Thank you for letting us know FTG.. I'd rather also had the new one over used for not that much more myself. Messicks has real nice folks there... I ordered my ujoints and they knew all about me with just my serial # . 
collie
collie
New Rear U Joints Needed-- Again
- Thread starter bordercollie
- Start date
Thank you for letting us know FTG.. I'd rather also had the new one over used for not that much more myself. Messicks has real nice folks there... I ordered my ujoints and they knew all about me with just my serial # .
They knew all about me just from my phone number. Jeez! I thought the NSA was tracking me there for while!
Pretty weird when you call up some stranger and they trot out your name and address like they've known you all their life!
What you do about the axle housing......get a new one?
Or have I missed something here.......lol
Yea, I bought a new one from Messick's.
As long as you happy with it is all that matters.
Back in the Saddle Again
I just replaced the u joints on my 2011 RTVxt. I have lots of pictures I will post when I have time either tonight or asap. I have gotten better at this since I first started this thread way back in 2011 though and have some extra information to share. It does though feel great to be in the old Bota again. I sure missed it - a bunch .
bordercollie
I just replaced the u joints on my 2011 RTVxt. I have lots of pictures I will post when I have time either tonight or asap. I have gotten better at this since I first started this thread way back in 2011 though and have some extra information to share. It does though feel great to be in the old Bota again. I sure missed it - a bunch .
bordercollieI just replaced the u joints on my 2011 RTVxt. I have lots of pictures I will post when I have time either tonight or asap. I have gotten better at this since I first started this thread way back in 2011 though and have some extra information to share. It does though feel great to be in the old Bota again. I sure missed it - a bunch .
Awesome! I'm looking forward to the pictures and any comments.
Fitch
I just replaced the u joints on my 2011 RTVxt. I have lots of pictures I will post when I have time either tonight or asap. I have gotten better at this since I first started this thread way back in 2011 though and have some extra information to share. It does though feel great to be in the old Bota again. I sure missed it - a bunch .
Collie.....Them bad u joints follow you like a bad case of the fleas.....lol
Looking forward to the pic. tho.
2011 RTV 900xt
It's hard to believe that it has been 4 years since I started this thread. This time though I have long sold the 2005 RTV 900 and now have a 2011 900 RTVxt .
The hour meter just turned over on 2300 hrs today as I put her back in service -after redoing all 4 ujoints.. All joints were still tight with the exception of the inner passenger side joint- it had a chunk missing out of one of the joint caps. I went on and replaced all of them though because it is such a bear to take apart.
This job was a little different.. the joints weren't stuck stuck stuck in this RTV like the last time on the 2005. There was no rust inside the bumper axles.. the bearings were all like new in feel- strong and stout . Even the oil seals were like new.
The only thing I noticed was a little " gasket " that fit on the threaded axle behind the lock washer's flat washer. It resembled a water hose washer but larger. My old model didn't have this.
Just in case somebody has to do this job but does't have access to a lot of tools, I kept track of the size wrenches I needed for my model. The castle nut - 1 and 3/16" socket , To remove the leaf spring " bolts" a 9/16" and a 15 mm... a 12 mm for the 3 flange bolts on the inner joint plate.
I ordered all my parts from Messick's and used their diagrams which were a huge help.Te diagram for the inner joints are listed in the transmission section separate of the outers in rear axle section .. strange huh ..
One thing that will help you if you are new to doing this job, is to take the parts and lay them out in the order of removal and take lots of pictures. More tomorrow. collie
It's hard to believe that it has been 4 years since I started this thread. This time though I have long sold the 2005 RTV 900 and now have a 2011 900 RTVxt .
The hour meter just turned over on 2300 hrs today as I put her back in service -after redoing all 4 ujoints.. All joints were still tight with the exception of the inner passenger side joint- it had a chunk missing out of one of the joint caps. I went on and replaced all of them though because it is such a bear to take apart.
This job was a little different.. the joints weren't stuck stuck stuck in this RTV like the last time on the 2005. There was no rust inside the bumper axles.. the bearings were all like new in feel- strong and stout . Even the oil seals were like new.
