Tool for removing and installing an automotive universal joint

A tool for removing and inserting a coupling cap inside an opening in an arm of a yoke to respectively disconnect and connect the universal joint to the yoke, said cap covering the outer end of one of the projections of the U-joint and being in a press fit association inside the opening between the side wall defining said opening and the projection of the U-joint, and said tool comprising:

• a base plate having a plurality of holes;
• and
• a pair of anvils, each of said anvils including a body having a top end, a bottom end and a foot extending outward from the bottom end, said foot of each of said anvils being removably positioned in one of said holes to provide the desired spaced distance between said anvils:
• a rod means including an upper end section, a lower end section and a body section therebetween;
• the lower end section of said rod including a lip encircling an entrance into a bottom bore when the tool is used to disconnect the U-joint from the yoke;
• said lip forceably impacting an area of the arm of the yoke circumscribing the opening containing said cap in response to the application of a downward force to said rod, to release said cap from said press fit association and cause said cap to move upwardly and into said bottom bore;
• and
• the lower end section of the rod including a piston when the tool is used for connecting the U-joint to the yoke, said piston pushing said cap in said press fit association inside said opening in the yoke in response to said application of said downward force to said rod.

A tool for removing and inserting a coupling cap inside an opening in an arm of a yoke to respectively disconnect and connect the universal joint to the yoke, said cap covering the outer end of one of the projections of the U-joint and being in a press fit association in said opening between the side wall defining said opening and the projection of the U-joint, and said tool comprising:

• support means for supporting said U-joint and yoke in a fixed vertical position;
• a rod having an upper end section, a lower end section and a body section therebetween;
• the lower end section of said rod including a lip encircling an entrance into a bottom bore when the tool is used to disconnect the U-joint from the yoke;
• said lip forceably impacting an area of the arm of the yoke circumscribing the opening containing said cap in response to the application of a downward force to said rod, to release said cap from said press fit association and cause said cap to move upwardly and into said bottom bore;
• the lower end of the rod including a piston extending outward therefrom when the tool is used for connecting the U-joint to the yoke, said piston pushing said cap in said press fit association inside said yoke opening in response to said application of a downward force to said rod;
• a support cup having a hollow inside;
• and
• a spring positioned in said hollow inside and extending outward therefrom, said spring pushing upward on the U-joint when the coupling cap is being pushed downward into said yoke opening.

A tool for removing a coupling cap in a press fit association inside an opening in the arm of a yoke to disconnect the universal joint from the yoke, and said tool comprising:

• a base plate having a plurality of holes;
• a pair of spaced apart anvils on which said U-joint and yoke are supported, each of said anvils including a body portion having a top and bottom;
• and
• a foot extending outward from said bottom of each of said anvils and removably received in one of said holes to provide the desired spaced distance between said anvils;
• a rod means having an upper end section, a lower end section and a body section therebetween;
• and
• the lower end of said lower end section of the rod including a lip encircling an entrance into a bottom bore, said lip foreceably impacting the area of said arm of the yoke surrounding said opening containing said cap in response to the application of a downward force to said rod means to cause said cap to be released from said press fit association in the yoke opening and move upward into said bottom bore.

A tool for inserting a coupling cap in a press fit association inside an opening in the arm of a yoke between the side wall defining said opening and one of the projections of the universal joint to connect the U-joint to an automotive shaft and comprising:

• support means for supporting said U-joint shaft in a fixed vertical position;
• a rod having an outer end, an inner end and a body section therebetween;
• the inner end of said rod including a piston extending outward therefrom, said piston pushing said cap in said press fit association inside said yoke opening in response to an inward force acting on said rod;
• a support cup having a hollow inside;
• and
• a spring positioned in said hollow inside and extending outward therefrom, said spring pushing outward on the U-joint when the coupling cap is being pushed inward into said shaft opening in the arm of the yoke.