I was just wondering what method people use for popping the old u-joints off the front axle. Mine are pretty rusty, and I can't even see where the old c-clips even are. Do I use a ball joint tool and try to press them out, and just attempt to break the old c-clips? And do i really have to open up the front diff to get the inner part of the passenger side axle out, or is there a method to doing that joint while it's still on the truck. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

1. take the front wheel off
2. take the caliper off
3. take the brake rotor off
4. take the spindle off (i think there's three bolts behind the spindle that have to be taken out in order for spindle removal)
5. pull the axle out

if you have lock in/lock out hubs, you have to take all the "guts" out of the hub in order to get the brake rotor off

on my u-joints, theres a C clip on each end of all 4 u-joint caps.... take the C clips off, and remove the old u-joint cups... i always use a socket that is the same size as the u-joint cap... place the socket on the end of the u-joint cap, and beat that thing out of there! lol i hate doing u-joints!!

 

i dont think i was leaving anything out on that last post.... if i did, then im sure someone will correct me

 

thanks for the reply. i already have the axles out, but my u-joints don't have clips on top of the caps, the caps sit flush with the yoke. when i look at my new u-joints, it looks like the c-clips go on the INSIDE of the yoke, but it just looks like a rusted mass on my old ones....

 

you might have to scrape some of the rust off of your old ujoint to actually see the clip.... to get the clip out, i always took a flat head screwdriver, place it on the beginning of the C on the clip, and gave it a few good wacks with a hammer.... like i said, scrape the rust off somehow.... now you know why i hate replacing u-joints! haha

 

If you are talking about the left and or right shafts that go the spindles, make sure you get the right u joints.
I just replaced them on my sons 95 f-150.
The c-clip will beon the inside of the shaft. Nothing fromthe top
Since the older ones were rausted, I used a small chisel, and broke the c-clips from the older ones, and then a grider to cut the older u-joint apart. Then use a socket, just a touch smaller than the outer diameter of the u-joints and pound them out.
I hope that helps.

 

that's basically exactly what i ended up doing, except the cut-off wheel broke and i didn't have any other ones so i used a plasma cutter to get the u-joints apart. all back together now!