RE driveshaft

[riverfever]

Hey everyone,

I have a rear RE driveshaft that needed u-joints. I got replacements and started putting them in and decided that while I was there I might as well do the centering ball as well. I removed the dust seal but I could not get the old CB out. I finally did get the ball out but the race(?) is still in the yoke and it's not coming out. I got to the point where I used a chisel to try and cut it but no luck. Are those always this difficult to remove? I may be looking at having to get an entire yoke as it's already got the CB in it.

Also...in my inexperience with this repair I failed to mark the double cardan joint and it's relationship to the driveshaft before taking it apart. I'm wondering what to do? Order the yoke if need be and put it back together and see if there's vibes and then go from there?

-Chris

 

[BigAl]

The last one I did, the race also got stuck. I put a piece of ~1" bar stock into the race and tack welded the top edge of the race to the bar a 4 points, then gently tapped the race out. I originally tried a chisel too and made a mess. Good luck

 

[riverfever]

I don't have a welder here and, in fact, the yoke just broke so I guess I'm buying a newy yoke now. This repair really should not have been this difficult. I'm a bit disappointed.

 

[madizell]

If you are talking about rebuilding a double cardon, they generally are trouble, and are best done with special tools. It is not simply two U-joints pressed into a yoke.

 

[UK4X4]

I used a chisel to knock out the crimp marks, put a 5mm hardened bolt in the hole in the middle, spun the ball 360...carefully so that then I had the threaded part hanging out...add nut and use a slide hammer

 

[ExpoMike]

Sorry no advice but everything I have read says this is a PITA thing to do. I hope to never need to do a field repair but for normal maintenence it's going to a driveshaft shop.

Good luck!

 

[riverfever]

I threw in the towel and took the whole works to a driveline shop. It'll be done in the morning.

Can't wait to have THEM do the front shaft.