Hey guys I know this should be simple and I feel really dumb for asking this but.....how in the world do remove the U joint out of my 99 Z28?? There are no external clips or anything. It just won't come out. Please help me out with this!!

Thanks

Keith

 

torch to heat it up; then either a press; or a socket/spacer and a hammer and drive the cap inward to drive the opposite cap outward.

The factory u-joints are held in place with a plastic that's injected and hardens in place; you need to heat it up with a torch to soften it; then it'll press/pound out a lot easier.

 

Go get a ball joint/u-joint press from an auto parts store. A lot of them will allow you to rent their tools now. I tried the heating thing on my suburban, and I wound up using a press. The nylon that they inject is pretty stout. All that I had was a propane torch, and I don't think that I could get it hot enough. The press will make you life a whole lot easier both removing and installing the new u-joint.

 

I've seen presses bend the ears on the yoke on the 4th Gen driveshafts, and still not be able to press the u-joints out. You have to melt it out. Its nylon.

 

I wound up using a press on my suburban, but only because it wouldn't melt the nylon. I had a little propane torch (like a plumber would use), on it for about 5 minutes, and it wouldn't even melt the little nipples on the yoke. I know that people have had luck melting the nylon, but I was impatient and had an angry wife, so speed was an issue.

 

I took the lazy approach recently when replacing the u-joints
on the auto ... I brought it to a drivetrain shop - I wanted to
have it rebalanced anyway, so they put the new joints in and
checked the shaft for true-ness and balanced it. ($50)