Are UJs hard to fit?

[Spitfire1500]

Hey everyone,

I'm going to be putting my Spitfire together so that I can get a few more quotes for welding work, one thing that was pointed out are the UJs on my rear half shafts probably want some attention, before the whole half shaft is worn and that needs replacing.

I'm probably going to go to a local propshaft place to get some replacement UJs and fit them myself, but what might be involved? I don't have a great deal of tools at my disposal so I may not even be fully prepared to do this!

Any tips/suggestions would be most welcome.

Many thanks and kind regards,

David

[Velocita Rosso]

There are threads on this , not far back, if you look it up you will see how
If you have the half shafts off the car then its quite easy
Buy the UJs from a motor factor rather than propshaft man.........cheaper  

[Spitfire1500]

Ah! I've spotted a few other posts on the subject! Looks like it's relatively simple if I bleed the rear brakes and go from there.

Kind regards,

David

[Clive]

Bill,s (rarebits) guide is the best I have come across. Suddenly the job started going well :)

As above, lots of places to source UJ's but try to buy branded if posssible. Or if flushed the genuine freelander ones (NOT the repro versions though, they will be the same as the repro triumph items)

Oh, and with the driveshafts you often need a selection of oversize circlips to make sure they are a tight fit. Canleys (AN OTHERS i AM SURE) KEEP THESE. i ALWAYS BUY A FEW OF EACH OVESIZE, OTHERWISE THE NEW uj'S WILL STILL CLICK.

Bah, fat fingers, caps lock...........

[ferny]

cliftyhanger wrote:

Bill,s (rarebits) guide is the best I have come across. Suddenly the job started going well :)

linky link;
http://www.rarebits4classics.co.uk/Hints%20and%20Tips/UJ%20Replacement.htm

[Bainzy]

I could do with changing a UJ but have been putting it off for ages as I'm concerned I won't have a feel for how tight it needs to be. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if its just end float that needs changing as the joint was changed fairly recently, it just knocks and that's annoying. Guess you have to do it to learn how though, so might as well try...

[Spitfire1500]

Many thanks for your replies all,

I am hoping to have the replacement UJs for Friday before I go off into the sunset...although I need a vice by the looks of it!

Kind regards,

David

[don cook1]

Must get the UJs with a grease nipple. Be careful when assembling to keep the needle rollers where they should be, 30mins in the fridge to stiffen up the grease is a good idea. I used Bill's info, sounds too simple but it worked.

[Nick B.]

And a videoguide on how to replace a U-jount in 6 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDX17xf9grA

Cheers
Nick

[sparky_spit]

I'm going to disagree with using UJs with grease nipples on small chassis car's halfshafts. On propshafts, yes, but after many years of ownership I've decided not to use them again.

On the propshaft you can leave the nipples in and easily grease them regularly. On the halfshafts you have to take them out (they foul the rotating yokes otherwise) and plug the holes with a home made grubscrew, usually fashioned from a cut down bolt with a slot cut in the end. Herein lies problem 1 - trying to balance this grubscrew on the end of a long thin screwdriver when putting them in/taking them out using ends in bad language. Sticky grease or a screwplacer sometimes helps, but you normally end up loosing the grubscrew at least twice. I've not been able to find an allen-screw type grubscrew to fit, as this would be easier to use.

But the second, and more serious, issue is that once you get a grease nipple back in there you still cannot get the grease gun onto it as there is not enough space between the 2 opposing yokes. Even using long ones I cannot do this. This is because the suspension is on full droop (the car's on jacks/stands remember) and therefore the gap between the yokes is even smaller, compounded by the fact that you have to have the nipple facing somewhere near downwards so that you can get the gun onto it, with the the droop making the gap smaller still. The only way I have done it is to disconnect the halfshaft from the diff - hardly a quick job.

After years of faffing around trying to do this I'm going to replace them next time with sealed OEM Freelander ones.

[Howard81]

Careful what type you get, I got some genuine Hardy Spicer ones that came without the provision for grease nipples (not even a grub screw for one - they're the "sealed for life" type) - one of them is squeaking already!

[Steve Cureton]

Nick_B. wrote:

And a videoguide on how to replace a U-jount in 6 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDX17xf9grA

Cheers
Nick

This shows how quickly it can be done but I wouldn't want that guy working on my UJs if that's an indication of the quality of his workmanship.

[Velocita Rosso]

Steve_Curton wrote:

This shows how quickly it can be done but I wouldn't want that guy working on my UJs if that's an indication of the quality of his workmanship.

.....because he dropped them and he didn`t even look if the needles had dislodged
....and when he finished he `waddled` the joint and said ..there we are.................The finished product should be tight and should not wobble about

...and Mike! ,,, well said ,Ive never ever fitted lub nipple type

[drofgum]

Hi,
I have never seen them, but have heard of U-joints with the grease nipple in the center of one of the cups instead of in the cross. Aside from the question of balance, this is much better as the cross is stronger without the hole for the grease fitting, and the thing can still be greased.
                                                                      Cheers,
                                                                      Paul