04 Rubicon front driveshaft u-joint issue. What am I missing here?

[ejay]

What am I missing here. Did the previous owner put the wrong Ujoints in? No retention rings or clips that I can see on the inside or outside. Is that normal? I think it is but want to make sure.

Background: I'm replacing the front driveshaft ujoints. I can't find my ujoint clamp press. The ball joint puller and two arm puller is not doing me any good. Father in-law with the press is out of town. Rear was done some time ago but I've never done the front. I've done them before on other vehicles so how hard can it be? Damn thing won't budge. Oversized impact sockets and a hammer aren't working. I'm afraid that if I pound on it more I'll start bending things.

Does this look right to you? For a Rubicon, I'm pretty sure it's OEM. Just won't budge and I want to make sure I'm not missing something before I really go at it.

 

[Rubicon88]

Is that a vise?
Make certain c clips are out.
One over sized socket....one under sized.

Tighten vise with sockets in perfect position.
Smack the vise with hammer
(not the handle )
tighten vise...smack with hammer..
Repeat....always makimg sure sockets are in good position.

 

[jjvw]

The factory u joints are held in place with a nylon injection. There might be a couple light colored nubs visible on either side of the yoke. You need to heat the yokes up with a blow torch to soften the nylon. Eventually it will start to squirt out. While hot, press out the joint.

 

[Chris G]

The factory u joints are held in place with a nylon injection. There might be a couple light colored nubs visible on either side of the yoke. You need to heat the yokes up with a blow torch to soften the nylon. Eventually it will start to squirt out. While hot, press out the joint.

I second this. I wailed on it for a while before I figured this out. Just heat it with the torch, and the nylon shoots out the little holes. Looks like this, and quite a bit of it will come out.

 

[ejay]

I see the nylon nubs. Jez, I'm surprised it's lasted as long as it has. Thanks!

 

[ejay]

Took a little while but it finally melted the nylon.

 

[ejay]

So at this point I'm guessing I dig out the remaining nylon inside the inner ring and use nothing in its place?

 

[CodaMan]

So at this point I'm guessing I dig out the remaining nylon inside the inner ring and use nothing in its place?

View attachment 210992

View attachment 210993

You'll use the C clips now to hold it in place.

 

[ejay]

You'll use the C clips now to hold it in place.

Right. Just wanted to make sure the inner ring can remain vacant.

 

[jjvw]

Right. Just wanted to make sure the inner ring can remain vacant.

You can be the first to go through the trouble of injecting new hot nylon goo!

 

[WranglerImpulse]

You'll use the C clips now to hold it in place.

Where do you put the C Clip

 

[jjvw]

Where do you put the C Clip

The c clip goes where it normally does on the new bearing cap.

 

[LONGJP2]

Where do you put the C Clip

IIRC, they go on the inside instead of the outside.

 

[OldBuzzard]

 

[AndyG]

The Teflon injected retention works incredible, just not easy to deal with.

If your shaft u joints need serviced you need to be sure to do the Cardan joint , If it fails it will destroy your 241 transfer case and those are hard to get.