Firstgens.com

I've had the car going on 7 years and beat on it regularly. The guy I bought it from told me many a burnout story, so to be safe I thought I would just replace them. I couldn't find a plug for the trans (I don't have an an extra yoke) but Jim suggested I just jack the back way up so the trans would not drain while the yoke was out. (great idea) So I did, removed the 4 1/2" nuts and lock washers from the trans yoke and slid the driveshaft out. I put the shaft on the table I welded up in another post (the extra height was sweet to work on ) Pulled the retaining clips with a needle nose and screwdriver and found a socket just smaller than the U-joint caps. Drove the cap down through the yoke, be sure to pound towards the side away from the zerk fitting or you'll have to start over as it won't go far enough. When the cap drops out, pull out the u-joint and drive the other cap inwards until it falls out. Same process on the front shaft to trans yoke joint. I took the joints with me to the parts store as I have a 200R4 trans and was not sure if the stock joints would work. (you know the drill at the counter, make, model, year) Anyway I have 1310 U-joints. I had a choice of offshore at $10 a piece or US Made at $16. I got the US made ones. As you can see from the pics the shaft is thicker and longer, so the needle bearings are longer as are the caps.

After attaching the zerk I used a grease gun to pump grease into the joints until the caps just started to move outward. Remove both caps and put the joint into the yoke. I tapped the cap in a bit with a brass hammer and put the joint into the cap, tapped the other side in and pressed them on with an arbor press. Then back to the table to use the socket and hammer to tap them in enough to get the retaining clips in.

It's the same for the other yokes, slide it into the trans and bolt the rear with lock washers under the 1/2" nuts. about an hour and a half from start to finish. Pretty basic for some, but maybe new for some as well so I spelled it out. Now I have no worries about the u-joints.

Great write up Don. Check for free movement before installing back in the car. I've had a few that had a slight bind in them without have the needles fall over. I cured it with a properly placed blow from hammer.

Thanks Jeff, I did check just forgot to type that in.

I gotta do this in the next few days after i finished my pinion angle and check U-joints my front U-joints are gone.

hahahahahahahahaha thats what she said

Uh Oh, Lady Ga-Ga is on the radio right now!....That reminds me of a joke over there at Team Camaro....The discussion was installing a manual tranny after a clutch installation....I merely replied that I always grease the tip of my shaft before I slide it in the hole!....I mean it may have seemed a little pornographic but it made sense!....Dennis, the menace gave me a strong verbal warning then the son of a bitch banned me!!

I am proud to be sporting a thicker and longer American shaft!

Yeah but if your erection lasts longer than 4 hours, you better pay a visit to Dr. Pepper!

Dayum... I pop in here expecting to see Ron giggling in the corner (hehe, he said 'joint"!!!) and i find 2 grown men discussing long thick greased shafts?
Sometimes you disgust me...