Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums  

Its not that hard.  Ive done it on several cars without a press.  If they are rusted up they are a real PITA.

I set up a little wooden channel that the driveshaft lays in.
Then i put a large socket under the lower side. 
Match Mark the driveshaft to the .
Remove the retaining clips with vice grips and a screw driver.
I soak the thing in penetrating oil and then come back a half hour later.
Then I take a smaller socket and gently tap the cap through the other side.
Sometimes, if they are stubborn, once I have enough play in the cap being tapped out, I use a small screwdriver to drive it out the rest of the way.

Re-installation is the opposite.  Clean up the  with a piece of sandpaper. 
Remove the grease fitting (for clearance).


I have done it this way 2 times and I probably got lucky both times. I would probably recommend having someone else do it though.  Its kinda a huge PITA doing it this way and if you bend up your  your in a world of hurt. 

I am sure I will get pounced on and called an idiot but I have done it successfully this way.  I still recommend taking it to a shop to have it done as it should be cheap. 

Here is a good article if your a DIY type.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/how_to_central/automotive/1272541.html

im not sure what planet your from but apparently you and i live on the same one.

A hand sledge to strike as mentioned above will get the caps to come through just fine.  Ive never bent a  but i guess if your careless you can.

The only thing i would add is you better  sure make certain your caps are aligned when the new joints go in or you will get a roll pin pen 15eyed.

everything you said sounds like what eveyone has done many times,, excluding the "gentle" part. 
there isnt too much gentle when doing ujoints,, just brute force.

Its not that hard.  Ive done it on several cars without a press.  If they are rusted up they are a real PITA.

I set up a little wooden channel that the driveshaft lays in.
Then i put a large socket under the lower side. 
Match Mark the driveshaft to the .
Remove the retaining clips with vice grips and a screw driver.
I soak the thing in penetrating oil and then come back a half hour later.
Then I take a smaller socket and gently tap the cap through the other side.
Sometimes, if they are stubborn, once I have enough play in the cap being tapped out, I use a small screwdriver to drive it out the rest of the way.

Re-installation is the opposite.  Clean up the  with a piece of sandpaper. 
Remove the grease fitting (for clearance).


I have done it this way 2 times and I probably got lucky both times. I would probably recommend having someone else do it though.  Its kinda a huge PITA doing it this way and if you bend up your  your in a world of hurt. 

I am sure I will get pounced on and called an idiot but I have done it successfully this way.  I still recommend taking it to a shop to have it done as it should be cheap. 

Here is a good article if your a DIY type.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/how_to_central/automotive/1272541.html

I've always used the "beat 'em out" method, even working in shops that had presses. I just find it easier. The only "problem" I ever had was my first one, which happened to be a driveshaft that had nylon retainers cast into it when new instead of the normal C-clips. It was many years ago, but I think this may have been my '85 T-Bird. If not it would've been a 78 or 80 Firebird.  I beat that thing silly but the U-joint wouldn't move. My father then showed me a neat trick - he heated the yoke with a propane torch. Nothing happened for a long time as he kept heating it, then suddenly "POP" - this orange stuff popped out of a small hole, then started coming out of the hole like one of those snake things you light on fire. After a few seconds it stopped coming out, and the U-joint then came out like butter. The replacement U-joint had clips.