Just finished replacing the U-joints on my '74 B, and I have this to add.
1) To keep the driveshaft from spinning while I unbolted, I used a small
prybar threaded through the yoke.
2) I too used my bench vise and two sockets as a press to put in and take
out cups, but some of them were mightily seized. To get some to move, I had
to put the yoke on a block of wood and pound on the cup with my ball peen.
(Okay, I pounded on the socket I used as a drift, but you get my drift.)
3) One of my yokes was such that spurs of metal were on the inside of the
cup-hole. In that case, I had to push the cup toward the middle of the yoke
to get it out. Once it was out, I used a rat-tail file to remove the
offending flash. In fact, I had to clean up the edges of several holes just
to be able to get the new cup to slide in.
I've done a lot of U-joints over the years in American, Japanese and even
Swedish cars. This is my first British, and I have to say it was the least
pleasant. The outside faces of the yokes aren't parallel to each other, so
pressing against them isn't neat. I've never had metal interfering on the
edges of the holes as much as these (softer metal?), and there was no
position I could put the spider where the joint could flex to its maximum
without taking a shot at the grease fitting.
Oh, and the Haynes manual comment about putting a small punch against the
inside edge of the cup and pounding it out? You know why that's a drawing
and not a photograph? It's because they couldn't find anyone who really
does it that way.
My $.02 worth. Free of charge and worth every penny.
Matt Kulka
Huntersville, NC
'74 B - removing clunks, one at a time.
|