c3 u joint removal?

[dick foehringer]

does anyone know a rick to get the u joints out of the shaft pockets? i usually just pound them out but my 69 are the original ones and they are stuck. im soaking them now in penetrating oil. anyone have a secret?
thanks, dick

[Jim T.]

Re: c3 u joint removal?

My 68 has all original u-joints except for the right rear outer. I replaced this one back in 1976 and it was difficult to remove. Have 96K on the car now and know the other ones could use some new lubrication, but I doubt if they usable again. Don't see any of that rusty red sign around them yet. Hope you find the secret.

[Patrick H.]

Re: c3 u joint removal?

I usually use a press. In fact, the half shafts from Dad's 72 are laying in my garage right now until I get time to go over to a friend's, borrow his press, and get them out.

I've done it before with a large bench vise, but my current vise doesn't open up enough to do it. I'd buy a larger vise, but small presses are so inexpensive that I'd rather get one of those some day.

Patrick

[Harmon C.]

Re: c3 u joint removal?

Dick Work on your garage floor and if you have a heavy piece of soild steel like a railroad track use it as a base.Support the shaft so everything is level. Bounce on a work bench will not work for the tuff ones. Beat up your craftsman sockets if you have no soild steel rods and short lengths of pipe. I pound them out and I have a press. The press can damage the yokes faster than the 2# hammer. Lyle

[Terry F.]

Re: c3 u joint removal?

You could take them to a professional driveline out-fit and let them remove them. Ideally, a special fixture is installed to protect the yoke and then they are pressed out. It is probably one of the most common things done to cars that is done improperly by the at home mechanic. It is not that hard to screw the yoke up. Just my two cents worth. Terry

[David W.]

Re: c3 u joint removal?

I tried the socket approach mentioned above and they came out of my 64 without too much trouble. 9/16 or 5/8 fit the cap size well and I just hammered until they popped. Wasn't planning on reusing them so that wasn't an issue. Be patient. they'll come out. I soaked with PB Blaster for a couple days first as well.

[Terry F.]

Re: c3 u joint removal?

I have used the socket and hammer approach before. I think it is a big hassle and easy to miss and smash your fingers. It probably does things that you can't notice unless you have a calibrated eyeball. Nothing like having drive line vibration. I would just take them to a driveline shop and explain to them what you are doing. They can pull them with out damage. Terry

[Paul B.]

Re: c3 u joint removal?

It takes me longer to light up my torch than to get these out!!! I just cut right through the "x" of the u-joint and the heat from the torch makes the u-joint cups literally just pop out with one good tap. I know, I know people say "heat" will warp this, warp that yada, yada-but I put more miles on my four C3s than 99% of the people on this board do their Corvettes, plus others I've worked on and have yet to "warp" a shaft end OR spindle flange-you'll do MORE damage from pressing and hammering than you'll ever do with heat. There is also an "art" to properly setting up u-joints once they're in, but that's another thread.

[Patrick H.]

Re: c3 u joint removal?

Alright, you can't say that and just let it lay there.

So how is "setting them up" different than just installing the u-joints and bolting the half shafts back in place?

Too bad I don't have a cutting torch.

Patrick

[Chuck R.]

Re: I'm with Paul on this one

I have done the same thing many times by cutting out the X and by the time I had it freed up, there was usually enough heat transfer to loosen up the caps. If not, I just waved the torch over the cap retainers enough to get them to move making sure NOT to red up the retainers.

I never sprayed them with oils or emersed them in water to cool them off. I just let them cool off on their own. Never lost a drive shaft.

Of course this was plan "B" if they wouldn't either press or pop free easily with the ball peen.

Chuck

[Stephen W.]

Re: I'm with Paul on this one

Just to share my experience with the press. I squashed the yoke ever so slightly you could not see it till I tried to get the new caps in place. Tried everything but couldn't get the clip to go in. Funny... The clip slipped right in the NEW yokes. I then rechecked the old yokes and sure enough they were bent from the press, The "yoke" was on me and I thought I was being careful.
If you use a press be careful to support the yoke so you don't do what I did.