2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Universal Joints

You need to remove the bearing cups from the universal joint, assemble one bearing cup part way into 1 side of the yoke, turn the yoke ear toward the bottom and assemble the cross into the yoke so that the trunnion seats freely into the bearing cup. With the trunnion seated in the bearing cup, press the bearing cup into the yoke until the bearing cup is flush with the yoke ear. Next, you can install the opposite bearing cup partway into the yoke ear, ensure that the trunnions start straight and true into both bearing cups, and press the opposite bearing cup into the yoke ear to inspect for free unbinding movement of the trunnions in the bearing cups and the bearing cup into the yoke until the bearing cup retainer groove is visible over the top of the bearing cup, assemble the bearing retainer in the retainer groove and continue pressing until both retainers can be snapped into place. If the retainer is difficult to seat, the yoke can be sprung slightly with a firm blow from a dead blow hammer. It may be necessary to lubricate the snap ring with a slight amount of chassis grease so that the snap ring seats in the bearing cup groove.

You need to support the propeller shaft in a line horizontal with the table of a press, mark the propeller shaft as to which end is the transmission end and which end goes to the rear axle, place the universal joint, place J-9522-3-U joint bearing separator on the open horizontal bearing cups and press the lower bearing cup out of the yoke ear. If you do not completely remove the bearing cup, lift the cross and insert J-9522-5-U joint bearing spacer remover between the seal and the bearing cup you are removing and continue to press the bearing cup out of the yoke. Then you can rotate the propeller shaft, press the opposite bearing cup out of the yoke, mark the orientation of the slip yoke to the tube for proper reassembly, and remove the cross from the yoke and the remaining universal joint parts from the yoke. If you are replacing the front universal joint, remove the bearing cups in the slip yoke in the same manner. Then you can inspect the retaining ring grooves for plastic and the bearing cup bores in the yoke ears for burrs or imperfections and clean the remains of the sheared plastic bearing retainers from the grooves in the yoke. The sheared plastic may prevent the bearing cups from pressing into place and thus prevent the bearing retainers from properly seating.

You need to support the propeller shaft in a line horizontal with the table of a press, mark the propeller shaft to show which end connects to the transmission and which end goes to the rear axle, and disassemble the snap rings by pinching the ends together with a pair of pliers. If the ring does not readily snap out of the groove in the yoke, tap the end of the cup lightly to relieve the pressure from the ring. You can place the universal joint so that the lower ear of the yoke is supported on a 30 mm (1-1/8 in) hex head socket or a 27 mm (1-1/16 in) socket, place J 9522-3 on the open horizontal bearing cups and press the lower bearing cup out of the yoke ear. If you do not completely remove the bearing cup, lift the cross and insert J 9522-5 between the seal and the bearing cup you are removing. Next, you can continue pressing the bearing cup out of the yoke, and rotate the propeller shaft. Press the opposite bearing cup out of the yoke, mark the orientation of the slip yoke to the tube for proper reassembly and remove the cross from the yoke and the remaining universal joint parts from the yoke. If you are replacing the front universal joint, remove the bearing cups in the slip yoke in the same manner. Then you can inspect the retaining ring grooves for dirt, corrosion, or pieces of the old ring and the bearing cup bores for burrs or imperfections and clean the retaining ring grooves.

You need to use a hammer to tap the yoke lightly to relieve the pressure from the universal joint retaining ring and use a pair of pliers to remove the retaining ring from the yoke. With the aid of an assistant, support the propeller shaft so that it levels with the press. You need to use the appropriate size socket to support the universal joint opposite of the J-9522-3-U-joint bearing separator and use the J-9522-3-separator and the press to remove the universal bearing from the yoke. If you are unable to completely remove the universal bearing with the J-9522-3-Separator, position the J-9522-5-U-joint bearing spacer remover on the universal joint. Then you can use the J-9522-3-separator, J-9522-5-remover, and a press to remove the universal bearing from the yoke, rotate the propeller shaft, and repeat the proceeding steps to remove the opposite universal joint, remove the slip yoke from the propeller shaft and the retaining ring from the slip yoke, use the J-9522-3-separator, J-9522-5-remover, and a press to remove the universal bearing from the yoke, remove the spider from the slip yoke and thoroughly clean the slip yoke and the propeller shaft yoke of any contaminates that could prevent the retaining rings or the bearing cups from being properly installed.

You will be needing a J-9522-3-U-joint bearing separator and a J-9522-5-U-joint bearing spacer remover.