The only thing I noticed was a little " gasket " that fit on the threaded axle behind the lock washer's flat washer. It resembled a water hose washer but larger. My old model didn't have this. Just in case somebody has to do this job but does't have access to a lot of tools, I kept track of the size wrenches I needed for my model. The castle nut - 1 and 3/16" socket , To remove the leaf spring " bolts" a 9/16" and a 15 mm... a 12 mm for the 3 flange bolts on the inner joint plate.
I ordered all my parts from Messick's and used their diagrams which were a huge help.Te diagram for the inner joints are listed in the transmission section separate of the outers in rear axle section .. strange huh ..
One thing that will help you if you are new to doing this job, is to take the parts and lay them out in the order of removal and take lots of pictures. More tomorrow.
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It's hard to believe that it has been 4 years since I started this thread. [snip]
One thing that will help you if you are new to doing this job, is to take the parts and lay them out in the order of removal and take lots of pictures.
More tomorrow.
More importantly: cut the rear axle into at least two different parts, weld flanges to tie the two parts together. Never again.
I realize a lot of folks already know how to do this job but am listing some small details for those doing this the first time. Some things I do may be wrong but this way has worked for me.
When I didn't have luck with doing a project doing it one way and was at my wit's end, I would think and pray about it overnight and then , the next day, I knew what to do or at least where to start.. The story of my life all summed up
First I get the RTV all nice and clean. wash wash wash . Make sure to clean around the transmission drain plug too.... If you have a heavy tool box like me, you will want to raise the cargo bed and put the choc on the cylinder to keep it from up and from leaking down. This is so the transmission can be refilled on completion of the job. It also gives some head room. Last time I took the bed off. Not this time though. Time to Drain the transmission. I cleaned the plug and see very little "stuff on the magnet plug after several hundred hours of sudt2.
I position my rachet bands as a sling n each side to allow them to hold the "axle" when I remove the leaf spring bolts .first though I sea saw the nub on the visible boot clamp just a few times with a pair of pliers (seen on the table in the first pictures) and it comes loose easily. I will use a similar but large pair of pliers to gently( because they are sharp)s put the new clamp on when the job is finished. I leave the other clamp on the end of the 2 boots on. (save that money- it all adds up)
I went ahead and removed the castle nuts while I had the RTV 's axle still attached to the machine and while it was elevated with the safety jack stands and floor jack. .Then removed Everything "loose"including the hub . (as seen on the table in the previous picture.)
When the nuts are removed from the springs, the axle will free fall so be sure to first notice how the u joints are put together and make a mark before that happens, That way you will know how the "Phasing from the factory" is. I just felt up in the "hidden" part of the axle to confirm that part. more on that later.. When the axle comes down, the outers and inners ujoints will come apart. The rachet bands will help here though.
After it is down comes the fun part. I worked a 13 hour day today in the heat so will continue with my adventure tomorrow. bordercollie
When I didn't have luck with doing a project doing it one way and was at my wit's end, I would think and pray about it overnight and then , the next day, I knew what to do or at least where to start.. The story of my life all summed up
First I get the RTV all nice and clean. wash wash wash . Make sure to clean around the transmission drain plug too.... If you have a heavy tool box like me, you will want to raise the cargo bed and put the choc on the cylinder to keep it from up and from leaking down. This is so the transmission can be refilled on completion of the job. It also gives some head room. Last time I took the bed off. Not this time though. Time to Drain the transmission. I cleaned the plug and see very little "stuff on the magnet plug after several hundred hours of sudt2.
I position my rachet bands as a sling n each side to allow them to hold the "axle" when I remove the leaf spring bolts .first though I sea saw the nub on the visible boot clamp just a few times with a pair of pliers (seen on the table in the first pictures) and it comes loose easily. I will use a similar but large pair of pliers to gently( because they are sharp)s put the new clamp on when the job is finished. I leave the other clamp on the end of the 2 boots on. (save that money- it all adds up)
I went ahead and removed the castle nuts while I had the RTV 's axle still attached to the machine and while it was elevated with the safety jack stands and floor jack. .Then removed Everything "loose"including the hub . (as seen on the table in the previous picture.)
