New Rear U Joints Needed-- Again

My Daddy always taught his daughters that there was more that one way to do things so I keep trying to learn and think outside of the so called box-to see if I can figure out something to help me finish my job or at least make it better.Sometimes I'm right others I'm not.- but I try to keep learning .
Mark, If the other methods don't work out, I was just thinking... if you have the darn thing removed from the RTV, you might could rig up your own press of sorts by using a hydraulic jack and some heavy chain with something for bracing or framing the chain around the spindle and jack base. I think you could improvise a press of sorts using things you have laying around.- And make it work on the ground to boot. Good luck whatever you do!
O.k. I got to the barn and removed my last u joint from the yoke. This last yoke/joint was also tight but at least it came out before I had to use the chop saw on it like I did on one the other day. To cut a joint with the chop saw, I safely held it in the right position with the vice off the drill press.It makes a clean cut but does get hot. Watch out for the yoke.
I installed a completed u joint on the transmission also and am including a picture of each. In the picture of the last joint being removed, the large nuts are for support and the ring is what I use to press on around the cap so it can rise unrestricted and come out or almost out. I had to wiggle on a few of the caps, with the large vice grips but they came right on out then. Now, I'm waiting on parts . bordercollie
 

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bordercollie said:
Art , I only bent one yoke slightly, but the press was a real help in getting the frozen shafts out of the bumper too. I didn't have to buy anything since the press was my Dad's . One of those tools you're speaking of would have been nice to have laying around but I didn't so I used what I had. I used a caliper on the other u joints I removed and they were all o.k. . In some cases, I even had to push them part way out and spray with penetrant and reverse the order and do it again. I agree you just can't go crazy with the press. If I had to do this for a living, I would definitely get one of what your talking about. _ I hope I am through with this for a long while -once I get all the parts and finish this time. bordercollie
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I have the same kind of press you do.....did you have to dig a hole in the ground so you could get the whole ass. in the press....mine sits on concrete and I know that rear axle is to long without doing that I would think?
I thought by the picture you'rs was outside.
Just curious.

Art
 
The press is in the gangway of the barn on concrete. I elevated it with some 5"square tubing pieces -temporarily . That just barely gave me enough clearance. I 'll try to take a picture of it tomorrow. It would slide off real easy but I only need it elevated for the axle housings and intend to remove the tubing when I get time to take the pieces back to where I got it .
I got the grease cap and got the last of the joints done today. Also put the inners in the transmission and remarked the line up lines with a better color . That will help when it comes time to line them up with the outers. I am waiting on the sealant to cure for the suggested 24 hrs before I put back my transmission fluid. I also will mention that when the 90 degree grease fittings are tightened that go up in the wheel axle u joints , make sure that they tighten up headed toward the transmission or there abouts so you can access them with the grease nozzle. Now , I am waiting on the seals to come in. bordercollie
 
Getting There A Bite At A Time!

The seals came in today! While I was at a standstill on the farm jobs though, I thought I would do the prep work and get everything ready for the installation. First off ,I started cleaning up the axle/bumper areas . I used some Wet/Dry 600 sandpaper and gas. I posted pictures to show the difference- they did need it. Then I polished up the axle shafts and got them ready for the bearings.I put the assembly in the vice and give them a "shoeshine" with cloth backed sandpaper . It was a good buffing like I saw my Dad do many times.The shaft on the right is polished in the picture, the left for comparison is not. I posted a picture also of the oil seals and the receipt showing where they came from. The local K dealer would also have had to order them, and this way , they came right to the mailbox in the same amount of time. The roughly 15% cheaper price offset the postage. I got the bearings local and was disappointed that when I got to looking, that they were made in china.... I guess I will find out how good or bad they are. I had the parts store order them too or else I would return them and go with a better brand. I've decided just to hand pack the void areas around the bearings with grease and leave it at that. The first picture shows the press elevated so the bumper assembly will fit . bordercollie
 

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doing mine also all you need is a vise and a hammer to get the u-joints out. got the 397 also looked too short when I checked them out the first time but now that there in there only a c-hair short. beats $68 for the bota joints.
 
