i big to hit the other one with. if i can't get it with that then i go to the press.

 

[sweetk30]

not good to use any kind of pressing setup. possible yoke bend. just open up vise and set shaft yoke in there and take big hammer to top of yoke and hit it good next to the cap with the clips off. this will pop it out easy. then once all out check over and reinstall with smaller hammer by tapping caps on to shaft setup. but make sure not to flop over a needle. then when done with all 4 take the small hammer and wack the top of each yoke where the cap goes threw. this will even out the pressure and the shaft will float much better.

 

[GMCLegacy]

not good to use any kind of pressing setup. possible yoke bend. just open up vise and set shaft yoke in there and take big hammer to top of yoke and hit it good next to the cap with the clips off. this will pop it out easy. then once all out check over and reinstall with smaller hammer by tapping caps on to shaft setup. but make sure not to flop over a needle. then when done with all 4 take the small hammer and wack the top of each yoke where the cap goes threw. this will even out the pressure and the shaft will float much better.

how do you think the ujoints get installed originally....a press!? sorry, im not seeing someone hammering ujoints into driveshafts all day long.

 

[guido666]

how do you think the ujoints get installed originally....a press!? sorry, im not seeing someone hammering ujoints into driveshafts all day long.

I think SweetK30 is going on the idea of short duration high impact, versus long duration low impact. It's just like using an air ratchet. All those extremely powerful blows gets the bolt right out, without just torquing it off. Whereas if you just used a mammoth cheater-pipe you'd probably just twist the head off.

The original manufacturers probably have special tools that hold the yoke and press just across one ear, not all the way across the yoke. If 40" tires can bend the ears presses surely can.

 

[sweetk30]

exactly. in the rust belt up hear the caps freeze in there good sometimes. and need the big shock with the hammer. and it is much quicker than the press idea with sockets. and i have seen where the yokes get bent to the point the clips wont go on with the press in and out method.


just my opinon do as you wish.

 

[southernspeed]

exactly. in the rust belt up hear the caps freeze in there good sometimes. and need the big shock with the hammer. and it is much quicker than the press idea with sockets. and i have seen where the yokes get bent to the point the clips wont go on with the press in and out method.


just my opinon do as you wish.

Last time I did mine they'd frozen in pretty good. I put it in the press as normal, loaded some pressure up on it then also gave the drift a sharp hard blow (behave yourselves!) and it went with a real crack then drifted out as normal.

 

[BizeeB65]

Ok, so I hammered out the old ujoint on the replacement outer shaft and then went to town taking apart the hub on the truck to get the broken one off so I could replace it. Turns out the replacement I got is like 1/2" shorter then my original outer shaft, and the groove for the outer axle snap ring is not in the same place either.

The guy that sold me this told me it would fit my 73 D44. Glad I only paid 15 bucks for it. Now to find a replacement...

 

[Executioner]

Your replacing the the one in your 73 D44, with a used one from town ?
Please consider an new not installed wheel joint, they are not to much $$$

Ok, so I hammered out the old ujoint on the replacement outer shaft and then went to town taking apart the hub on the truck to get the broken one off so I could replace it. Turns out the replacement I got is like 1/2" shorter then my original outer shaft, and the groove for the outer axle snap ring is not in the same place either.

The guy that sold me this told me it would fit my 73 D44. Glad I only paid 15 bucks for it. Now to find a replacement...

 

[Wicked Wolf Auto]

I'm doing the same thing right now. I did the ones in my 78 a few months ago. The ones I'm doing now are for trail spares. I ran a torch through the center of the ujoint and that amount of heat seemed to make it easier to pop the caps out

 

[sandawgk5]

I did this on my Dana 60. The caps where pretty well seized in the ears and the hammer method and my bumper ( I do not have a vice or a press) worked pretty damn well. Only took me about 1/2 hour to replace both front joints.

Ira

 

[BizeeB65]

I got another complete long-side axleshaft on ebay for $30. Once it gets here i am gonna knock out the u joint, replace it with a new one, and reinstall. Thanks a ton for all your help guys! The hammer method is by far my favorite. I need a good set of ball-peen hammers though. The foreman at my shop said he knows a guy in-town who replaces cv joints really cheap (shaft joints only, not complete jobs) so I am gonna check into that to get the new joints in. If all else fails, onto the press they will go. I am worried I will flub it up with the hammer method.