spider help tonight

[cruisermaine]

I am trying to replace the spiders in my rear driveshaft tonight. I have the manual but I can't figure out how to get the assembly apart. I've gotten the retaining rings off but that's as far as I can get. Is the SST required or is there a work-around?

 

[Rookie2]

I haven't done this, and haven't looked at the FSM, so this is a total W.A.G., but could you find a pipe cap about the diameter of yoke housing and put a big C-clamp on it to press the spider out?

...probably shouldn't have said anything until looking at the setup, but may turn a light on.


Rookie2

 

[RavenTai]

havent done the 80 series yet but must U-joints are the same, the shade tree way is a socket & BFH it works but not the best U-joint damage rate is high, you can also make a press out of sockets/pipe and a vise or c-clamp as R2 said

 

[landtank]

I use a hammer to pound the old ones out and a big steel C-clamp to press in the new ones.

 

[cruisermaine]

Isn't the idea that the "caps" need to be pulled up and out? It seems like you're suggesting pushing them through?

 

[reffug]

I am trying to replace the spiders in my rear driveshaft tonight. I have the manual but I can't figure out how to get the assembly apart. I've gotten the retaining rings off but that's as far as I can get. Is the SST required or is there a work-around?

Work around? you need a reach around! :whoops: All I can say is I've got the FSM and you are one brave dude!

 

[landtank]

I rotate the shaft so the cup I'm removing faces down and the alternately tap the horizontal sides of the joint to drive out the cup. Not the most graceful technique, and it takes a little time but it gets the job done.

 

[Rich]

The job will be easier if you buy, rent, or borrow a proper u joint press. Many auto parts stores and probably most tool rental stores will have the tool available.

If you use sockets and hammer to press out the caps, be especially careful to avoid damaging the bore that the caps go into.

 

[IdahoDoug]

Agree that's a brave undertaking. Take note of the need to have a few different thickness washers to adjust the tolerances on reassembly.

DougM

 

[cruisermaine]

I rotate the shaft so the cup I'm removing faces down and the alternately tap the horizontal sides of the joint to drive out the cup. Not the most graceful technique, and it takes a little time but it gets the job done.

What "sides" are you talking about? Could you please be more specific? Do you mean the "rim" of the cup (where the retaining ring was)?

 

[cruisermaine]

Agree that's a brave undertaking. Take note of the need to have a few different thickness washers to adjust the tolerances on reassembly.

DougM

you mean the retaining rings, right?

 

[cruisermaine]

Somehow, I don't think I'm going to finish tonight

 

[Rookie2]

Agree that's a brave undertaking. Take note of the need to have a few different thickness washers to adjust the tolerances on reassembly.

DougM

Doug,

Educate me here. What are the big problem areas? Getting everything set back up right?

Thanks,
Rookie2

 

[landtank]

Ok, the joint is in the shape of a cross. You've pulled all the retaining clips out. Now set the shaft down onto something so that it is raised off of the floor slightly in this position -l-. Now while supporting the other end alternately hit the sides of the joint, - and -. The first cup is the most delicate because you are hitting the yoke of the shaft. Once the first cup is out you then ratae the shaft 180 deg but this time while using somethine as a drift you hit directly on the joint to drive out the other cup. Now you should be able to separate the shaft from the yoke and hit directly on the joint itself to drive out a third cup and then again for the fourth one.

To install I use a C-clamp. About a 6" clamp I think will work. Start by placing the first cup into position. With the c-clamp opened up to span the shaft, possition the clamp so it is centered accross the Yoke and start tightening the clasmp to push in the cup. Once started place the joint into the yoke and in the cup. Continue to use th clamp to push in the cup until you can replace the clip on that side. Now do the same for the otherside making sure that once th cup gets started you shift the joint into that cup so that the joint now is slightly inside each cup. Continue to press that cup in until seated and replace the clip. The same now for the shaft side of the joint.

I don't know what shims Doug is talking about and I'm not aware of any shimming process. Just get the cups in there so the clips fit properly.

Where in Maine are you. I've been put on standby this week from work and tomorrow I have something planned but God forbid you're still having troubles on Wednesday I could come by and help or at least laugh.

BTW I live just outside Newburyport near the NH border on Rt 95 so it might not be that far.

