Time sensitive question about cv axles, any help appreciated

[OR VietVet]

Kind of looking forward to helping walk you through this repair to help save $. As a pipefitter/welder, you have a mechanical aptitude and should do fine during this adventure. there is enough experienced people here to walk you thru this. Do not hesitate to ask for ANY HELP. Good luck.

When you think about it, you started with a concern that you gave us details about and then you were pointed in the direction to look and the problem was found. The rig never went to a shop to do this. The internet and this forum is amazing and i sure wish it was always available when I spent 35+ years in shops. When I started this info shared here was word of mouth and in manuals.

 

[Blackmar401]

Yes, most of the time when the pressure releases, the cup just pops up a bit but I have seen two times where the pressure popped 'em right out and about 6" to 12" in the air. I thought at that point, "Don't want to be looking real close at that next time".

So I took the straps off the u joint and out the truck in neutral. The shaft will turn a small amount that it wouldn't in park but not even an ⅛th turn. Shaft seems stuck pretty good. Do I just tap it with a 3lb or sledge?

Edit. Pry bar did the trick. Wrapped it up for the night with half of a new u joint installed and and the other connections cleaned and ready to go

 

[OR VietVet]

So are you just doing the rear u-joint? If so, make sure the new cup that still need to be pushed in the U shape section of yoke, are completely seated with no needle bearings laid over in the end of the cup.

 

[George B]

Making progress! Add some photos of your progress.

 

[Blackmar401]

So are you just doing the rear u-joint? If so, make sure the new cup that still need to be pushed in the U shape section of yoke, are completely seated with no needle bearings laid over in the end of the cup.

I'm doing both of the rear ones. The one I did install I need to beat on a little more tonight. One snap ring seated but the other one wouldn't.

 

[Fless]

I'm doing both of the rear ones. The one I did install I need to beat on a little more tonight. One snap ring seated but the other one wouldn't.

Be a bit careful with the beating. See post #33 about needle bearings getting out of place.

 

[OR VietVet]

I'm doing both of the rear ones. The one I did install I need to beat on a little more tonight. One snap ring seated but the other one wouldn't.

Be a bit careful with the beating. See post #33 about needle bearings getting out of place.

Yes, sometimes the needle bearings fall over if you remove the cup for ANY reason and then you slide cup back on and the needle is laying in the end taking up room. If you beat it, you stand the chance of breaking out the end of the cup and ruining the u-joint. When you slide the cup on the joint end, it is pretty much air tight. IMO, if you cannot remove the cup to inspect, because it is already partially pressed in to the ear, then, to be sure, remove the c-clip and press that cup toward the other cup, just a little at a time, to allow for the unseated cup to come out and inspect for that needle bearing. If the bearing is ok, then carefully slide the cup back on, you can even use your little finger to shove a small amount of grease in there to help hold needles in place. Then press back the other way to help gain clearance for the c-clip. The concern may also be that a needle has fallen on the cup end that already had the c-clip installed. In that case you go ahead and push that cup out and inspect. It is a back and forth tug of war, so to speak, to get the c-clip clearance lined up but when they are both in, the u-joint should rock back and forth smoothly but still may feel slight resistance when doing so but if a needle is laid over and crushed from beating, it will be bound up or real real rough to move. If you do get a c-clip in on one end, you can use a socket that fits inside the ear on the other end and use that to help push that cup in to place.

By the way, after the old cups removal, you should have cleaned the ears thoroughly and lubed the ears insides with grease. This is important so that the grooves for the c-clips are cleaned out to accept the new c-clips.

 

[Blackmar401]

Yes, sometimes the needle bearings fall over if you remove the cup for ANY reason and then you slide cup back on and the needle is laying in the end taking up room. If you beat it, you stand the chance of breaking out the end of the cup and ruining the u-joint. When you slide the cup on the joint end, it is pretty much air tight. IMO, if you cannot remove the cup to inspect, because it is already partially pressed in to the ear, then, to be sure, remove the c-clip and press that cup toward the other cup, just a little at a time, to allow for the unseated cup to come out and inspect for that needle bearing. If the bearing is ok, then carefully slide the cup back on, you can even use your little finger to shove a small amount of grease in there to help hold needles in place. Then press back the other way to help gain clearance for the c-clip. The concern may also be that a needle has fallen on the cup end that already had the c-clip installed. In that case you go ahead and push that cup out and inspect. It is a back and forth tug of war, so to speak, to get the c-clip clearance lined up but when they are both in, the u-joint should rock back and forth smoothly but still may feel slight resistance when doing so but if a needle is laid over and crushed from beating, it will be bound up or real real rough to move. If you do get a c-clip in on one end, you can use a socket that fits inside the ear on the other end and use that to help push that cup in to place.

By the way, after the old cups removal, you should have cleaned the ears thoroughly and lubed the ears insides with grease. This is important so that the grooves for the c-clips are cleaned out to accept the new c-clips.

The grooves are on the new cups. They are snap rings. I was very careful about starting both cups together so bearings didn't fall. It's so close that it seems like I could brush some sandpaper over the snap ring a couple times and it would drop in. I will take pictures tonight.

 

[OR VietVet]

Ok, I get it. The snap rings go inside the ears instead of at the ends. Sometimes the debris there will take up space. Cleaning with a wire brush solves that and make sure the cup is fully pressed in. Good luck.