I am putting the driveshaft back on after installing new u-joints. They are an extremely tight fit into the yokes. Last time I did this was on a body-off restoration. This time I'm working underneath the car and it's not so easy. I finally got the driveshaft side on and am working on the other. The front required a few gently taps with a hammer, but the rear is a lot tighter of a working space. Any tips would be appreciated. They are the correct size, spicer joints and I've been told they ARE a very tight fit.
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Re: '66 Driveshaft Re-install
If you are trying to install u joints without pulling the driveshaft out from under the car, then you are headed for disaster. Clock the rear yoke relative to the D/S & remove D/S. Install u-joints per shop manual. You probably need a LARGE mouth vise or a press. A few LIGHT taps will bend the yokes. -
Re: '66 Driveshaft Re-install
Ken...
The u-joints have already been installed in the driveshaft. I am installing the driveshaft now. I have it connected at the transmission. The connection at the differential is where I'm having difficulty. The fit of the u-joint between the tabs on the yoke is really tight.Comment
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Re: '66 Driveshaft Re-install
Hi Rob,
If you had the caps off for any reason, take them back off and confirm that a needle hasn't fallen out of place.
If everything is in place, then the yoke on the diff is closed up. If your talking about slight tapping to get it to fall into place, then that's not a big deal. If your talking significant strikes to get the caps into place, then the yoke should be opened back up.
How hard was it to get the old joint free? That should be an indicator.
ChuckComment
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Re: '66 Driveshaft Re-install
With the compression of installing the the end caps for u-joint with any additional grease, you may incounter some resistance because of the grease. It has been awhile since I have installed any new u-joints, when I was buying them, one manufacturer's u-joints required lubrication and anothers did not. Grease can be difficult to compress. Using a C-clamp, you may be able to compress the ends more so it will fit without interference.Comment
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Re: '66 Driveshaft Re-install
A c-clamp should do the trick.Comment
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Re: '66 Driveshaft Re-install
I finally got everything connected. The originals were very tight. I guess it's mostly the close working space that made the rear so difficult. Thanks for the replies. It was the fitting of the u-joint caps into the transmission and differential yokes (where the u-bolts go) that were difficult. The space between the locating tabs is really tight.Comment
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Re: '66 Driveshaft Re-install
Rob-----
The u-joints will fit very tightly in the yokes, both forward and rear. If they didn't, they wouldn't last too long.
As Jim mentioned, the grease in the u-joints can exacerbate this problem. That's because, as a liquid, grease is incompressible. So, if there's too much grease in the joint, it will have "nowhere to go". It's very possible to break trunnion bearing caps if too much force is applied to try to compress the joints into the saddle of the yoke.
Here's a little-known "fact-of-life": u-joints that are of the zerk fitting type are shipped with only a very small amount of light grease to protect the bearings during shipment and shelf storage. These u-joints MUST be lubed after installation. This type of joint is the easiest to install since there is little grease to interfere. Still, they will fit quite tightly in the yoke saddles.
U-joints without grease fittings are "lubed-for-life" at the manufacturing plant. So, they contain a lot more grease. If they happen to contain just a little too much, one ends up with a very difficult compression and installation.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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