UNIVERSAL JOINT R&R (2 OF 6)
Snug up the clamp and socket on the UJ and slowly apply force to one bearing by pressing with the clamp screw.
If you are lucky, the clamp/socket combo will work as long as the bearing/yoke contact surfaces are not too corroded (which usually isn’t the case) or the UJ is small. If the clamp begins to distort, this method won’t work. Back off and try the next step. Applying heat and a good penetrating fluid may help.
The next thing I try is a stout bench vise instead of a C-clamp, but that often isn’t enough, either. I’ve broken at least one vise doing this, so don’t force things. In the picture below, I’ve placed two thick washers against one bearing and then screwed down the vice in an attempt to break the bearings loose from their bores. It did not work.
If the bearings still haven’t budged, you can take the driveshaft to a shop and have them pressed out. I’ve done this a few times in the past. Better still, if you have your own press, do it yourself. A press is the best tool to use, especially for UJs that haven’t been touched for decades. I recently purchased a press of my own and after I used it a few times, I wondered why I hadn’t got one years ago. If you plan on doing most of the work on your truck yourself, a press is indispensable.
Place the UJ in the press with two thick washers on the upper bearing as you did in the vice and then press. They will break free at last !
Then, place a suitably sized socket against the upper bearing and the larger one below. The lower bearing should slide into the socket as it emerges. Press as far as the trunnion allows, but once again, don’t force anything.
