Well i have the driveline down and i'm trying to remove the old u-joints but i cannot get them to budge.
I have taken the retaining rings off and have soaked the yokes with fluid but i think they are in there nice and tight.
I even tried some heat but that didn't work.
I have a small socket to push on one side and a large socket on the other side to catch all in a vice.

Anyone have any other ideas on how to get these things to break loose? What a pain

 

I got tired of screwing with mine and just had my buddy with a machine shop take care of them

 

A press is your friend with stubborn u-joints. But the odd shape of the yokes on the yota shafts makes supporting them under a press a bit of a challenge.

If you're really in a bind, you can cradle the spider in a large vise and hold a large socket over the end cap. Then take a large hammer and smack the socket. The bearing cap should work its way out. Be sure to support the yokes well and try to keep the hammering to a minimum. Cuts and gashes from hammering can lead to cracks later on.

 

I've found that sometimes the vise is in a spot where you can't get the best angle for the swing of the hammer.

I don't recommend this is the "best" solution but if your stuck it may work. Put the drive shaft on the floor and sit it up on a block of wood, supporting the yolk the best you can. Then place your socket on the cap, a solid metal blank works best if you have one, and swing away with a nice heavy sledge. Also spray everything with penetrating fluid like PB Blaster.

Like I said, it may not be the ideal method but I've done it this way before and it has worked.

A press is definately the easiest way.

Let us know how you make out.

 

Thanks guys for the info.
I'm heading out here this morning for round two

 

I just did mine. I used this method: link

BFH and a vise worked great.

 

Sheeez!!!
What a pain. Finally got them off and replaced. Found out there was no lube in the u-joints. Spider gears looked burnt.

I sprayed alot of penatrating oil on the u-joints and let it sit over night.
I then used a small socket to push and a large socket to catch and did it all in a large vice.
My brother-in-law came over and he was a big help.

I'm still getting a vibration when i decelerate from around 50 mph. I thought it was the u-joints.
Guess i'll keep trying.

Thanks everyone for the help.

 

Yup. I tried the socket thing and it was dumb this way is much easier.

I did my first one using this method in a parking lot with 2 cinder blocks instead of a vice. Took me less than an hour and it was my first time.

 

i rebuilt my 98 taco shaft recently. u-joints came out hard. i found if you put yolk in the vise with sockets where needed, hammer vise tight(helps to have bomb proof vise, mine broke),grab a small sledge and wack the side of the vise that will push u joint out.

 

i rebuilt my 98 taco shaft recently. u-joints came out hard. i found if you put yolk in the vise with sockets where needed, hammer vise tight(helps to have bomb proof vise, mine broke),grab a small sledge and wack the side of the vise that will push u joint out. have fun