When the nuts are removed from the springs, the axle will free fall so be sure to first notice how the u joints are put together and make a mark before that happens, That way you will know how the "Phasing from the factory" is. I just felt up in the "hidden" part of the axle to confirm that part. more on that later.. When the axle comes down, the outers and inners ujoints will come apart. The rachet bands will help here though.
After it is down comes the fun part. I worked a 13 hour day today in the heat so will continue with my adventure tomorrow. bordercollie
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Count on it. Like I said: never again.
Definitely getting it clean first is a good idea. The pressure washer is your friend. I do the same thing.
I may be doing this before the end of the summer. I plan to take the bed off. At my age I plan things like getting down on the floor a week in advance. Everything I can do to improve access helps.
That magnet looked nice and clean. A good thing.
I hope you have a good picture of how you used the ratchet straps. I was planning to fabricate a holder from the diagram in the service manual but I can see an potential advantage to the straps: the ease of side to side movement to re-install the splined shafts. They might work better and I already have them. That would be a major feature, sometimes known as a win-win.
Thanks for taking the time to post your experiences with this. The fact that you've done it before allows you to take advantage of that experience and I, for one, plan to learn from that.
Fitch
Hi Fitch, Thanks . I had to re position my straps a couple of times because I first had them too tight. That is where the rachet feature is very, very handy. It's like having a hoist. I will try to look through my pictures and see if I have one of the best "fit" on the frame though. I did learn what that little hole is in the rachet lever for... a phillips screwdriver can be put in there as a pry lever when releasing a too tight rachet. Main thing is pull out all of the slack possible so that the band won't "overfill" before getting at the place you want.
On the axle, after it was off,. I removed the oil seals very carefully. I cleaned them up and they looked new with no wear. . I stood the axle on its end ,then let penetrating fluid sit around the edges of the shaft etc..the top of one and on the inside of the lower one- preferably over night and then flip and repeat. I was careful not to damage the axle threads as I did this flipping.Maybe put the castle nut back on to help protect them during this phase. You may also be able to see the little gasket there on the end of the threaded shaft . I didn't have this on my '05. After this soaking - which really really helped me_ I lay the axle down and get ready to find out what is ahead of me... collie
edit: I will add this though.. if you don't remove the springs/bed, the inner joint may be hard to clear and get completely out. this is an easy work around though.. I just barely nudged the springs with my floor jack- just a hair's room was all I needed to have the inner clear- and it worked fine.. A lot better for me and saved time too.
Thanks . I had to re position my straps a couple of times because I first had them too tight. That is where the rachet feature is very, very handy. It's like having a hoist. I will try to look through my pictures and see if I have one of the best "fit" on the frame though. I did learn what that little hole is in the rachet lever for... a phillips screwdriver can be put in there as a pry lever when releasing a too tight rachet. Main thing is pull out all of the slack possible so that the band won't "overfill" before getting at the place you want. On the axle, after it was off,. I removed the oil seals very carefully. I cleaned them up and they looked new with no wear.
. I stood the axle on its end ,then let penetrating fluid sit around the edges of the shaft etc..the top of one and on the inside of the lower one- preferably over night and then flip and repeat. I was careful not to damage the axle threads as I did this flipping.Maybe put the castle nut back on to help protect them during this phase. You may also be able to see the little gasket there on the end of the threaded shaft . I didn't have this on my '05. After this soaking - which really really helped me_ I lay the axle down and get ready to find out what is ahead of me... collieedit: I will add this though.. if you don't remove the springs/bed, the inner joint may be hard to clear and get completely out. this is an easy work around though.. I just barely nudged the springs with my floor jack- just a hair's room was all I needed to have the inner clear- and it worked fine.. A lot better for me and saved time too.
