Help Removing Front Propshaft

Hey all,

I've got a buggered UJ on the transfer case side of the front prop. After cleaning the mud off it looks as though its not a metric nut, 14mm is a tad too small and 15mm a tad too big (besides the fact that there doesnt seem to be enough room for it to fit, and it looks as though the previous owner had it removed at one point too and they are a little worn (rounded). Now I have a 9/16 spanner available and it seems to fit pretty snug but still I cant get the buggers to turn and I worry about stripping the head even more... Apparently there is a propshaft bolt removal tool, should I go ahead and order one along with some replacement bolts for the partially stripped ones? Or do any of you gear heads out there have a better idea?

Cheers from San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Gary

Gary Gilbert said:

Hey all,

I've got a buggered UJ on the transfer case side of the front prop. After cleaning the mud off it looks as though its not a metric nut, 14mm is a tad too small and 15mm a tad too big (besides the fact that there doesnt seem to be enough room for it to fit, and it looks as though the previous owner had it removed at one point too and they are a little worn (rounded). Now I have a 9/16 spanner available and it seems to fit pretty snug but still I cant get the buggers to turn and I worry about stripping the head even more... Apparently there is a propshaft bolt removal tool, should I go ahead and order one along with some replacement bolts for the partially stripped ones? Or do any of you gear heads out there have a better idea?

Cheers from San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Gary

Click to expand...

Nuts are 9/16 AF. The tools are fine, but they usually undo with 2 spanners and spray lube.

Are you using a 6 sided 9/16 socket?

Cheers

neilly said:

Are you using a 6 sided 9/16 socket?

Cheers

Click to expand...

Unfortunately I only have metric sockets, the 9/16 spanner (12 sided) came with the vehicle, I guess I should have gotten the hint and got a socket to match...

You will probably find it easier with a 9/16 ring. As long as the nuts are not rounded then it's easy enough there is just not a lot of space.

You can get a "waisted" socket that clears the yokes and it makes it MUCH easier if you can wait a couple of days...

http://www.paddockspares.com/da1119-propshaft-bolt-removal-tool-usually-14-50gbp.html

You will still need a 9/16 ring for the other side of course to stop it spinning.

Gary Gilbert said:

Unfortunately I only have metric sockets, the 9/16 spanner came with the vehicle, I guess I should have gotten the hint and got a socket to match...

Click to expand...

2 quality 9/16 ring spanners usually shifts them.

Gary Gilbert said:

Now I have a 9/16 spanner available and it seems to fit pretty snug but still I cant get the buggers to turn and I worry about stripping the head even more..

Click to expand...

It reads to me like you have already rounded off the head on one side. Is this what you meant to say?

Cheers

Turboman said:

2 quality 9/16 ring spanners usually shifts them.

Click to expand...

Hopefully they have imperial tools in Chile... or it looks as though I will have to order the tool

Gary Gilbert said:

Hey all,

I've got a buggered UJ on the transfer case side of the front prop. After cleaning the mud off it looks as though its not a metric nut, 14mm is a tad too small and 15mm a tad too big (besides the fact that there doesnt seem to be enough room for it to fit, and it looks as though the previous owner had it removed at one point too and they are a little worn (rounded). Now I have a 9/16 spanner available and it seems to fit pretty snug but still I cant get the buggers to turn and I worry about stripping the head even more... Apparently there is a propshaft bolt removal tool, should I go ahead and order one along with some replacement bolts for the partially stripped ones? Or do any of you gear heads out there have a better idea?

Cheers from San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Gary

Click to expand...

tool is good as will be a set of new bolts and nuts the bolts are special bolts you need to order by part number, the nuts will split with a chisel fairly easily down the center of a flat if they do round

Gary Gilbert said:

Hopefully they have imperial tools in Chile... or it looks as though I will have to order the tool

Click to expand...

Should be possible to order off the net, and have them dispatched anywhere. If not, try and borrow them. If you grease the new UJs often, they will last almost for ever.

Gary Gilbert said:

Hopefully they have imperial tools in Chile... or it looks as though I will have to order the tool

Click to expand...

http://www.paddockspares.com/imperial-combination-spanner-set.html plus the socket you have already found.

If you ring Paddocks tomorrow they will fedex the same day for a price which isnt too unreasonable. If you are in the backwoods of Chile though I'd find the local bus station and see if one of the mechanics there wants to make some extra money - I would imagine that would be your most likley place to find imperial tooling.

