If you had such a hard time getting the u joints out because they were so frozen, the ears most likely got bent in when you were pressing the u joint out. Especially if used a ball joint press. This just happened to me. Ive done tones of u joints, even on aluminum shafts, never damaged one. Just today i damaged a steel one. Everything was lined up perfectly, it just took too much force to get the caps free. Didnt seem like i was having such a hard time removing them. Ive had them so stuck i had to hammer the shaft side of the ball joint press to free the joint on every one. Only had to do it on one side today, but still all 4 ears got damaged from the press. I havent put the new u u joints in yet, so well see how this is going to go. Idk if the ears squeezed together, but the outsides got damaged, so i imagine they did. Just hope they arent too out of round to accept the new caps. I will be using my actuall press installing and when doing the other side instead of the ball joint press, which ive always used and never had a problem until today. Not even on aluminum ones that were more stuck so its weird it happened to a steel one that wasnt as stuck. Looking at your ears, thats what look like happened
this vehicle gets beat on quite hard, and has had a ton of joints put in it over the years by various people. its hard to say what exactly happened. I really try not to use press method unless its completely necessary. the vice and hammer method is tried and true
If you are after only that much of a difference, it would be safer to file away that thickness. I think after one more life-time that Yoke can be replaced.
just what i needed to know was your press setup - good video!
Thanks for the video. Helped me out in a pinch. Luckily I had just bought a press too
one of those things that's worth knowing how to do. especially when its 4 on a Friday and your SOL for finding parts.
Ironic how I needed this video just after buying a press as well
If you had such a hard time getting the u joints out because they were so frozen, the ears most likely got bent in when you were pressing the u joint out. Especially if used a ball joint press. This just happened to me. Ive done tones of u joints, even on aluminum shafts, never damaged one. Just today i damaged a steel one. Everything was lined up perfectly, it just took too much force to get the caps free. Didnt seem like i was having such a hard time removing them. Ive had them so stuck i had to hammer the shaft side of the ball joint press to free the joint on every one. Only had to do it on one side today, but still all 4 ears got damaged from the press. I havent put the new u u joints in yet, so well see how this is going to go. Idk if the ears squeezed together, but the outsides got damaged, so i imagine they did. Just hope they arent too out of round to accept the new caps. I will be using my actuall press installing and when doing the other side instead of the ball joint press, which ive always used and never had a problem until today. Not even on aluminum ones that were more stuck so its weird it happened to a steel one that wasnt as stuck. Looking at your ears, thats what look like happened
this vehicle gets beat on quite hard, and has had a ton of joints put in it over the years by various people. its hard to say what exactly happened. I really try not to use press method unless its completely necessary. the vice and hammer method is tried and true
If you are after only that much of a difference, it would be safer to file away that thickness. I think after one more life-time that Yoke can be replaced.
personally I really dont want to file any material away.