Hi Jerry,
U-joint replacement was the second job I did on my 76. Since I knew little,
it was an interesting struggle, but it is entirely doable. The only
drawback is the lack of room underneath which I solved with ramps.
I had a clunk just like yours.
After making space underneath, I unbolted the 4 front and back nuts. The
problem is that at any point, you can handily reach only 2 or maybe 3 if
you are flexible. Raise the rear wheels on a good axle or frame support,
keep the car in neutral and you can turn the wheels to turn the drive shaft
and reach the unreachable nuts.
Note on the front nuts. The bolts have a detent (or whatever you call it, a
flattened area) which acts to lock the bolt in place without rotating so
you don't have to hold it, just loosen the nut. Just realized, that is on a
76. Don't know if it is also accurate for 72.
The rear 4 bolts and nuts are removable with the appropriate socket and
wrenches (see Haynes or Bentley manuals for sizes or just try some of
yours. Someone on the list will have that bit of knowledge if you need it
in advance but you'll figure it out easily.)
Removing the u-joint: I did not do that because the procedure calls for
hitting the yoke at the appropriate place with the appropriate force to
???vibrate the caps of the old u-joint out after removing the clips that
hold the joint within. I hit it in the wrong place with the wrong force
and did not move them. I am friends with a commercial mechanic who did
that for me. He did hit the yoke in the right place with the right force
and they did come out.
As I remember, to replace them, the procedure is quite directly what is
written in the manuals. The only tip is to use an appropriate size socket
in a vise to push the cap in before replacing the clip.
Two more suggestions. Be careful using a socket wrench above your head. It
leaves a large black & blue mark on one's nose if it falls.
The other is to do both front and back if you are going to pull the drive
shaft to do the rear. The u-joints are rated for approximately 50k miles
and my car is at 53,000 and needed both. If you need one, you probably will
shortly need the other.
Good luck,
Now if you could only help me start mine!
Bill
At 11:01 AM 9/4/1999 EDT, you wrote:
>It started as a clunk.....actually thought I had something loose in the
>trunk...has increased to a clunk or two upon accelerating in 1st at very
low
>speed....can be brought on by decelerating quickly in 1st gear at very low
>speed, with a little punch on the gas......I think its the rear
>u-joint....what do you all think? Is there a place to get good info on
>replacement ...I hear its not to difficult. What tools are needed?
>Thanks in advance Jerry It's a '72 B
>
**********************************************************************
Dr. Bill Saidel
Assoc. Prof. Vocal phone (609) 225-6336
Department of Biology FAX (609) 225-6312
Science Building email: saidel@crab.rutgers.edu
315 Penn St.
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
Camden, NJ 08102 -1411
http://crab.rutgers.edu/~saidel/saidel.html
"Between the approximation of the idea and the precision
of reality, there is a small gap of the unimaginable."
Milan Kundera - "The Unbearable Lightness of Being"
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