Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

[manofprawnz]

I've been having a grand old time trying to change the univeral joints my Alpha 1 yoke. I removed the c clips, gave a good soak with a nut buster spray, but I can hardly get them to move. I started with a u-joint press tool, can't get them to budge, wacked them like hell with a hammer and started to get some movement. Been working them back and forth and spraying like mad. Any suggestions?

 

[wca_tim]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

At the risk of sounding like a smart alec... have you removed the clips?

 

[ziggy]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

don't know if either of these ideas help or not...
maybe put it to a press of some kind... or a worse idea. cut the ujoint off and back to the ujoint press. but ya'd only be pressin one at a time w/o the ujoint there, if ya cut it off..... like i say, don't know if them are good ideas or not...

 

[manofprawnz]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

The clips were removed.

Thanks for the input Ziggy, been following some of your threads as I am doing about the same. Sure hope my rebuild turns out as sexy as yours did. Anyhow, will keep on soaking and working them while I work on other things, and if all fails will have to cut them.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

Man, They are a tight fit, but I never thought it would be that big of an issue. I thought I saw a bulletin where the u-joints changed from outside retainers to inside retainers. Is it possible you are working on a yoke that originally had outside retainers, and someone installed a replacement u-joint with internal retainers?

I usually use a hammer and the correct size 1/2 drive socket to get 'em out.

 

[manofprawnz]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

Good point Chris. Actually I just put another half hour into the first one and finally got it to separate. Looks like it is going to take a lots of hits with torch and WD. Having never done a u-joint before it is amazing that they are in so tight. Oh well, 3 more sessions to go, guess it is good incentive to check the bellows yearly and top up the grease.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

have ya got one of these?

http://www.iboats.com/U_Joint_Adapt....271116--list_time.1201729886--view_id.271201

for half mine i did it with a socket set up.... then the tool arrived in the mail.. much easier to align the ujoint press with the tool..... just a thought...

 

[qaztwo]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

hammer and socket to drive out. c- clamp/socket to press back in. Always worked for me.

 

[manofprawnz]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

Thanks everyone, the first one must have been the bad one. Anyhow, used the hammer and socket method to get the rest apart. Interesting tool Ziggy, perhaps I will try one next time around. Hopefully the new ones go in a lot easier then the ones that came out.

 

[wil7483]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

I've been having a grand old time trying to change the univeral joints my Alpha 1 yoke. I removed the c clips, gave a good soak with a nut buster spray, but I can hardly get them to move. I started with a u-joint press tool, can't get them to budge, wacked them like hell with a hammer and started to get some movement. Been working them back and forth and spraying like mad. Any suggestions?

duh

 

[1970 Chieftain V]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

Be careful with the reassembly. The ears on the yoke and driveshaft were kind of flimsy when I put mine back together. They tended to deflect inward when pressing the caps in making it hard to get the clips back on.

Jason

 

[Wotam]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

A little film of never-seize on the bearing cup-yoke mating surfaces will make the job easier next time around.

 

[watermellonI]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

I bent a heavy c clamp on mine, got a ball joint press from the parts store, and it popped loose real quick

 

[Mkos1980]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

I also went though 2 C clamps lol. 1.99 a piece from biglots or something. When I need to do it again I'll go the same route or splurge on a press.

 

[wca_tim]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

Mine were tight enough that I bent a couple of big c-clamps and split a socket getting the first one out and then took the rest to work and used a hydraulic press...

and I'll admit that embarrassing as it seems (no alcohol involved either so no excues other than...), I missed one of the clips on the first one I tried to get apart... hate it when I miss something completely silly like that. Guess it was good that I figured that our before I tore things up trying to get it out...

 

[JustJason]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

no alcohol involved either

Is it me... or are more people hittin the bottle lately. Even all my friends seem to be back in their college habits.

 

[wca_tim]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

now that came out of left field!!

 

[Mike H]

Re: Alpha 1 - U-joint removal

Ujoints