Front axle issues with pics

Ok guys... 2 BIG questions here.

1st photo - Drivers side axle with giant gumball bearings. I've never seen anything like it before and is it something I want to keep?


2nd photo - Passenger side axle with u-joint. There are no retaining clips. How do you get the old one out?

 

the gaint gumballs are the czappa (chappa) joint. better off w/ujoints.

 

Rzeppa? Something like that.

 

The spicer joint uses C shaped clips on the inside of the yoke near the seals.

 

Thanks, I'll look there.

Rzeppa joints? It would require new axles to change to u-joints, correct?

 

Dr. Vern says the Rzeppa is a superior design. http://www.vernco.com/frontaxle/id374.htm

"This type of joint was invented way back in 1920 by a Dana engineer named Alfred H. Rzeppa. His design allowed power to be transmitted through six spherical balls located between an inner and outer race. In this design, the balls are held in position by small windows in a cage assembly that fits between the inner and outer races. The design of the joint is such that the position of the balls always bisects (cuts in half) the operating angle of the joint. It’s a slick design that works something like a bevel gear. But instead of gear teeth transmitting the torque across the joint, the balls push against their respective tracks in the inner and outer housings."

 

Looking at Dr. Vern's pics, maybe it's a Bendix.

 

It is a Bendix joint. It seems that I'll be able to reuse it.

I didn't see any c clips on the spicer joint either. This is the side that desintagrated on me. These look pressed in. Any other ideas on how to remove the u-joint?

 

Simply press them out like you would a driveshaft U-joint, they may not have a c clip on them, as they are in a captured space so the u-joint can't come out on its own from movement. The spicer is the most superior of the designs simply by virtue of being replaceable.
Rzeppa joints are the ones that use the little round cage on them, these things are a nightmare to machine, modern technology has made them affordable to build thru powdered metal and several other machining methods.

These are the parts to a Rzeppa joint:

 

Dennis, I’m not sure if yours are like the one I took out last week, but I had no c-clip either. I used a large c-clamp with a large socket covering one end then pressed in out. The joint will pop out inside the socket.

 

Thanks guys. I wasn't sure if I could press them through or not. I'll try it this morning. If it doesn't work, I'll keep asking for new idears...

 

No werky. I am keeping myself from getting cheesed about this because I am not under any real pressure to get it done. I gotta believe there is an easy way to do this... Anyone???

The good news is the Bendix joint is back together...

 

I used a giant c clamp and a large socket. Zero on the results scale.

Should I put the thing in the vice and beat the snot out of it?

 

I've got a BFH. I'll go give it a shot and report back in...

 

Dead Blow , BFH
220, 221

--as long as it works R)

 

We have a winner! Thanks Patrick. Beat the snot out of it and got one side loose. The other would not budge, so I got the torches out. DONE DEAL!

Ofcourse, I'll have to run a file around the one side...

 

those little successes, they get us through the day

 

Good job Dennis!