Jim,
I understand the frustration! I'm interested in other techniques, but what
I've done (with general success) is:
1) put lots of grease in the new cups (this helps hold the bearings in place)
2) insert the cups into yoke and onto the spider gently using a large bench
vise. This is done two at a time.
(no banging or jolting -- this is what causes the bearing to fall over)
3) as the cups start to seat into the yoke, gently slide the spider back and
forth into each of the cups. This helps you assess
whether the cups are inserting perpendicularly (very important -- don't
want to bind up the cup in the yoke or break the bearing with a lateral
force!). This sliding also keeps the bearing in place. At times you may
notice a rather large suction holding the spider in one of the cups
(caused by the grease), gently but firmly pull the spider.
That's it. Slow and easy gets the job done. Make sure the inside bore of the
yokes are clean and smooth. Also make sure there are the correct number of
bearings in each cup, I think it is 29 (better to make sure!). You should not
have to apply much force. If you find yourself giving it the gorilla grip then
something is not aligned properly and you need to back it off a bit, realign
it, and then try it again.
I hate u-joints, but they can be done!
Best of luck and patience,
Mike Morelli
76 TR6 (daily driver)
Houston, TX
morelli@mickey.jsc.nasa.gov
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From: James Charles Ruwaldt[SMTP:jruwaldt@indiana.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 1997 4:28 AM
Cc: triumphs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: U-Joint Removal!?
I replaced the rear U-joints on my TR6 a couple of years and had no end
of trouble with the needle bearings. What is the recommendation of how
to install the U-joints so the bearings won't fall out?
Jim Ruwaldt
'72 TR6 (being restored)
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