IMHO, the best way to do this is to use two sockets and a vise. one of the
sockets is small enough to easily fit down into the holes where the u-joint
cup is and the other big enough for a cup to go into as it is pressed out.
Remove the circlips. Put a socket on either side of the u-joint and put in
the vise. Tighten the vise and press out one cup. You then have to press
the remaining cup and U-joint back the other way in order to get the
u-joint out. Knock out the remaining cup using a hammer and punch. Repeat
to remove the U-joint out of the other yoke. You can reinstall the new
U-joint the same way. If the installed u-joint is tight, I install the
circlips then (gently) use the hammer method as descibed in the manual to
move the cups outward just a little. The joint will free right up.
If you don't have big vise, I have used the same method but used a big
hammer in place of the vise. I recommend a vise.
The advantage here is that you are not beating on the drive shaft yokes and
not risking peening over the edges of the holes you will be pushing the
cups out of. At assembly, you won't tend to jar the roll bearings out of
place as you do if you use a hammer. I really hate beating on the parts
that have to go back on my car. A shop would use a press and some fixtures
in place of the sockets.
Hope this helps. I've done it this way on many occasions with good success.
Good Luck!
John Morris
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