 

[cruisermaine]

Ok, the joint is in the shape of a cross. You've pulled all the retaining clips out. Now set the shaft down onto something so that it is raised off of the floor slightly in this position -l-. Now while supporting the other end alternately hit the sides of the joint, - and -. The first cup is the most delicate because you are hitting the yoke of the shaft. .

snip

OK, by "joint", you mean the spider /cross shaped thingy and "shaft" =driveshaft. -l- means shaft set with yoke vertical. then I am supposed to alternately hit the sides of the joint and the yoke? Is that right?

I am located just south of Portland in Cape Elizabeth, about an hour from Portsmouth. If you can help you've got some Sam Adams and lunch coming your way. If you want to watch and laugh you can stand next to my wife who's already laughing.

 

[landtank]

Sorry for the confusion. To begin with, yes I hit the yoke where the spider bearings are. I won't know until tonight what my schedule is for Wednesday but if I'm free I'll gladly stop by. Figure about an 80% chance of it being possible.

 

[cruisermaine]

Many thanks to Landtank who drove all the way up from MA to help me with my U-joint RR. It's all in having the right tools (or knowing someone else that does ). Rick brought a 2 arm gear puller that made pressing the bearing cups in /out look easy. As it turns out, that was the easy part. When we tried to install the new joint, it wouldn't fit. A call to Cdan solicited a WTF? Sure enough, after closer inspection of the old joint, we found a small made in USA cast mark. Apparently a PO had installed aftermarket driveshafts in my truck. We made a trip to NAPA and found they had a joint that would fit. Back at my garage the joints installed without a problem. Interesting points of the day: learning my truck has aftermarket driveshafts and a lift (which I kinda figured but Rick confirmed). Rick's truck is sweet, exactly like mine except for the 2.5" OME lift , snorkel, ARB front bar , Kaymar rear w/ tire carrier, and 315's

thanks again Rick

 

[cruisermaine]

Oh, I forgot to mention the obvious. I now have two new Toyota u-joints (rear shaft if it matters) that I can't use. Anyone need new joints?

 

[RavenTai]

Ygpm

 

[mabrodis]

Many thanks to Landtank who drove all the way up from MA to help me with my U-joint RR. It's all in having the right tools (or knowing someone else that does ). Rick brought a 2 arm gear puller that made pressing the bearing cups in /out look easy. As it turns out, that was the easy part. When we tried to install the new joint, it wouldn't fit. A call to Cdan solicited a WTF? Sure enough, after closer inspection of the old joint, we found a small made in USA cast mark. Apparently a PO had installed aftermarket driveshafts in my truck. We made a trip to NAPA and found they had a joint that would fit. Back at my garage the joints installed without a problem. Interesting points of the day: learning my truck has aftermarket driveshafts and a lift (which I kinda figured but Rick confirmed). Rick's truck is sweet, exactly like mine except for the 2.5" OME lift , snorkel, ARB front bar , Kaymar rear w/ tire carrier, and 315's

thanks again Rick

If you got it all together, that's all that matters, but I'm curious about the joints. For it to have a non-metric u-joint (or spider joint as Toyota likes to call them) other parts of the shaft would have to be non-metric too. That would usually mean the flanges at the t/c and diff have been redrilled, or there is an adapter plate. If the old joint said USA that means nothing, just that the u-joint currently in there was made in the US, but that does not mean that the entire shaft is aftermarket.

I put u-joints from Napa into my front driveshaft to attempt to cure some vibes, that was a mess. Simple to get in, but while greasing them later I noticed they were loose, the cap freely spun in the yoke on the t/c side (where it's sposeto be tight). I said WTF and pulled it all apart, maybe the vibes (lift and no CV joint) got to it or something. I was going to order a new yoke piece, but Brendan Lally (lal on here) pointed me to some links where others have the EXACT same problem with other brands of u-joints. A few people just put in Toyota ones and the Toyota ones were tight and worked fine. Figuring I had nothing to lose I did that too. There was visible wear on the yoke piece where the loose u-joint had worn, however, getting the Toyota one in, it was snug, not overly tight, but snug. I figured I'd give it a month or so. Well after over a year it's still tight. So boy and girls, what that teaches us is NEVER to use anything but Toyota parts. I have always thought Napa sold great parts but these u-joints were either weak metal and wore or were actually a tiny bit smaller than the Toy ones, either way I would not use them.

Hopefully no-one else has had similar problems, well other than the ones who had posted on other forums and led me to try the Toy joint again.