Hello. I'm wondering if I have to split anything to replace the rear u-joint on my ATV?

Will the driveshaft pull out of gearcase, or does case have to be removed and split?

 

No, the driveshaft won't pull out of gearcase, and no the case doesn't have to be removed. Haven't done a Vinson, but have done Eigers, and a Kodiak last week. You take the three bolts from the coupling and remove the two circlips from the spider in the gearbox yoke. Knock the spider bearings through so one pops out of one side, remove the bearing, you may get the yoke with the triangle out now, if there is enough room. You may have to knock the spider through the other way and take off the other bearing. My boss always cuts the spider in two with a oxy-acceteylene torch instead, removes the triangular yoke and just knocks the bearings into the empty space, but I'm wary of this method. If you can't get the rear part of the shaft far enough back to get the triangular yoke out, you may have to remove the rear axle/diff unit, my guess is you won't need to. Do you need new yokes? If so the nut in the centre can now be removed and a new yoke fitted. Work it out, you can only get at that nut with the spider out, so the spider has to be removed and inserted with that yoke in place.

 

Thanks, I'll try it.