How do I get the end caps off my rear u-joint of a 2004 chevy silverado?

[mr.b]

I took a look at the u joint and it looks as if there are small pins in the sides and caps on the ends. How can I get them off? Do I need to take the pins out or will the caps just come off w/o taking them out?

 

[Tim]

ben is right .. i have done it lots of times .. just heat the end caps with a torch you don't have to re-pin. they will be fine with out pins there just to aid the factory assembly.

 

[Ben]

What we do at work is heat up the ears with the plastic pins in them with a torch. When they get hot the plastic pins start to melt out of the holes like those "snake" fireworks you played with as a kid. After the plastic stops flowing you can bang them out like regular u-joints. If you don't have access to a torch i wonder if a plumbers soldering propane torch would work- I've never tried this though. Good luck- hope this helps.