dopsdad

As many of you know, the U-joints in the stock driveshaft are staked and not intended for repair. Nissan attempted to "shaft" owners by staking the U-joints in place making it necessary to purchase a complete new shaft with pre-installed U-joints, rather than allowing the customer to replace a simple part. There is a work around to this.

First, you will not be able to find a replacement U-joint based using your vehicle year, make, and model, as the manufacturer did not intend for driveshaft repairs. The measurements for your bearing are 28mm diameter end caps, 78-80mm overall axis length, and 53 to 56 mm from interior clip to interior clip (this can vary slightly). I will be using MasterPro U-joint 393. To employ this part, use the following guidelines:

1. Use a small diamond cutting disc to file down the staked tabs holding the U-joint in place. This must be done on each surface as the new caps will need to be pressed in and the tabs will interfere with pressing the caps smoothly.
2. Find a socket or heavy pipe (thick walled) that has an inner diameter slightly larger than the U-joint caps, but that is small enough to fully support the yoke surrounding the cap when pressed. You will push the caps into this pipe/socket.
3. Using a press (may be done with a snug fitting socket and big hammer, but I wouldn't recommend it), stabilize and align the driveshaft with the press ensuring that the receiving socket/pipe is level and in contact with the yoke surface 360 degrees around the cap.
4. Press the cap through on one axis until the U-joint bottoms out. This will not push the cap all the way through the yoke, it will only push it about 1/4" through. After pressing the first axis, press the second axis in similar fashion. The second axis will have even less of the cap pushed through, about 1/8". The result should be that the U-joint is off center and two sides have greater exposure than the others.
5. Using a large grinding wheel (4.5"+) or a metal saw, cut the exposed arm of the U-joint near the base/center. This will need to be done at an angle, you will need to be very careful not to cut into the yoke or shaft. Now, cut the arm again in or near the exposed area of the cap (on the interior side of the yoke) about 1/8 to 1/4" parallel to the first cut. You are attempting to cut away a slice of the U-joint arm to create enough room to finish pressing the cap inward until it is free and falls away.
6. Using a hammer and snug fitting socket (I used a 3/4") drive the cut cap inward until it can freely be removed.
7. There should be enough play in the opposite end of that axis to slide the U-joint post out of the cap and completely remove the yoke from the drive shaft.
8. Repeat steps 1 - 7 for the remaining axis in the driveshaft.
9. Ensure that all of the burrs from the factory staking are ground flush, then sand the interior surface of the yoke and shaft collars with 800 - 1500 quality sandpaper to remove dirt, grime, and minor imperfections.
10 (Added, I ran into some issues pressing the bearings) Use a small grinding device (I used a mini rotary tool with a small course sanding wheel) to slightly round over the top edge of the end caps.
11. Apply a thin layer of lubricant to the interior of the yoke and driveshaft bores to assist in pressing new caps.
12 Place a rubber band, zip tie, tape, etc. around the end caps of the axis that you are not pressing in (this will keep the end caps from falling off and will keep debris off the post and needle bearings).
13. Remove one cap from one axis that you are pressing in. Using your press and a 3/4" socket, press the cap into the yoke until the cap is sunken into the yoke about 2mm.
14. Remove the other cap from the axis you are installing. Carefully Place one end of the axis into the hole of the yoke where there is no cap. There should be just enough room to push the other bare post toward the center and align it with the cap that was just installed. Now carefully push the post into the cap.
15. From the outside surface of the yoke, place the other cap for that axis into the bore. Manually slide the post so that you split the difference, and the post partially in both caps.
16. Lay the yoke on the press table with the fully pressed in side facing down and supported by a large socket.
17. Place a 3/4" socket on the top cap and press it into place. TIP: The outside surface of the yokes are not flat and square to the caps, so pressing them in requires patience. If you feel it binding, it is probably not going in even. Stop, try to identify the high edge vs. the low edge and adjust the press to push on the high edge - this should straighten it out. Several times I had issues, a couple of times I blew the back of the cap out. If you have great difficulty with the second cap sometimes it's just best to go back and push the first cap further into the yoke so that it can help to align the other side. Always make sure the needles are resting against the edge properly to prevent damage.
18. Once both caps are pressed in and moving correctly, try to push them until the top of the cap us just below the old stake marks.
19. Repeat steps 11-14 to install the remaining axis into the driveshaft yoke.
20. Now you will have to decide how to retain the U-joint. If you want to use the interior clips you will have to grind away about 2-3mm of material on the inside of each yoke. You could decide to use a punch and hammer and stake it again (I tried that, it was way to much trouble). I decided to retain them by placing the interior clip on the outside and welding it into place. This will allow me to easily grind away the welds if they need to be replaced again without having to grind the actual surface where the bearing cap lives.

That should take care of either end of your driveshaft. At the time of this post the specified bearings are $13.99 each, a huge savings over the $1307 price tag for a new factory driveshaft. I hope this helps someone else out there, it took me several days to put all of the pieces together (especially locating a bearing that fits). Removal of old U-joints and pressing in the new ones took over a day

Cheers!

Grinding out the stakes

My press setup, I think a 1 3/16 socket under, and a 3/4" socket on top to press in. It kept pushing in at an angle because of the uneven yoke

Finished product with retaining ring welded on outside. After I took the photo I added two more spot, one on each side of center spot weld.

iideadeyeii

iTrader: (6)

I was researching changing mine earlier this year because it's on it's way out and I knew it could be done.
Did you successfully complete the project?

bre240z

Very useful information. Thank you for sharing this

dopsdad

No, but I did pick up the bearings last night and they do fit, I pressed one axis in. However, the interior clip grooves are 56mm apart, and 50mm would be much better. As it stands I will have to take them back out and grind the inside of the yoke down about 3mm on each side if I want the clips to fit. I'm considering either staking them with a punch and hammer, or cutting the clip and using a couple of spot welds to hold it in place as an alternative. Once I work out the kinks I'll modify this post and if I have time I'll do a video and post to everyone's favorite tube. I'll also add some pics.

I found a spicer bearing, I believe it is 1501x, that has the same measurements.

Hopefully this will help some Z and G35 owners.