This job can take an hour all the way up to days, so patience and keeping things from getting burred up will pay great dividends in the time required and the quality of the final job.
Once the u-joint removal proccess goes wrong, it can really get ugly. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif
They key is to have no burrs impeeding the cup from sliding out of the yoke/driveshaft holes.
If there's a burr/gouge in the hole, the cup will cock sideways and dig in. The cups are harder then the hinges of hell, and will gouge the ever livin dog sh*t out of the soft yoke/driveshaft material, if given the chance. This can lead to bending/spreading the ears out, and then nothing will save the part, and you will have to replace it.
This means that at the beginning, be carefull when pulling the clips.
I like to take a small pin punch, and drive the clip ends into the center of the cup. You can then grab a hold of them with vise grips and peel them out of the grooves.
Then, it's just a proccess of pushing the cups out squarely, using a c-clamp style tool or a vice and sockets.
Be sure to remove all the burrs from the holes with a round needle file before trying to push the new caps in. If you don't you will have all kinds of issues trying to get the cups in the right spot, and the new clips in. Pay close attention to the ring grooves, as they have to be perfect in order for the clips to seat squarely.
Pay close attention to how the clips seat. It's quite possible to have them "appear" to be seated, and then have them pop partially out in service. This leads to the cups moving under load, and, eventually, a broken driveshaft.
The factory originally used a different style of clip when they built the drivesgaft then comes in the service kit, and so a comparison to the old clips won't tell you anything.
I usually just put a new clip in the groove (without a cup installed) to get an idea of where they should sit, and how much clearance there is from the end of one tip to the other. Match that gap, and the clip is seated all the way.
Then, as you push from the other side, the clip will seat securely/squarely against the cup, and you can dial the preload in exactly using the extra selective thickness clips that come in the service kit.
A little time swapping the shims around (in matched pairs) getting the preload/clearances perfect now will ensure a repair that will last the life of the car, and have minimal balance issues.
If you have any additional questions about this job, pm me your phone number, and I'll walk you through it.
