U joints (Universal Joints) are auto parts found at either end of a vehicle’s drive shaft that transfer engine power and torque from the transmission to the differential and drive wheels as the suspension travels, providing the motion to get your vehicle going by allowing the drive shaft to put a positive spin on engine power and handle the twist of torque regardless of whether the road is smooth, according to Auto Media. The spinning of U joints in action causes U joints to wear out over time, and you eventually will have to remove worn out U joints.
Lift the vehicle from the ground with a jack and secure it on jack stands to enable easy disassembling of the drive shaft from the vehicle and to prevent transmission fluid from draining from the output shaft. The drive shaft bears U joints secured by bolts between the junctions of the drive shaft and rear axle.
Mark the positioning of the drive shaft assembly with a point metal rod or a metal punch to index the drive shaft assembly. This will help you reinstall the drive shaft in the same position that it was when it was removed and preserve the drive shaft balance.
Loosen the bolts securing the drive shaft to the vehicle using a torque wrench. Remove the bolts and gently pull out the drive shaft to separate it from the vehicle.
Place the drive shaft on a stable workbench and remove the small c-clips that hold U joint bearing cups in place on both sides of the U joint. U joint bearing cups are mechanical devices that transmit torque and/or rotary motion from one drive shaft to another. Pry and grip the ends of the clip up and out of their grooves using a pair of needle nose pliers. U joints come with new clips so you do not need to worry about damaging the clips during removal.
Remove the U joint cross from the U joint yoke (the x-shaped cross where the U joint cross sits) using a U joint tool, which works similar to a clamp. Rotate the handle of the U joint tool to open the clamp far enough to fit the U joint between its jaws. Slowly rotate the tool handle to close the clamp and force the screw on the tool to press the center of the U joint and push the bearing cap through the clamp hole found at the top of the tool. This will force the U joint cross to bottom out against the yoke.
Loosen the clamp screw and remove the U joint from the U joint tool.
Pull the bearing cap that is pushed out of the clamp hole from the U joint with your hand. Turn the U joint around in the clamp and press the U joint back the other way to loosen and remove the remaining bearing cap from the U joint.
Pull out the U joint cross from the yoke with your hand and finish.