If you do split the nuts off DONT use metric bolts to replace them. They used 9/16 fine thread for a reason - apparantly the metric ones tend to rattle loose as the thread is too coarse.

this is what is needed

Thanks for all the info guys.. I saw the tool on paddock and will order some new bolts to boot (http://www.paddockspares.com/prbnut-propshaft-nut-and-bolt.html) - I already have a nice sized order by paddock ... they quoted 3-5 business days for the initial order, I will just ask them to add the tool and bolts to the rest of the stuff we need.

Over 900 days on the road a few things have not to gotten the attention which they deserve/require (now reaping the rewards) in retrospect I greased them "almost" every second oil change but it is possible that I missed that one more than once...and the driving conditions the last 3 months have been quite harsh..some serious off roading (broke a 1 1/2 year old terra firma tf117 shock too - at the weld)

the other 3 UJ's are still good though (ordered a spare each just to be on the safe side)

Thanks again for the tips!

Gary

Gary Gilbert said:

the other 3 UJ's are still good though (ordered a spare each just to be on the safe side)

Click to expand...

Turboman said:

2 quality 9/16 ring spanners usually shifts them.

Click to expand...

+1, I personally like to use a 9/16 AF 6 sided 1/4 drive socket with a 6 inch extension and ratchet plus a 9/16 ring spanner. Or if I feel really lazy I use the 9/16 impact socket, extension and the impact wrench to undo them...LOL.

Makes life easy enough.

If you are ordering UJ's then get the HD Hardy Spicer / GKN ones with Grease nipples.

Cheers

Managed to get mine out with a pair of 14mm spanners, but it's really helpful to know that they are imperial, especially as most of the bolts on my 110 will be replaced during its restoration.

neilly said:

If you are ordering UJ's then get the HD Hardy Spicer / GKN ones with Grease nipples.

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^^^This. Deffo use Hardy Spicer, NOT sh*tpart - and IMHO it's worth using better grease than specified - Even "expensive" grease is way cheaper than the hassle of changing a UJ in the middle of nowhere! AND keep spares - I find that stuff I have in stock tends not to break!

I'm sure you already know this, but after chocking the rear wheels, if you put the transfer box in neutral and lift one front wheel as high as possible, it's easier to rotate the prop to get decent access to the nuts/bolts. Once you've done it a few times, it turns removing the prop into a 30minute job.

Gary Gilbert said:

Thanks for all the info guys.. I saw the tool on paddock and will order some new bolts to boot (http://www.paddockspares.com/prbnut-propshaft-nut-and-bolt.html) - I already have a nice sized order by paddock ... they quoted 3-5 business days for the initial order, I will just ask them to add the tool and bolts to the rest of the stuff we need.

Over 900 days on the road a few things have not to gotten the attention which they deserve/require (now reaping the rewards) in retrospect I greased them "almost" every second oil change but it is possible that I missed that one more than once...and the driving conditions the last 3 months have been quite harsh..some serious off roading (broke a 1 1/2 year old terra firma tf117 shock too - at the weld)

the other 3 UJ's are still good though (ordered a spare each just to be on the safe side)

Thanks again for the tips!

Gary

Click to expand...

I'd be wanting to grease them a lot more frequently than that especially if doing a lot of low ratio work. Weekly would be my preference, and if you do any deep wading I would grease them at the end of the day too.

Don't use moly based lube either - it tends to make the rollers slide as its too good and then they get flats forming. A good lithium bearing grease is what they want.

900 days though - that's impressive - is that all one trip or just daily use?

A 9/16 3/8 drive socket (heard quarter drive works too but it's a fair bit of torque for that size) socket fits fine on an extention bar and probably cheaper/you may have if you have any socket sets
And a decent ring spanner goes a long way. Impact gun makes it so easy too.
And I've been using moly based lube and it works fantastic in my opinion. Better than lithium or silicone. Rocol bearing grease
On the brand I used some cheapo ebay ones last time 2 heavy duty ones for 15 quid and they're pretty mint for the price honestly. With nipples too. The only place you could tell the quality was less was the seals. But if you grease regular I don't think it makes too much diffirence the grease stickiness kinda holds itself in
Big vice makes it alot easier to press in rarther than hammering them in with a soft drift too