What was the
experience like the last time you tried to change a u-joint? Where
you at home? In the shop? On the trail? Did you have everything
you needed? How much hammering and cussing was involved?
We've done it
the hard the way in just about every situation imaginable but changing
a u-joint on the trail is probably the worst place to have to do
this nasty task. You have uneven work surfaces covered in dirt and
mud and you usually have to improvise the parts and tools you need
to get the joint out. I usually have a pair of plyers, a hammer,
a set of Vice Grips, a metal ring to set the joint over, and a cross
shaft out of an old locker to hammer the joint bearings out with.
I would usually
lay the bottom bearing cap over the ring so when I pounded the cross
shaft against the other side, the bottom bearing could come out
and inside the ring for removal. Once it was far enough out, I would
use a Vise Grip to then pull the bearing out from the yoke.
Removing
U-Joints the Old Way |
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Recently, John
Henry of the U-Joint
Tool Company, Inc. gave me a holler and asked if I'd give his
U-Joint Tool a try. "Sure," I said, always eager to try
new tools and toys out. What arrived was a plastic case with a work
of art inside. When you open the case up, the U-Joint Tool is sitting
securely in a form-fitting case just waiting to be used. "But
how" I thought. Staring at the tool, I was confused. How would
this thing attach to a u-joint and do all the hard work for me?
I looked over
the instructions but just couldn't picture it. It was a simple enough
concept, yes, but how exactly did it work?
So out to the
workshop I went. I had just removed a Tom
Wood drive shaft so it was the perfect time to try the U-Joint
Tool out. The driveshaft was easily removed from the Jeep by unbolting
the straps on each end of the shaft. It's a whole lot easier to
do the work with the shaft off of the vehicle.
The first time
I tried to remove a u-joint with the tool, I was a bit confused
and perplexed, but once I understood what each piece did and what
the overall concept was, it began to make perfect sense. After I
did it once, I tried it on another driveshaft. I had the u-joint
out of the shaft in about 2 minutes with NO HAMMERING and just a
bit of arm strength. It was a piece of cake! I mean, if I practiced,
I could probably remove joints in a single minute with the tool.
It's really that simple.
Removing
U-Joints the New Way - With the U-Joint Tool |
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The U-Joint
Tool can also be used to put the joints back into the shafts. For
me, it was really almost easier to just tap the caps in with a hammer
the old-school way. However, I'm sure using the U-Joint Tool would
put less stress on the bearing caps and give the u-joints a longer
lifespan.
The U-Joint
Tool is probably one of the best-engineered tools we've come across
and for someone who does a lot of four wheeling, it could save you
a lot of time and trouble. The tool is for use with u-joint caps
that range from 15/16" to 1-1/8". The kit also includes
an adaptor which may or may not be required when using certain driveshaft
parts. Our application did not require the adaptor.
Probably not
everyone will want to buck up for the U-Joint Tool, but if you have
a club, it's something your club should consider having in the community
toolbox, especially when hosting events and leading trails. It could
keep your groups moving along the next time someone breaks.
If you own a
shop, the U-Joint Tool is a must-have. The time and effort you'll
save by using the tool will more than pay for it and you're customers
will hear a lot less cussing coming from the shop floor.
Follow
along as we walk you through the process of removing a u-joint with
the U-Joint Tool. --->>>
RESOURCES
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U-Joint
Tool Company, Inc.
12759 Foothill Blvd. Suite C-390
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739
Phone: 909-350-9373
Fax: 909-350-9474
www.ujointtool.com
Email: ujointtool@iol7.com |
Tom
Wood's Custom Drive Shafts
2147 N. Rulon White Blvd.
Building #1 Suite #103
Ogden, UT 84404
Phone: 877-4X-SHAFT
Fax: 877-4X-JOINT4
www.4xshaft.com |
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