Drive shaft Universal joint / UJ - how to guide

[oshimon]

Well, vibration traced back to yet another bust rear UJ, the second this month so took some pics.

I usually use a press for this but decided to do it 'old skool' for Differs sake (and a bit of practice 'cos it's been ages since I last did it in the boonies).
Let the pictures commence..........


Tools needed -



Remove prop shaft. 4 bolts. May need a slight tap with BFH to release it from the flange -



Remove all four cir clips -



Place UJ/prop on a surface which is strong but will allow the bottom cap to fall through (all will be made clearer in the following pics). An old bearing is ideal.
Use an old spark plug socket (or similar) which fits through the yoke holes and let rip on the UJ with the BFH bashing down on the UJ cap -



Until the bottom cap pops out -



Prize it off, (taking the time to admire all the little needles that fall out) -



Turn prop yoke by 90* and repeat process to push off the cap on the other side -



You should now be able to wiggle the cap-less UJ off the flange yoke.
Rotate the prop 90* and repeat the same steps for the other half of the UJ -



Gather up all the bits (except the prop shaft and yoke) and throw them at you neighbor's dog -

[oshimon]

Find your replacement UJ. I've prefer the genuine zook ones, part # 27200-73813 for the 'fatty' props. They don't have a grease nipple like some after market ones I've used but last longer for me -





Insert the cross part on the UJ into one of the yokes and gently tap on one of the pre greased caps until the groove in the yoke is visible -



Insert the cir clip and repeat for other side.
Wiggle the other yoke over the two cap less ends of the UJ and repeat the process of gently tapping the caps on and securing with cir clip.
The last cap to go on can be a bit tricky so the use of a mates finger to press it down whilst you insert the final cir clip may be needed.
As it was hot out side, I was on my lone some and I had cold beer waiting for me I retired to the confines of the shed and used the press.
Substitute the bolt in the picture for mates finger -



Re fit prop to zook after re greasing the splines and lining them up properly with the punch marks on each end of the telescopic bit.

Remove beer from fridge.
Sit in sun.
Drink.
Enjoy.



Simon 'and all is good with the world' Owen.

[Little Toe]

Another excellent write up there Simon
Cheers,
"Wishing it would stop raining" Shaun

[4x4bigstu]

Just one thing I would do diffrently there, not critisizing.

When insering the new uj spider it is not a good idea to tap the new cups in, as sometimes you can knock a needle roller out without realizing it which can lead to ruining a new joint

Best to press the new joint in using a vice and socket,

When you press the first cup in, catch the spider in the cup then press the cup in too far. so then there is part of the spider sticking out the other side of the yoke.

you can then catch the opposite cup on without the risk of tipping of tipping a needle out of the cup, you can then press them back in to centrelise ,and then fit the clips.

I have done many pto shafts and propshafts using this method and never had a problem

[Kitesurf]

Nice write-up. Better than my effort last month and your piccies are sharper. At least you showed how to put them back together. Mine is still in bits!

[Jon Caveman]

Not a bad job to do.........nice & simple.........cheers.... Simon'I can do anything with a big hammer 'Owen

[DifflockPeter]

Sorry but I have to disagree with your Method Simon.

Here's a proper guide:

Search your entire toolbox, shed, garage and friends for a couple of spanners that are just too big to fit the prop nuts.

Undo the first seven easy nuts, losing at least one to take you past the point of no return.

Slip with a spanner on the last seized nut, rounding it irreparably and splitting open your now badly bruised knuckles.

Staunch the flow of blood with an oily rag and spend another hour failing to undo the shagged nut.

Spend a further hour hunting down your cold chisel and finally split the nut to release it just as darkness falls.

Be sure to strike a nearby brake pipe or wiring harness with the BFH while your swinging it under the truck.

With the prop removed retire to the Kitchen and put one of your partner’s best towels/tablecloths/sheets or unread magazines on the table so as not to get grease on the wood surface.

Arrange an assortment of small screwdrivers, long nose pliers and household cutlery on the kitchen table and spend at least two hours failing to undo even one of the circlips.

Be sure to have an unholy row with your partner when they come to investigate the banging and swearing.

Retire to bed.

Next morning, go to at least 3 tool shops that either don't stock circlip pliers or sold the last one yesterday.

Overcome your embarrassment and ask the mate who lent you his spanners to lend you his circlip pliers.

Lie convincingly that you haven't started the job yet and try to keep the bloodied knuckles behind your back.

Return home and spend 30 minutes hunting for the prop that your partner 'tidied up' before leaving the house.

Leave at least four increasingly irate voicemails on their mobile before discovering the propshaft in the boot of your Zuk.

Proceed to remove the circlips, losing a couple after they fly off and start the weakening process of the circlip plier tips.

With the circlips removed, hammer the living crap out of the UJ before realising the socket you have destroyed was too big to slip down the hole in the yoke.