Finished!!

zenchal26 said:
doing mine also all you need is a vise and a hammer to get the u-joints out. got the 397 also looked too short when I checked them out the first time but now that there in there only a c-hair short. beats $68 for the bota joints.
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Zenchal26, I am very glad you had such good luck getting your joints out. I hope mine will be easier the next time around- if there is one. I did the prep work with cleaning up the rust and lubing the areas at any rate.
From the serial number,I believe my unit is an '04. My joints were very ,very tight. It could also have been that they were rusty- maybe from carrying minerals and salt and or busting cow patties and such. I also noticed that the inner races of the bearings in the axles were extremely tight on the shafts. This was why they just wouldn't pop out without the press. I imagine it is this same way with Mark.Sibole's unit being so hard to remove from the axles.- the road salt maybe?? I think he has the same year model. Don't know if it is because the early models were made that way or not but I buffed and shined my shafts so that the bearing's inner races would go on the shaft without using a hammer on them. I tapped the outer races of the bearing into the axles with a piece of 2" schedule 40 pvc.Remember to put back the spacer in between the 2. I filled the area with grease and put her all back together.
Getting the bumper back on by myself was quite a challenge. I used ropes and let it free swing at first. I also started one side and then put a long bolt in the spring bracket and axle casing so it would allow for me to move the other side around but not fall.I also used my knees with a 2x4 across them to help line it up. I should have place the double bolts in the axle housing before lining up the shafts because the boots sometimes get in the way until the pressure is put on the springs from the weight of the machine. I am through (I hope and Pray) Yaaaay!!! The cost of parts-$ around $150 includes
4 Precision 397 u joints--around $80
4 bearings around $24
4 oil seals $34
1 rtv sealant $ 7
3 boot clamps $6
I'll include a few final pictures................... Bordercollie
 

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Last edited:
Wrong final picture on the last one: Here it is I also forgot to mention that I did see some wear on the inner oil seals since the last change was in '08 at 1800 or 2000 hrs.One was wallered on one side. And while I had the bed off, I changed the rubber bushings around on the back of the unit. I will price them and probably replace later on but for now they are just swapped around to change the wear pattern. I saw that the bed was lisping to one side slightly from the rubber being worn. - so far so good .. bordercollie
 

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Glad to see its getting back together.
I see yopu did one step I didnt do and that was to remove the bed.
I found it wasnt really a problem to not remove the bed so I didnt.
Ill be tackeling this job again in a few weeks as soon as payday gets here and I order the bearings and seals.

Mark
 
I just took the bed off so I could have plenty of room to move around.It being just me working on it, I was glad to not have it to bump my head on- but you are absolutely right. It is not necessary. I probably would have left it on but I had the skid steer to pick it up with.
I drove all around the farm and then took the wheels off and retightened everything including the cotter pin nut on the shaft. I am ready to weed wipe with it now.
Good luck Mark. If you need any diagrams or parts numbers let me know . bordercollie
 
I found it was way eaiser to remove the rear springs to get the axle back in. With the springs removed you can line up one side straight with the shaft coming out from the trans, push the slip yoke all the way in then lift the other side and slip the axle in. Worked good for me, I did not even remove bed just lifted it.
 
This is a bump for drtv to view the pictures of the rear axles disassembled. 200 hrs after the overhaul all joints are still snug-I checked them out when I changed out the tires. bordercollie.
 
Another bump. Also, It may be worth considering putting an access hole in the bumper housing below the new greasable joint in order to access the grease fitting to that ujoint if you have a model without one and are replacing non greasables with greasable ones... bordercollie edit: the early pictures on u joint replacement were from my '05 model RTV 900. The picture of the access hole is from my 2011.
 

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So it's time again to change my rear u-joints!!! Not even a year and way less than 500hrs!
I do plow with this rig but come on they should last longer than that. I think I have found the route cause to these u-joint failures. When you let off the throttle the back tires pretty much lock-up and skid you to a stop (sweet design). So people that use the bota that don’t realize the kind of pressure this is putting on the drive train (and chains make it way worse) just let off the throttle quickly and not slowly to bring it to a stop. Well as much as I like the braking especially with a load on, I was forced to put in the coast valve. I installed it the other day and it's not too bad, I do like the coasting but miss the braking. Only problem now is the brakes make noise (understandable since they have really never been used) hope it comes out of it.
 
Gosh Zenchal, what brand did you use? I used the precisions and checked them before I sold my '05 RTV and it was o.k. (with over 200 hrs on that set and they were still good and tight) . There is a thread on our forum by" Rascal" that found a new source for them. Good Luck. bordercollie
 
Tore up a U joint during the last storm here.We got 22 inches of the wettest heaviest snow Ive ever seen.
Replaced the passenger side U joint in record time 1 hour 45 minutes start to finish.Damn Im getting good at this lol
 
Mark.Sibole said:
Tore up a U joint during the last storm here.We got 22 inches of the wettest heaviest snow Ive ever seen.
Replaced the passenger side U joint in record time 1 hour 45 minutes start to finish.Damn Im getting good at this lol
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That's great Mark!! They say that practice makes perfect!! ;) I bet the joints just popped out this time. Man , those stuck ones were a pain the first go weren't they! How many hrs did you have on that one since last replacement? I know my complete replacements were tight at 200 hrs but then I sold the '05. I sure hope it held up for the guy . :thewave: Good Going my Friend! bordercollie
 
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