Randy 71

Anyway to heat and straighten it out or do I buy another? Got the new u joint in but it is not smooth?

Larry3x2

Randy: I have a hydraulic press and used an old wrist pin from a piston and a straightedge to repress it flat. You can move them fairly accurately if you allow for springback. Insert old bearing races partially inside both ends so the don't ovalize. Also, I minimize the bending from occurring by bolting an old flange back to back with the one I'm changing.

Larry

norvalwilhelm

When I do the outer flange I bolt it to a special jig I made to support it. The best way that I found for removing U joints is to cut the cross out with the cutting torch then with a air chissel walk the caps out. The heat loosens them so the air chissel has no problem.
These are precision holes. Straightening them would be impossible to re align the 2 sides.

Paul Borowski

:iagree: Been doing it this way for years now. I can cut 6 out in about 15mins :p:

If they are not "smooth", but binding & tight, go ahead and purchase new ones-you'll need them in a few hundred miles anyways :yesnod:

GTR1999

Snug is ok but if they're binding then you need a new one from Bairs. Bairs also has reconditioned flanges for 1/2 price that work fine. I used a couple already. Bolt the flange to the spindle flange to see if ti loosen up when torqued if so it's bent. I thought I had one straightened last year only to have it pop the clip and the joint cap under driving load. Are yo using Spicers?
Gary

Randy 71

Update,
Some very good ideas from all.

Not sure if I bent it now or not. Used a vice, my C clamp press, BF Hammer. Got one cap in with the retaining ring the other side will not go in far enough to put the ring in. It is about 1/16 below flush. I went ahead and reinstalled everything flange bolted up perfectly as everything else. Could it be one of the pins got bend or something?

The u joints on the 1/2 shaft went in perfectly with little effort with the vice. Should the flange go in that easily?

I just drove the car around and will re- torque tomorrow and will see if I can get that retaining ring in.

Randy

daves80

did one of the needle bearings inside the cap slip down - have seen this happen before - it will keep the cap from going in - dave