my dad has an 02 dodge 3/4 ton 4x4....we need to get the u joint out....we drove it through to one side....but we cant get the cap off.....there just isnt enough to room to do it....we dont have a tool...is there any way we can get it off...(i know its a dodge and this is a toyota forum...but this seems to be the best forum on the net that i have found)...thanks a lot for any information

 

When I did the U-joints on my 4Runner, I had the same problem. I could drive the spider bearing out one side, but that was it. So, I took an angle grinder to the joint and basically cut one side of it.

Good luck.

 

Have you tried the bench vice and socket trick?

 

I haven't specifically done u-joints on a dodge, but what works for me in most cases is;

Lock the drive shaft in a vice with the two yokes horizontal. Make sure all retaining clips have been removed (if used). Using a BFH, drive the joint down to push out the lower end cap. If it doesn't come all the way out, the flip the shaft in the vice and do the same with the other end cap. At this point, there should be enough clearance for the end part of the drive shaft to be removed from the cross of the u-joint. The end caps can now be driven the rest of the way out of the end of the drive flange. Rotate the drive shaft in the vice so the remaining end caps are vertical and drive one end of the joint down to move the lower end cap out, flip it over and drive the other end cap out, the center cross of the u-joint should be able to be removed at this point, and you can then drive the end caps out of the shaft yokes. Unless you have something I have not seen yet, this should work.