Rear U joint replacement

[dkad260]

For the rear of a '12 Yukon, are these retained by a clip or are they epoxied?

They look to have clips but the front looks to have epoxy.

Curious if the rears need to be pressed or will a C-clamp work with a large socket.

 

[Trey Hardy]

For the rear of a '12 Yukon, are these retained by a clip or are they epoxied?

They look to have clips but the front looks to have epoxy.

Curious if the rears need to be pressed or will a C-clamp work with a large socket.

You can do it with a socket and a c clamp but it’s a biotch for sure. If you got a buddy or shop with a press it would be much easier to just unbolt it from the yoke pull it out and take it up to the shop.
Last time I tried the c clamp idea it made a 30-45 min job turn into a 4 hour job and had to use the torch to get it broke free granted this was in my 93 Silverado and it had the original u joints.
I got a new set for my 07 Tahoe but the factory ones some how are still holding up good so I threw them in my trunk just incase one were to give out while I was on the road.

 

[B-train]

For the rear of a '12 Yukon, are these retained by a clip or are they epoxied?

They look to have clips but the front looks to have epoxy.

Curious if the rears need to be pressed or will a C-clamp work with a large socket.

If you see clips, then that's the way in/out. I'm not sure when the epoxy thing ended, but if memory serves me right almost all the new stuff with aluminum shafts have clips.

If you have a good vice, you can let it hold the yoke loosely (more like a contained rest of sorts). Use a pic to clean up the ring groove, emery cloth the yoke if it's corroded, then use a small amount of oil on your finger to lube the hole.

Once you get the u-joint in the yoke, you can slip the caps in until they are tight by hand. Hold the driveshaft so it's centered and engaging both caps (this keeps the needle bearings in their place). Then tap lightly with a hammer to seat the caps in.

Get one in fully and install the snap ring. Then repeat the other side. If it's too tight after setting it and putting the clip in, use the vice to support the other 2 caps and tap lightly at he yoke weld to back the caps out against the clips. Done this for years. It takes some practice, but works slick.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

^^^x2^^^ Just be VERY careful not to upset the bearings in the cap while you slip it into the yoke. I once had a bearing drop down into the cap once, because I was not careful enough.

 

[OR VietVet]

If you see clips, then that's the way in/out. I'm not sure when the epoxy thing ended, but if memory serves me right almost all the new stuff with aluminum shafts have clips.

If you have a good vice, you can let it hold the yoke loosely (more like a contained rest of sorts). Use a pic to clean up the ring groove, emery cloth the yoke if it's corroded, then use a small amount of oil on your finger to lube the hole.

Once you get the u-joint in the yoke, you can slip the caps in until they are tight by hand. Hold the driveshaft so it's centered and engaging both caps (this keeps the needle bearings in their place). Then tap lightly with a hammer to seat the caps in.

Get one in fully and install the snap ring. Then repeat the other side. If it's too tight after setting it and putting the clip in, use the vice to support the other 2 caps and tap lightly at he yoke weld to back the caps out against the clips. Done this for years. It takes some practice, but works slick.

Learned these steps years ago and works great. Have to have a steady hand and attention to detail but it works.

 

[dkad260]

Thanks for that info, greatly appreciated.

Could someone verify the part#'s for the front and rear? I assume the top two are for the '12 XL Denali, or the 3rd entry. I have a hard time with a $140 single U-joint lol. There are aftermarket options at half that pricepoint.

 

[Just Fishing]

This tool = "where has this been my whole life"

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C7YTMC2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I only paid about $60 about a month ago, so I would probably shop around for it first.
I spent extra because I know OEMTools rates their stuff for impact gun use...
Still plan on using some heat.

 

[dkad260]

So it appears the correct GM part # for my rear driveshaft is 89059111. However there's no way I'm paying $140 for one u-joint.

Going to settle with aftermarket, I've never had bad luck with them anyway.

 

[dkad260]

This is what's going in today, Spicer 1350-1X.

 

[Foggy]

Spicer is the "Good Stuff" !!!!!

 

[swathdiver]

This is what's going in today, Spicer 1350-1X. View attachment 401535

Many of the GM ones are Spicer.

Our axles and driveshafts were supplied by AAM. So that's what I bought for mine, 12479126 for the 1344 (Mechanic's 3R) up front and 19256728 for the 1355 rears.

The ones you bought are greaseable, so they are not solid. Watch your burnouts and 120+ mph runs! LOL

5-1350X is the non-greaseable version.

 

[dkad260]

The ones you bought are greaseable, so they are not solid. Watch your burnouts and 120+ mph runs! LOL

Strength was a concern since the OE was non-greasable, and I did read about the non-greasable joints being stronger.

I contacted a Spicer distributer/installer and he mentioned the 5-1350-1X was built stronger like a non-grease joint, but with the greasable feature.

Looking at my OE rear joint side by side, it does look like the Spicer has more meat in the journal cross and the trunions appear to be the same size.

These are greased through the cap, so we shall see how well the dispersement is with the grease.

That's the only downside IMO, if there's no zerk, it's all coming out.

This 5-1350-1X looks to be a very viable candidate to the OE joint.