mudbuggy
1/2 ton status
I'm putting the pass side back together and I found this gap on the drive shaft. What do I do center it out or are the ears tweeked?
CK5
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u joint gap
- Thread starter mudbuggy
- Start date
Confedneck
3/4 ton status
what gap?
wasted wages
1 ton status
If there is a gap,, with the bearing cups in place and the retainer clips in,,, then it's the wrong U-joint or the ears are tweaked badly...
pic's would help...
pic's would help...
I replaced mine this weekend also and couldn't get the clips back in. I could get it on ones side but not the other. The amount of pressure required to take these out I don't think I am to concerened.
What was intersting is I tried a bunch of different u-joints that the parts store said fit. None of them would drop down far enough to get both end in. The curve at the bottom of the joint would stick to far out to get it in.
mudbuggy
1/2 ton status
figured it out
I ****ed up. One side I put the clip where its suppose to go. The other I put the clip one ring inboard where it should be. Not in the c clip groove but in the grease cap retainer groove. Couldn't figure why it was a 1/16" shorter. That's why! I'm doing this from my blackberry using opera os. It won't let me upload pics, I have emailed the pics to myself so I can upload from my laptop or the desktop later. Sorry boys your going to have to wait until I get the pass side ball joints done first.
I ****ed up. One side I put the clip where its suppose to go. The other I put the clip one ring inboard where it should be. Not in the c clip groove but in the grease cap retainer groove. Couldn't figure why it was a 1/16" shorter. That's why! I'm doing this from my blackberry using opera os. It won't let me upload pics, I have emailed the pics to myself so I can upload from my laptop or the desktop later. Sorry boys your going to have to wait until I get the pass side ball joints done first.
British Slave
1/2 ton status
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I would not run it that way. I would find out why the clips won't go in. There is a reason.
mudbuggy
1/2 ton status
The pics of my **** up!
I needed to get on the website and get the torque values for the ball joints so I figured better get this pic up so all of you see my **** up and learn from my mistakes!!!
I needed to get on the website and get the torque values for the ball joints so I figured better get this pic up so all of you see my **** up and learn from my mistakes!!!
Considering NONE of the u-joints the local shops sold fit and the old ones were stuck in there so bad one of the end caps exploded when I pressed it out. I wouldn't be surprised if the ears bent slightly with the emense pressure it took to get them off.
About the only other choice I have is go to the dealer for the joint as I've tried just about every other u-joint from all the local parts suppliers. If it breaks it breaks not taking it apart again.
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
If they were the original U-joint, they are inserted and have plastic injection stuff in them to hold them in place. Without heating them up significantly, yes, there is a ton of force needed to break them loose. Aftermarket ones NEED the clips to hold them in place.
The old ones looked original but no way to know for sure. The after market ones needed to be pressed in also. This particular joint was the ONLY joint I could find that would actually fit. I tried 5 other brands and none of them fit, supposedly they were all the right part. I'll see if I can find the make and version of the one I ended up sticking in there.
89GMCK5
1/2 ton status
Original U joints
I recently did my rear u joint and I was fortunate that a buddy helping me had done his on his firebird prior. I did not know that the factory "poured" a plastic - nylon type material all around the u joint caps. It took an extreme amount of heat to melt that crap out of there, we had them orange to red hot to get them out. It was the first time I'd seen that. I'm glad he had already gone through it, I'd been there fighting that thing for days.
I'm thinking maybe some of that nylon is protruding and not letting your u joint cap nestle into the cup of the yoke correctly. The parts stores are not perfect by any means, but u joints on these trucks are pretty common for that many to be wrong. Just saying, I would double check it, perhaps remove it and put some heat to it. Not just a propane torch or map gas, but some rose bud serious heat to it for a few minutes. You'll certainly see some white / yellow / plastic material start to spew out. They pour it through the yoke and it completely surrounds the u joint cap. If you inspect the u joint "cup" area you will see a tiny hole about a pencil lead size, maybe 1.5 times the size of a pencil lead.
Worth a shot in my opinion, and piece of mind.
I recently did my rear u joint and I was fortunate that a buddy helping me had done his on his firebird prior. I did not know that the factory "poured" a plastic - nylon type material all around the u joint caps. It took an extreme amount of heat to melt that crap out of there, we had them orange to red hot to get them out. It was the first time I'd seen that. I'm glad he had already gone through it, I'd been there fighting that thing for days.
