Front axle U-joints.. fun

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

What a blast last night.  After I get the two axle shafts out (from the
Dana 30 and my spare '44) and find that the stubs won't mix (big joint
vs small joint) I set about replacing the U-joint on the spare axle
shaft.. while it's out, might as well, y'know?

Axle-shaft U-joints are not as easy as driveshafts!  grrr.

First, the stupid "C" clip retainers were stubborn... tap tap tap didn't
do it.. finally I put the punch in there and hit it harder.. and it came
free.

To get the U-joints out is different.  On the driveshaft, there's only
one side of the U-joint to remove (one side is held on my U-bolts), and
you can drive the U-joint caps straight through.  On the axle shaft
U-joints, you have to drive them OUT but you can't drive the caps
in/through.

A brass dift and a not-bolted-down (arg) vice did the trick.. place the
yoke on the vice hirozontally supported, with the other yoke
"floating."  I used a brass drift and a 3lb sledge to then beat the
"floating" yoke (stub shaft in this case) downward, and the U-joint
cross then pushed the cap out the top.  Pull the cap out, flip it all
over, repeat.  Not quite so bad.. just keeping that long axle shaft
supported..

This U-joint wasn't dry like the failed one.  Still, I had two brand new
U-joints.. might as well put it in...

Upon reaassembly, I messed up one of the C-clip installations and cut
the dust cap... so apart it came again.  oh, I also clearanced the axle
shaft yoke just a little.. the new U-joint has a taller cross, and it
wouldn't *quite* slip inside.. so I took an edge off and then tapped the
joint into place with a hammer

I pulled the damaged cap back out.. and lost needle bearings on the
other side of the cross in doing so.  Grabbed the *other* new U-joint
and stole two caps.. put it all back together and go the C-clips in
place... around 12:30.

*now* I notice the U-joint is smooth in one direction, but stiff in
another.. A sign that I messed up some needle bearings on installation
or... ?

Also, the new U-joints have a rubber nipple in one end.. and a thread-in
grease fitting comes with, but it's not like the zerks I"m used to on
the driveshaft U-joint.  I presume I need a special grease gun fitting
for this.. and that I need to keep the little fitting handy and only
insert it into the U-joint when greasing.  I know the axle shaft won't
go through the knuckle with the fitting on it.

-Tom