Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts

Jeep Wrangler TJ U-Joint Replacement

So I’m doing this right now on the drivers side. I have 2 caps that I can’t press in far enough to get the snap rings on. I’ve tried so hard that it’s started bending my C-clamp. I greased everything before putting them in and it’s starting to get on my nerves! Any suggestions?

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Snap ring good on this side^

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Can’t press enough to expose the groove on this side.

This is a Spicer U Joint 5-760X

What year / Model is your TJ? Glad you eventually got the clip in!
 
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The distance between the inside of the yoke was too narrow not allowing for the groove on the ring to be fully exposed even with both end caps flush. I ended up shaving a little bit off the inside on one end. Once I took just enough off, the cap’s grooves showed it self and I was able to get the ring on with no problem. Got the axle put back in after cleaning out some gunk from the housing and everything reassembled no problem.

I would’ve responded last night, but after the wife made me dinner I totally racked out. Haha.

2.188" is what it should be between yokes. If a bit narrower, try opening them with a port-o-power or this method... A BFH

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Is there a step by step video on changing the front drive shaft U joint? I have two diff videos of my jeep and I think I figured out the U joint on the front of the front drive shaft is going bad…. And I think it’s causing a squeak in my transfer case… I’m going to change the fluid in my transfer case (as it looks to be not as red as it should be) but I’m new to the clips on these and the whole process…. I do some mechanic work but again I’m new at the u joint drive shaft bit lol any help would be very greatly appreciated!!! For some reason I can’t post a video but my front drive shaft has up and down play… when I drive there is a squeak coming from the transfer case… I’m hoping the bad u joint on the front of the front drive shaft is what’s causing that….
 
Not a video, and may or may not be helpful, but my experience with this job:

https://www.doubleveil.net/jeep/fifty-seven.htm
Hoping to tackle this on my Jeep this upcoming weekend. For the cardan joint (non-greasable) do I need to put any grease on the outside of the end of the assembly? Or do I just reassemble it since they are non-greasable joints? The area circled in red.

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Another dumb question since I’ve never used non-greaseable u joints. Do you remove the caps to install the joint? Seems like they would be sealed but doesn’t seem like there would be enough room to install the joint. I am used to removing the caps inserting the joint then installing the cap through the joint hole.
 
Another dumb question since I’ve never used non-greaseable u joints. Do you remove the caps to install the joint? Seems like they would be sealed but doesn’t seem like there would be enough room to install the joint. I am used to removing the caps inserting the joint then installing the cap through the joint hole.

Yes, that's how you do it. Be *VERY* careful that you don't get a needle bearing knocked into the bottom of the cup. If you just can NOT get the cap in place, you have a needle bearing stuck in the bottom. Remove, reposition, and try again. Ask me how I know this.
 
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Yes, that's how you do it. Be *VERY* careful that you don't get a needle bearing knocked into the bottom of the cup. If you just can NOT get the cap in place, you have a needle bearing stuck in the bottom. Remove, reposition, and try again. Ask me how I know this.

Thank you. I’ve done the same thing before.

Seemed like the obvious answer but then being non-greaseable made me wonder if they are sealed somehow but couldn’t imagine how the unjoint would go in.
 
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I am not an expert but assuming this video is somewhat accurate while short I thought it did a decent job explaining the differences between a greaseable and non-greaseable u-joint

Check out this video, "what is special about a non-greaseable u joint"
https://share.google/wB1TNenMryQUgDhrT

Thanks for posting that. I am at 100k miles and getting ready to replace all of my u-joints. That was incredibly informative in the "Zerk's vs Sealed" debate!
 
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Started replacing the u-joints today. For the front it had the white rope that required to be heated to get it out. I bought the wrong ujoint but seems odd that only the u-joint would only be in about 1/2 the depth of the yoke, as I assume that groove is where the snap ring goes. Any thoughts?

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Well looks like i do have the correct u-joint. Went back out today and saw the two ends (caps) are different. Two of them are a larger diameter and have a slot for a c-ring clamp which is on the inside of the yoke. Feel a little stupid now, oh well.
 
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Well looks like i do have the correct u-joint. Went back out today and saw the two ends (caps) are different. Two of them are a larger diameter and have a slot for a c-ring clamp which is on the inside of the yoke. Feel a little stupid now, oh well.

Don’t feel stupid lol i feel like a dang rookie.. im not a pro but not the greenest either lol my “dumb blonde” moment was… when i was 3 days in to replacing the front U joint on my front drive shaft when a friend of mine told me to cut the clips on the boot that is on the drive shaft and that it should slide off…… sure enough…. That dang yoke slid off lol and I marked it before I slid it off so i could get it back on like it should be….. but at this point I had done used my grinder to cut thru the u joint and a C clamp (and tons of penetrating spray) and had the u joint out of the yoke lol so I told my friend that some times people have to explain things to me like I’m a 4 year old lol had i known this soon it wouldn’t have took me 3 days to do it lol but I just chalk it up to live and learn… next time I’ll know lol

And of the videos I watched none of them said any thing about the yoke sliding off the drive shaft lol but now I know lol



Now the double U joints (Cardan joints I think they are called) are squeaking and of course there’s no way to grease them that I know of. I’m sure they are the ones that are from when the jeep was made….. it’s above what I can do so I’m gonna have to swallow my pride and ask for help from one of the very few people that I trust….

I know the skid plate has never been off this jeep…. So that’s gonna be another can of worms in itself that I don’t want to open….
 
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Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts