Emergency Help Please!(got it, thanks)

[RampageFSJ]

I have a friend's blazer here that has a worn rear U joint that is basically busted. He has to leave for practice in 2 hours. This is an 85 blazer that has the kind of u joints without a snap ring. I might have a spare that he can use. I have never taken these things apart so I need some help. How do you take it apart without a press? Use a hammer? Any special tricks? Thanks in advance for any help given.

 

[uberbeans]

I have a friend's blazer here that has a worn rear U joint that is basically busted. He has to leave for practice in 2 hours. This is an 85 blazer that has the kind of u joints without a snap ring. I might have a spare that he can use. I have never taken these things apart so I need some help. How do you take it apart without a press? Use a hammer? Any special tricks? Thanks in advance for any help given.

Use a c-clamp and a socket to press the caps through after liberally doseing it with penetrant. Then do it again to install. Sometimes you have to hammer it a bit, too. Good luck!

 

[SkulzNBonz]

Hammer and an socket slightly smaller than the caps.

John

 

[RampageFSJ]

won't both of those options push the cap that I'm applying pressure to in farther?

 

[73k5blazer]

Well, a regular c-clamp, yes. I use my ball joint tool, which is a very heavy c-clamp with the end hollowed out, so the cap pushes thru it. You will have to get creative in your vise or with the hammer and 2 different sized sockets.
One socket smaller that the dia. of the cap to push it thru, and one socket larger than diameter so it holds the yoke but allows the cap to fall thru.
Vise is good to install, or hammer and socket. If you use anything jarring to install, you need to take care not to dislodge the needle bearings in the cap before they are engaged on the joint, somtimes they fall down, and you can't get the cap to go all the way on, because a needle bearing is stuck laying down in the bottom of the cap.

 

[nutsthename]

Sounds like it has nylon locks. If you have a torch use it to melt the locks. Then press it out like a u-joint with external locks.

 

[RampageFSJ]

allright, thanks for the help. I ran out of time and had to run him to practice myself. He had me pick up a new joint, which is now in there. No I just wanted to know what kind of fluid I should put in the NP208. All I have is normal fluid, does there need to be any tranny fluid or anything special in it? (Sorry, my quadra trac on my jeep takes a tranny / normal fluid mixture, so that's why I'm asking.)

 

[randy88k5]

The 208 just takes regular ATF, Dexron III/Mercon

 

[RampageFSJ]

Thank you, and my friend says thank you very much.

 

[CDA 455]

Or, just unbolt the rear drive shaft and lock the front hubs.

 

[randy88k5]

The 208 has a slip yoke. If he drives too far without the shaft, he will lose all the fluid out of the Tcase. It would be easier and cheaper to fix the ujoint then to risk a Tcase rebuild.

 

[scooter122983]

Like he said the 208 has a slip yoke that will get you about a mile down the road and you will have no more fluid. Especially since the 208 is a all time unit the rear shaft will be throwing fluid all over the place. REALLY SMART

 

[DirtyJim]

front wheel drive

Or, just unbolt the rear drive shaft and lock the front hubs.

i have gotten home many times with front wheel drive

 

[kgillyk5]

My 90' K5 has the same type joints. Can u replace them w/ conventional external clip type joints?

 

[RampageFSJ]

Not that I could tell, I finally found out that there is a clip holding them on at the base of the cap, close to the body of the joint. The caps were so screwed up from breaking that I didn't notice it.

 

[RampageFSJ]

Before I forget, here's the bad joint. I wouldn't let him leave my driveway with it . What's even more amazing, is that he had driven on the highway before he showed up at my house . Sorry for the blurry pic.