Strike that really painful bit between thumb and first finger for good measure when using the hammer again.

Discover that no matter which way you fiddle with the UJ, it won't quite untangle itself from the prop yokes.

Eventually release the UJ and throw it as hard as you can at the Zuk.

Make a note to buy a new indicator lens.

Take your new UJ out of its packaging, totally destroying the box and bag as you do so.

Spend another hour or so trying to fiddle it into the yokes.

Carefully fit one of the end cups, repeating this until the rollers don't fall in just as the cup slips on.

Fit the remaining end cups.

Watch one of the new circlips spring free and disappear. Lose at least another two before realising they are too thick for the groove in the yoke.

Hunt around to find the old circlips and refit one to the yoke.

Discover the new UJ is too long to allow the second circlip to locate and in so doing bend the weakened tip of the circlip pliers beyond repair.

Call the now closed parts supplier (half day closing today) and listen impotently to the constant ringing.

Call in at the garage 5 minutes walk away and ask how long to do a prop.

Collect prop next morning and refit to the vehicle using new bolts and Nyloc nuts.

Round the nuts ever so slightly when tightening to aid removal next time around.

Leave sufficient time for your memory to fade before attempting the next significant repair.

Best Regards

Peter

[Joelypops]

Thats uncomfortably close to home there Simon.. good tho!


Joel.

[Chris™]

Great write up there Simon Top bloke!

@ Peter... yeah that's probably about right!

[Flipper]

Good write up there Simon and Peter you must drive a L... R.... !

[the_undertaker]

Simon i am sorry to bring this up but we have a "rants and niggles" section for this kinda thing

sheesh and these guys are in charge!

[DifflockPeter]

[zukimoo]

I've got to add something to the how to!

When I got the whole thing back together I use a hammer and hit the whole shaft until the joint is free moving. I used to change joints all the time before my friend told me about releasing the pressure on the joint. If the joint is stiff you've got something wrong with a needle or you have to tap it until the joint goes free.....

Last thing is be sure that the clips are all in. I changed the joints on a shaft and on the test drive I lost the drive on the zuke going about 120km/h on the highway....when I realised that the rear shaft had fallen off on the front I hit the brakes and put the zuke on the side of the road.....the tow truck driver was very impressed as we were looking at the drag marks on the pavement.

[Kitesurf]

Although Simon's guide is very good, yours is more real-world. I have just done my centre prop and could not understand why the same metric spanners that I used to remove the UJ from the flange were slipping on putting it back. It didn't dawn on me until I had struggled to do them all up using molegrips to hold the bolts and a 12mm spanner on the nuts, that I had got Suzuki (metric) and Pre-1972 Volvo (Imperial) parts mixed up. At least I know that I need my imperial rng spanner set to remove them and put the right ones back on.

[Flipper]

You run a tool store Peter? It's a small world!

Colin (sitting in his tool shop) Rose.

[DifflockPeter]

Hi Colin,

We should start a splinter group......

BTW I run this toolstore:

The Difflock Online Tools and Lubes Store

Best Regards

Peter

[Nathaniel]

If you think that is hard try disassembling used props and making them into special short ones for twin tcase setup.

You have to get them apart without losing the little rollers!

Major headache picking them up off the floor and sticking them back into place!

I agree a vise/press is a better method but not everyone has the luxury of these tools...

How come you didn't use the external circlips that suzuki supplied?

I like these better, they seem more positive.

[oshimon]

Excellent post Peter, haven't laughed so much in ages!

From past lessons learned the hard way I have a little custom before starting any work on the E.M.F.

First I give a body panel (any body panel) a thump with a hammer, followed by the throwing of three tools (picked at random from the tool boxes) into the bushes.

The next stage is to get next doors kid to replace two (2) fuses at random with blown ones and to cut two (2) wires some where on the zook with out me looking or him telling me which ones.

The final part of the ceremony is the "hitting of the thumb with BFH and gashing palm of hand with screw driver" to be followed, of course, with the classic "dragging knuckles down the wall whilst going to the house for plasters".

I find that this covers about 80% of the common work misshaps and if all the crap happens right at the begining then the rest of the job is usualy plain sailing.

Simon 'allmost zen like approach to mechanics' Owen.

[Henry.]

A great write up, just taken my old one out and will be putting the new one in tomorrow!

Thanks Henry

[Henry.]

One slight problem im having is getting the new caps to fit. They seem to be a fraction bigger than the old ones. Should i file the yoke down or not?

[sjmxrus]

i pmsl & nearly got sacked

[mlines]

henry-the-hoover - there are at least two different size UJs in the SJ range - you have got the right ones haven't you?

Martin

[Henry.]

Martin, it turned out i had the 25mm UJ replacement and i needed the 23mm.

I managed to get hold of a spare prop for now