HOLY crap the one joint's bearing caps did not want to come out at all. This turned into a total production when it should have been simple.

Well it is done and the new Brute Force joints are in place so hopefully I don't have to mess with that again for a while. The store only had 2 so one another date I am going to do the single brute force in the front shaft and new half shafts before I try more off roading.

 

Oh yeah, I've been there a few times.

I just wanted to give my experience with beefed up u-joints. I put the Precision super-strength in my rear driveshaft, just because they were needin' changed and I wanted something tougher, that would last longer. Long story short, I busted that driveshaft. It snapped at the yoke where it was holding one of those cursed caps. Anyway, it didn't hurt the u-joints, they were reusable. Driveshafts are way more expensive than u-joints. So my first thoughts as I examined my predicament that fatefull evening was, "Damn, super-strength u-joints, YEAH I GEUSS!. Now I need a new fricken driveshaft!" NO MORE SUPER-STRENGTH U-JOINTS, I would rather buy new u-joints than driveshaft ANY DAY OF THE WEEK!

If you plan on an a driveshaft upgrade, they would be totally sensible, certainly stronger than stock. Hell, I'd buy some more if I ever get that Rockstomper driveshaft, $600!!!!!
http://www.rockstomper.com/catalog/d...driveshaft.htm

 

Good point. These were just a few dollars more than the stock ones and are sealed with no grease point and I figured they would be better for what I do since I am lazy with maintenance like that. I am going to do all my drive line fluids next and the front joint and start saving for front and rear Elockers with new gears.

 

thats funny, I just changed my u joint a couple days ago too. Penetrating oil, vise, and a sledge hammer were my friend that day hahaha. it was a pain to get mine out too. I just used the car quest u joint, car quest usually has parts that are very close to oem in quality and fitment.

 

Yeah using my GFs garage the bench vice is cheap to say the least, my big ball pein hammer is out of commission (broken handle), and all I had was WD-40 and no PB Blaster. The job could have went alot smoother.

We will be moving to Denver soon and I will get my bench out of storage with my heavier vice and all of my tool goodies for future jobs. I cannot wait.

 

Am I the only one that used a grinder? I couldn't get my bearing caps far enough off. I broke the vise trying. I did get them far enough off to get at them w/ a 4" grinder and a metal cutting blade.


Anthony

 

A friend/neighbor of mine fabbed up a simple rectangular frame w/ a base to fashion a press with a little 2 ton bottle jack at the base and a deep well socket (interchangeable) up top of the frame. Works better and much, much easier than the aforementioned methods here. This is what I'm going to do before my next u-joint replacements. It shouldn't be more than $20-$30 (if that much) to have the frame and base fabbed up. Beats breaking tools and busting knuckles....and potentially damaged components. Last time, I'd di#ked around with getting my old u-joint out for over an 1hr breaking my vise in the process. I took it to my friend and it was out and replaced in under 45min....taking our sweet time.

 

Or get a Harbor Freight 10 or 12 ton press for like $100. Basically the same thing, prefabbed. There's a certain member here who's been using one in a semi-pro way for years.

 

But, that's $100!