I'm thinking maybe some of that nylon is protruding and not letting your u joint cap nestle into the cup of the yoke correctly. The parts stores are not perfect by any means, but u joints on these trucks are pretty common for that many to be wrong. Just saying, I would double check it, perhaps remove it and put some heat to it. Not just a propane torch or map gas, but some rose bud serious heat to it for a few minutes. You'll certainly see some white / yellow / plastic material start to spew out. They pour it through the yoke and it completely surrounds the u joint cap. If you inspect the u joint "cup" area you will see a tiny hole about a pencil lead size, maybe 1.5 times the size of a pencil lead.
Worth a shot in my opinion, and piece of mind.
I have noticed when changing U joints sometimes that the ears will bend in a bit and not allow easy movement or enough room for the clips. I usually just take a long punch and give the ears a few hits with a hammer and that fixes it right up.
British Slave
1/2 ton status
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I'm betting a needle bearing fell out and is in the bearing cap.
I don't know what years were involved, but I have a friend who builds and rebuilds driveshafts in his machine shop.
Has all the tools to balance them too.
Suddenly he started seeing lots of folks bringing in their GM shafts with vibration.
Turned out that when GM started going to the plastic method, their suppliers got a little sloppy with the machining of the flats for the clips.
When the factory built the joint, they mounted it in a jig and got the bearings perfectly aligned and then injected the plastic.
Worked great until it wore out, which was way out of warranty.
When the replacement joints were put in, the flats were offset from the centerline. So that when you put in the clips, the cross was not centered.
The distance between flats was right, so you could not shim it, but you got a bad vibration until you cut out the yoke and welded in a new one.
But, even so, if its way too tight, I'll second the needle bearing in the bottom of the cap.
Has all the tools to balance them too.
Suddenly he started seeing lots of folks bringing in their GM shafts with vibration.
Turned out that when GM started going to the plastic method, their suppliers got a little sloppy with the machining of the flats for the clips.
When the factory built the joint, they mounted it in a jig and got the bearings perfectly aligned and then injected the plastic.
Worked great until it wore out, which was way out of warranty.
When the replacement joints were put in, the flats were offset from the centerline. So that when you put in the clips, the cross was not centered.
The distance between flats was right, so you could not shim it, but you got a bad vibration until you cut out the yoke and welded in a new one.
But, even so, if its way too tight, I'll second the needle bearing in the bottom of the cap.
had the same problem with my front drive shaft and on a sunday so all machine shops were closed had to put it into a vice with a cheater bar to get them close then used a socket that fit inside the ear and pound on it untill there was enough room for the clip to fit that was 3 months ago and had no problem with them since
Fairly confident there isn't a needle bearing inside as both axles are exactly the same and one clip only fits on one side. I may take a second look at it but I really dont feel like pressing those out again. The clip is close but just not enough to fit the clip on. I may just hit the caps that I couldn't get the clip in with a spot weld.
None of the other brands I got would fit into either of the axles. You could fit one side in and the other side was about 1/2 inch to tall from fitting into the other ear. I was ready to start smashing things with a sledge hammer at that point. The original u-joint I removed would fit in and out with no problem.
None of the other brands I got would fit into either of the axles. You could fit one side in and the other side was about 1/2 inch to tall from fitting into the other ear. I was ready to start smashing things with a sledge hammer at that point. The original u-joint I removed would fit in and out with no problem.
Confedneck
3/4 ton status
There is a way to see if they were original, did you have to melt plastic out of the ears to get the ujoints out? No? Not original. Sounds to me like you're doing something wrong. You can use the ball end of a ball peen hammer to tap the cap, I bet it will slide over and the clip will go in. Internal or external clips?
I didn't have to melt anything. I have a 12 ton press and I just pressed them out. It took a lot in order to get the old ones out. the old ones had clips but I found one with a missing clip.
A ball peen hammer isn't moving these. I pressed them in if that isn't going to do it a hammer isn't going to do squat.
Confedneck
3/4 ton status
ujoints that have to be pressed in and out with a 12 ton press? something aint right my friend.
