I was searching on here about u joints and everyone suggest taking it to a drive line shop and letting them handle it. Is there any particular reason why I should let a drive line shop handle it?

 

Toyota Yokes are machined on a angle so when you try pressing in or out a u joint they tend to bind causing all sorts of words to fly.

I don`t change all that many if I did I would machine the correct angle on a spacer and be good to go.

Others may have other reasons but that is mine.

The people that do mine I think are quite reasonable as far as labor rate

 

No there isn't. It's easy. Do it yourself.


I don't know where you came up with that, but it's totally false.

I've replaced a dozen or more Toyota u-joints, and NONE of them were like that. As a matter of fact they're not any easier, nor any harder, to replace than any other press fit u-joint. It's just about where the snap-rings are located compared to some that's any different at all. And you will find some Toyotas with Dana type u-joints, with the snap rings on the ends of the spider bearing caps too.

It's not hard to do with a bench vise, a hammer, and a couple of the right size sockets. But there's lot's of ways to to do it actually, including a number of special tools you can purchase to make it easier.

Here's the FSM instructions. http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b.../3propelle.pdf

Here's another nice write-up about it(w/pics).
http://www.tlocuk.co.uk/forums/viewt...2f3128cf5ef65c

 

Super easy
I've done tons, before I angled my rear axle, I was spitting u-joints once a week.

 

depends on if you wanna screw with it or not.

Driveline shop i go to charged me $50 for the u-joints on my 1/2 ton dodge..i just didn't wanna mess with them.

i did some with the press at my school on my '80....took about .5 seconds..lmao and was SUPER easy

 

To each his own I know what I see.

Maybe being in the salt belt and taking them out for the first time after 20 years . Yes removing u joints that have been out in the last few years are not bad.

Then I guess I might be getting to old to do this.

I could also be doing it wrong!!

But these u joints gave me more grief then any other of the hundreds I have changed in the last 35 years

It could also be that most of the new u joints are made in China and they have yet to learn how to read a micrometer.

In fact they made me so mad I just had new driveshafts made if a u joint goes bad

 

Air Hammer, U joint/ball joint press kit make it EASY! basically the right tools for the job make any repair easy.

 

I loath u joints. I'll save my time and will only change them myself if I'm on the trail.

 

I agree Scuba, when i do the U-joints on my 4runner, the shafts are goin to the driveline shop

 

Nancy pants

Sockets, hammer, and a block of wood
or a press
or a u-joint press

 

i aint got the money for a press, and don't have access the the high school press anymore lol

if i have a free weekend then i'd be down for the u-joints, but if i have the money..then it's goin to the driveline shop lol

Can't call me a nancy pants, i tore apart my 3vz and rebuilt it bottom up and it runs great

 

I guess I'll take the drive shaft out tomorrow and take it to the shop. Do you think I should bring my own u joints? I don't have time to order anything from marlin or trail gear. Auto part store u joints ok to use or are they garbage?

 

I used NAPA u-joints, worked just fine. They've held up on my 3/4 ton dodge diesel too.

I also had a problem with the angled yoke making removal of one of mine quite difficult. I was using the air powered press tool the mechanics at work use and still couldn't get one side because the odd angle made the press slip.

In the end the guys from work took pitty on me, cut it out with a torch. They said it was one of the toughest ones they had seen. Darn thing just would not budge. Once it was cut in half we had to use an air hammer with a punch to get the caps out. Maybe they were original!

 

Just like 4bAngin', i just use a socket, block and a hammer.
Still got those Camo? perfect tools for those on a budget

 

Thanks for the advice guys. I talked to my local drive shaft shop today and they said pretty much the same thing you guys did about the yoke.

Also when I removed it I saw what I think is causing my vibration. The front u joint is destroyed. The caps broke apart.

 

I used the socket, block and a hammer method until I got this
http://www.mactools.com/product/tabi...473-bj530.aspx
then used that until i bought a 20 ton press.

Work up you tool collection people! I would never let a "shop" touch my truck. The only thing I will ever send to anyone else is a block for machining...which i'll be sending out right after the new year

 

I'm sure you guys will like this.........
This is the front joint. I also had to replace the yoke. Drive line shop did it all.




Forgot to mention. The truck drives amazingly now. No crazy vibration at 45mph and above. I never new the truck when it didn't ride like crap. I'm starting to really like this little truck.

 

I have done both the regular ujoints and the CV joints with a hammer and a couple of sockets and some rocks out on the trail. I've also done them using a press.

It is easy.

My advice is to contact High Angle Driveline and talk to Jess. They sell high quality joints. Napa joints suck for hard wheeling and/or large tires. They aren't that much cheaper than Jess's stuff either.

 

NAPA sells

I've had good luck with their Premium u-joints. Which are damn-near as good as OEM, and are great value for the price, IMO.


And their Super-Strength u-joints, which were way stronger than they needed to be for me(snapped the yoke on the driveshaft without breaking the u-joint).


OEM have the best seals I've ever seen(they're integral to the spider bearing caps), they're plenty robust/durable, and serviceable with thicker snap rings available from Toyota.

But they're WAY spendy!
Part # 04371-60070.

http://www.dcpart.com/eProduct.asp?c...teering System

 

If it was that nasty/rusty/seized, I would have torched the old joint out and cleaned the yoke up...