Bent yoke on front axle

[geauxnow]

Doh! Replacing the u-joints on the driver side front axle last night, I ended up bending one side of each yoke about 15-20 degrees while pressing in the caps. Is it trashed?
1989 V1500 burban with manual MM hubs. If you need photos, I can post soon.

 

[legopnuematic]

If they are just bent, not cracked, you should be able to straighten them. I use my porta power with a short ram and steel plates to make up the distance to straighten them.

If they are cracked or do crack, they are scrap. Otherwise should be able to save them.

 

[geauxnow]

The real trick is going to be getting the joints out. I have one cap on each axis pressed in and the other is ****-eyed.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

The real trick is going to be getting the joints out. I have one cap on each axis pressed in and the other is ****-eyed.

Might have to sacrifice the u joints.

 

[Ricko1966]

Did you hit them with a torch first?

 

[geauxnow]

Did you hit them with a torch first?

To get them out?

 

[Ricko1966]

To get them out?

Yep

 

[edgephoto]

Just be careful. Remove the zero fitting if there is one. I watched a guy use a torch on a ball joint and the stud shot through his foot. The grease caught fire and expanded pushing the stud out. He kept warning him not to heat it cherry red but he found out why I was warning him.

In my 40 years of working on cars in rust country I have only had one or two u-joint give me trouble. Usually a vise and hammer are all you need to do the job.