Messed Up My Front Axle

[BizarroStormy]

So while I was working on all the other stuff that is wrong with my front end (steering everything), I decided to replace the universal joints in the front axle while they are out.

I have never replace U-joints before and I bodged the job pretty badly on my passenger side. One of the needle bearings popped out while I was pressing it back in and it jammed the whole thing up.

Then when I was pressing it out the cap cracked and I ended up pounding it out in pieces.

This left a nice ridge in the end where the bearing cap sits, it also looks like the metal is cracked from my overzealous use of the press.

Is this a total loss or can I just sand out the ridge?

If so, where can I find a replacement? The casting is Spicer 41933 which I cannot find online.

[Pete M]

Is that the stock shaft?  If so I would stop the presses and hit the junkyards for a complete set of later model XJ or TJ shafts that take the bigger Ujoints.  

 

and every time I change a ujoint I swear I'll never do it again.  and then time passes...  and I do it again...    I despise doing ujoints.

[derf]

It's an opportunity to upgrade.  You can buy aftermarket shafts with bigger u-joints.  Stronger shafts with stronger joints are always a good upgrade.  But they're a few hundred bucks for the set.

 

Swapping out to later XJ/TJ shafts is a cheaper option but you still want to swap u-joints while they're out.  Maybe have a shop do it for you.

[BizarroStormy]

Thanks for the advice, I guess upgrading is never a bad idea. How much of a liability is the old smaller U-joint?

I don't plan on doing anything too crazy in it and I managed to replace the driver side U-joint successfully.

 

 

[Pete M]

what tires are you running?

 

p.s.  you should put some details in your signature  

[AZJeff]

7 hours ago, Pete M said:

Is that the stock shaft?  If so I would stop the presses and hit the junkyards for a complete set of later model XJ or TJ shafts that take the bigger Ujoints.  

 

and every time I change a ujoint I swear I'll never do it again.  and then time passes...  and I do it again...    I despise doing ujoints.

I agree, and even with a ball joint/u-joint press, it’s a pain.  

 

I have gotten more careful over the years, after trashing a few yokes the one in the photo from the OP.  I also always clean the bores of the yokes with sandpaper or emery cloth before a press in the new cups.

 

 

[BizarroStormy]

8 hours ago, Pete M said:

what tires are you running?

 

p.s.  you should put some details in your signature  

 

I am running 31x10.50R15LT WILDPEAK A/T3W. I don't plan on lifting the truck or putting any larger tires on it. 

I will work on my signature, I was planning on creating a project post after I got the front back together. 

[Warren Mohler]

16 hours ago, BizarroStormy said:

the metal is cracked from my overzealous use of the press.

quit using a press, 4 lb. hammer and 6 inch bench vise is all that is needed

[JustEmptyEveryPocket]

3 hours ago, Warren Mohler said:

quit using a press, 4 lb. hammer and 6 inch bench vise is all that is needed

This^. I use a BFH, couple of blocks of wood, and a few crappy sockets that have been demoted from actual socket duty. In and out in no time.

[yxmj]

To be honest I usually just use a c-clamp

As above.....spend a couple of minutes with some emery cloth and a file (or if you have one a rotary tool with an appropriate disk) clean the yoke up good ....the trick is for the finishing sand you have to sand/file in the same direction as the cup will slide in (if that makes sense) not around and around. a bit of grease and they will pop right in.)

 

 

[schardein]

I don't want to beat a dead horse, but several commenting here are correct, it's a bad idea to use a press for driveshaft and axle shaft bearings.  Vise or large c clamp will work, give you a better feel for what you are doing and much less likely to damage parts.  I learned this the hard way myself.

 

It's hard to make a good call from a picture, but I think I would replace that shaft with the damaged yoke.  A complete set of aftermarket shafts are expensive, and may be overkill for your use.  If you are on a tight budget, I would do a search for a used part on ebay.  You may find different casting numbers, but as long as the part is from the same or a compatible application, you should be good.