Front Drive Shaft Rebuild

[KilgoreTrout]

Well, I had a clank clank clank only on 4WD. Found a reaaally sloppy/rusted out front left ujoint. It seriously needed fixed, but wasn't my problem. Put her up on stands, ran in 4WD, and the problem was obvious. The front drive shaft was flopping around like a fish.
Here's how I fixed it.

Step one is removing the front drive shaft.
There's a ujoint up front that connects the drive shaft to the front differential. It has 2 straps with 4 (7/16) bolts that attach the joint to the yoke. Remove the bolts and straps, and the front will pop off. (You may need to pop it off with a big screwdriver or pry bar. I also suggest using a paint marker to mark how it came out so you can put it back the same way.)

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After that's off, move to the back of the drive shaft and separate it from the transfer case by removing 4 (5/8") bolts.

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I use an impact because, well, it's just easier.
You'll need extensions. Maybe not this many extensions, but I like to use extra to overcompensate for my other shortcomings.

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Once the bolts were out, I used my ratchet like a chisel and smacked it with a hammer to knock it loose because I abuse my tools.
Once it comes loose, just pull the whole thing out.

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Man, that was a lot of work.
The next step should be resting in the AC with a cold beer. I can only guarantee that Genny light works for this particular job.

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Man, nobody should have to work this hard!

 

[KilgoreTrout]

Next up is the fun part!

 

[KilgoreTrout]

So while having your beer, you should order the cardan joints you need. There's a double cardan in the rear at the transfer case, so you'll need 2 if you're doing both of them. It's moog part 534G for both.
I'm not sure what the front is, but I'll look it up later.
You're also going to want to rent a ball joint/ujoint removal tool. I'd never used one for a ujoint, but damn.....it's infinitely easier than beating them with a hammer. I can't believe these dicks never suggested it to me before.
It's like $250 at advance Auto, but you'll get your money back when you return it.
Start pressing!
Again, I used impact because it's faster.
If you do, go slow and start on the lowest torque setting that will push the joint caps through.
It attaches like a big c-clamp. The top pushes the joint out through the bottom, where there's a hole for the other cap to slide through. Make sure you remove any retaining clips that might be on the inside of the joint caps before you start pushing!

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Notice the blue line on the cap?
That's from a nylon retainer that the factory supposedly uses to help hold the cap in place.
I didn't even mess with it, I just pushed through it. No problem.

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Do it on both sides, and the joint will fall out.

 

[KilgoreTrout]

It's now that I realized there's a centering ball between this double cardan joint.
All I have is the ball left.
One end has the ball.......

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And one end is supposed to have a spring, seat, seal, etc.
It's got nothing.

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There's a rebuild kit for this joint. It's moog part 606. Only napa had it in stock for some reason.
It came in a ujoint box and had the same 606 as the Moog part. Odd, but it was the correct part.

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[KilgoreTrout]

Make sure you have just the empty hole before you start. If not, you'll have to pry out the old seal first and then remove whatever parts you have.
All I had was the seal ring left. I popped it out with some needle nose pliers.

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Now here's the order that this kit needs installed. I had some real trouble finding this information!

First is the spring.....

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Then the thicker washer.....

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Then this collar retainer thing with the THICK edge down.....

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Then the thin washer.....

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Then the ball.....

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Then finally the seal (flat side up)......

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I greased everything and lightly tapped the seal in with a dead blow.

 

[KilgoreTrout]

The ball will pop right in and out of the seal, which is good because it actually needs attached to the long end of your drive line.
You'll have to remove the old ball, which was kind of a bitch because it's pressed on. I used a series of open end wrenches with a hammer to pop it off. And a little bit of big pry bar at the end.

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Then just tap the new ball on with a hammer.

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[KilgoreTrout]

Now reinstall your double cardan joint. The center ball will slip in to your seal, just be a little careful.
Installing the cardan/ujoints can be a little tricky, but just go slow.
I took the caps off, slid the joint in to place, and put the caps back on. Then I tapped the caps in with a hammer before using the press tool just so I know it's aligned before adding a bunch of torque.
I also use a clean towel to wipe the joint ends before greasing and reinstalling the caps. There may be better ways, but it works.

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All done!

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Make sure you get the caps seated enough that you can install the cap retaining clips on the inside. They should fit in the grooves and totally click in. You can see them here. They're the copper colored ones. here.

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And if your new joints have grease fittings, don't forget to install them!

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[KilgoreTrout]

Now just reinstall your drive line the same way you took it out, and enjoy that super quiet 4WD.
Then have another Genny or two for a job well done.

 

[K201979]

Good rightup. I recently found the balljoint press for doing ujoints too. Bought one pretty cheap off ebay. Dont remember how much, but it wasnt bad. Like $20 or $30. Bought it for balljoints, and it worked great, and when i read the directions and saw it was for ujoints too, i used it on all of them.

 

[Blue Ox]

Excellent write-up! That's the kind of thing we need more of here, as long as the new guys can find it.

The standard procedure with those nylon retainers is to cook them with a torch until they extrude from the holes. After that they're much easier to press out. A Berz-O-Matic will do it. No oxy acetylene required.

 

[KilgoreTrout]

Good rightup. I recently found the balljoint press for doing ujoints too. Bought one pretty cheap off ebay. Dont remember how much, but it wasnt bad. Like $20 or $30. Bought it for balljoints, and it worked great, and when i read the directions and saw it was for ujoints too, i used it on all of them.

Yep. I've used them for ball joints and trailing arm bushings, so I don't know why I didn't think of ujoints. Duh.
I've seriously done like 10 ujoints without it on my old Jeeps, and one on this truck. Wtf was I thinking?
I'll have to look for a cheap one around, although abusing advance autos isn't a bad deal, either. And they're literally 3mins from my house.
Right beside an auto zone.

 

[KilgoreTrout]

Excellent write-up! That's the kind of thing we need more of here, as long as the new guys can find it.

The standard procedure with those nylon retainers is to cook them with a torch until they extrude from the holes. After that they're much easier to press out. A Berz-O-Matic will do it. No oxy acetylene required.

Thanks, man!
And yeah, I heard about burning them out, but I figured screw it....I'll just leave them there and press them out.
The front rear one was already changed, and it looks like the guy took a grinder to the nylon plug trying to get it out. I should have taken a pic.
But yeah.....write-ups. It's a simple one, but I noticed last night that a lot of people just don't even have any clue about this stuff, and even people who do can run in to strange setups they haven't seen.
If it helps one person, it's worth my hour of time.

 

[tucker]

i have 82 k20 with the 6.2 diesel.what like to know will a 93 front driveline without cv work?

 

[Frankenchevy]

I’m not sure it would clear your crossmember and I think the pinion angle would be wrong.

 

[AuroraGirl]

@bucket is that a strut rod? does it appear this man has an auto trans?

also does the np205 front flange drive shaft look like this one? if you know lol

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