my issue is with my front passengers U Joint. i knew it needed to be replaced from the day i bought the jeep maybe 2 months.. little play..
well i just got some new BFG A/T and looking in to a lift soon but i figured i best change the u joint before a **** something up.. well! most of the bolts back there were stripped (the 2 caliper bolts were not) the 3 12-point bolts were.. so im attempting to just change the u joint out with it still being on the jeep.. i removed all 4 clips and cut all 4 rubber rings on each part of the u joint... no matter how hard i hit the caps (spent about 3hrs) the caps would not move.. now my question is what the hell can i do to get the joint out? need the help asap hate seeing the jeep out front on jack stands :brick wall:

 

Could be some tension in them from still being installed.
Acquire bolt outs and remove the bolts and replace them before you put it back together.

 

what are you hitting them with ? a 12 oz lightduty household hammer wont do it, you need a hand helf sledge hammer.... put a socket on the top of the joint, and give it a real hearty blow, I promise it will start to free up.... spray it with pb blast as well.

 

i was using a socket and 40oz hammer. ill attempt to pick up some pb blast tomorrow im not trying to spend to much, tight budget right now. thanks

 

ya man I was pretty discouraged because it wasnt coming out.... you literally have to blacksmith strike the joint until it gives up... brute force with a spray lube is your friend.

 

Ball joint press is easier, but it won't fit with the knuckle in the way.

 

I would think beeting the snot out of a ujoint, while still in the axle, could possably cause damage to the axle seal. I would get the bearing off b4 I would mutilate the joint any more.

 

Good advice. We have a driveline shop where I work and our guy usually lays driveshaft ends across a metal table with the end he wants to remove the u-joint propped up on to a vise. The free ends sitting on each side of the open vise and then he pounds the hell out of it to free the u-joints up. I know that's vague but the main point is this guy does it for a living and has big arms and he standing and hammer straight down on it while it is held in position and he still has to hit it VERY hard with a big maul hammer to get them to move.

 

Picked up some pb blaster and borrowed a friends blow torch.. long story short a got the bolts out but now my axle shaft does not want to come out .

 

should slide out nice and easy once the three 12 pt bolts are taken off the hub.

 

Is the hub out?

 

LOL

 

tis true

 

The hub has a lip that slides very tightly into the knuckle, you have to get the hub to come free then the shaft will slide right out

 

Thanks every one after i yelled just about every word in the book and hit my hand a few times with the hammer and wasted a whole bottle of PB blaster and killed all the propane in my buddys torch i got every thing taken care of!