12 bolt yoke damaged

[davidc22]

Hi everyone hate to ask this [did do a quick search] but... went to replace rear u-joint on my '71 C15 LWB and found the yoke AFU'd. Truck is new to me and the damage is from a previous u-joint failure [would have hated to see that]. Anyway axles are something I have never really got into so pardon my ignorance but... can the yoke be easily replaced or is a new crush washer have to be installed which I would be clueless about. I hate to do a temp repair setting the u-joint in JB Weld which looks like was done by a PO. Thanks for any tips/ instruction.

[bsampson]

If you decide to replace the yoke, you will lose the "preload" on the pinion bearings.

For replacing pinion seals, there is a trick to mark the position of the nut on the pinion shaft, and when done, tighten it back to the same spot, and it is "close enough".

If you are replacing the yoke, though, I'm not sure that trick applies as the thickness of the new yoke "base" may not match the old one. Some people with more experience can probably help out here.

If it were my truck, I'd probably try to replace the yoke, and just tighten up the pinion as tight as you can. I wouldn't use an impact wrench as that might overcrush the sleeve and put too much load on the bearings, but I don't think you will by hand, unless your nickname is Popeye. I had to jump on an 18" breaker bar to get my crush sleeve to crush. Make sure you don't feel ANY play in the pinion/yoke.

[Mike C]

I have replaced a half a dozen yokes with no issues. Just use a 1/2" ratchet and get it as tight as you can by hand. Should not have any effect on pinion depth. Go ahead a put a new seal in while you have it apart.