Replace 4 u-joints--recommend a shop?

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monzamess

New Member
I need to replace all four u-joints on my 97 S-10. Maybe only one is bad but at its age and mileage I want to replace them all.

I've done a lot of car maintenance myself but this looks like a total PITA (something about melting the plastic retainers on factory u-joints to get them out?) and I'm short on time.

Can you recommend a shop to do this work? Closer to Hughesville or Waldorf is better.

Thanks...
 
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mizteresa1965

New Member
A good friend of ours owns H&M Automotive in Hollywood, he's in the Hollywood Industrial center of Route 235. I know it's not close to Hughesville, but the guys in that shop are great. Give him a call, 301-373-4900. Ask for Boone, tell him Teresa sent you.
 
baileydog

baileydog

I wanna be a SMIB
monzamess said:
I need to replace all four u-joints on my 97 S-10. Maybe only one is bad but at its age and mileage I want to replace them all.

I've done a lot of car maintenance myself but this looks like a total PITA (something about melting the plastic retainers on factory u-joints to get them out?) and I'm short on time.

Can you recommend a shop to do this work? Closer to Hughesville or Waldorf is better.

Thanks...
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Age to age automotive in Hughville 301-290-5999. best in business. ask for mike
 
Bustem' Down

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Give Peas a Chance
monzamess said:
I need to replace all four u-joints on my 97 S-10. Maybe only one is bad but at its age and mileage I want to replace them all.

I've done a lot of car maintenance myself but this looks like a total PITA (something about melting the plastic retainers on factory u-joints to get them out?) and I'm short on time.

Can you recommend a shop to do this work? Closer to Hughesville or Waldorf is better.

Thanks...
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Are you talking about in the driveshaft? I hve a 98 S-10 and replaced the rear factory joint in the drive shaft. It was a peice of cake and took all of 30 min (I had the truck upon a lift.) might take only a little longer lying on your back with it on jack stands.
 
desertrat

desertrat

0_0
monzamess said:
I need to replace all four u-joints on my 97 S-10. Maybe only one is bad but at its age and mileage I want to replace them all.

I've done a lot of car maintenance myself but this looks like a total PITA (something about melting the plastic retainers on factory u-joints to get them out?) and I'm short on time.

Can you recommend a shop to do this work? Closer to Hughesville or Waldorf is better.

Thanks...
Click to expand...
Thatkidistight knows a bit about u joints. I never heard of melting plastic though. Is this a 4X4? Or do you have a cv joint in there?
 
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desertrat said:
Thatkidistight knows a bit about u joints. I never heard of melting plastic though. Is this a 4X4? Or do you have a cv joint in there?
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I've never heard of melting plastic either. The repair manual just says to press them out like the snap ring types.
 
thakidistight

thakidistight

Wanker
desertrat said:
Thatkidistight knows a bit about u joints. I never heard of melting plastic though. Is this a 4X4? Or do you have a cv joint in there?
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I was talking to some kid about u joints the other day. Seems in his S10 he had to melt some plastic thing too...Glad mine went easy:sarcasm:
 
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thakidistight said:
I was talking to some kid about u joints the other day. Seems in his S10 he had to melt some plastic thing too...Glad mine went easy:sarcasm:
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I have an S10, and I'll tell you there was no melting. You just push them out and then scrape out any left over plastic.
 
thakidistight

thakidistight

Wanker
Bustem' Down said:
I have an S10, and I'll tell you there was no melting. You just push them out and then scrape out any left over plastic.
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I just remembered him saying something about that. What is plastic in your U Joints anyway?
 
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thakidistight said:
I just remembered him saying something about that. What is plastic in your U Joints anyway?
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On the factory u-joints there is no external snap ring, they use basically a plastic internal snap ring that's pressed in (the excess being sheared off by the pressing action). All you do is press the joint out and you'll see a bit of plastic on the inside of the hole in the yoke. Maybe it's a GM thing for light trucks, I don't know.
 
thakidistight

thakidistight

Wanker
Bustem' Down said:
On the factory u-joints there is no external snap ring, they use basically a plastic internal snap ring that's pressed in (the excess being sheared off by the pressing action). All you do is press the joint out and you'll see a bit of plastic on the inside of the hole in the yoke. Maybe it's a GM thing for light trucks, I don't know.
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:yay: Good thing to know.
 
M

monzamess

New Member
My S-10 has a $#@#@ CV joint where the driveshaft meets the rear differential. I don't know if this is for all extended S-10s or just the factory lowered ones. Anyway that part was bad. Boswell's sent it out to be rebuilt. Truck is good now. They had it ready by 5pm which normally would be great but I was stuck on the beltway when they closed it at Branch Ave.
me --> :buttkick: <-- beltway
 
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