Help Please U joint service question

I have a 5.7 rear wheel drive.
My question is, how do you service the joints and the yoke? My understanding is its sealed and some how gets lubrication from the transmission (no zerks for greasing)?

I have a slight pop or lurch when accelerating from a stop, and I have read this can be the issue.

I haven't found a write up that describes how to service it, or at least not one my brain can understand.

Does it leak fluid after service? Does this affect the transmission?

Any help is appreciated.

 

If you have a rwd only truck, then the rear drive shaft does not have the driveshaft slip joint like the 4wd does.
With the rwd driveshaft, the front of the driveshaft has a splined yoke that slides over the output shaft of the transmission. Inside the extension housing there is usually a bushing that the outside surface of the yoke shaft centers on. This bushing along with the splines are lubricated by the transmission fluid inside the trans. This yoke does not normally require any maintenance, unless the u-joint between it and the driveshaft tube fails. Depending on where the fluid level is inside the trans, and the angle of the truck, you may lose some trans fluid when the driveshaft is removed.

 

Adding to what's already been said, if the universal joint needs replacement, this is a 3-4 wrenches out of 5 job for the inexperienced, and you'll need a small hydraulic press.

Basically, you have to remove any retaining snap rings from the flanges, press the u-joint in one direction to remove one bearing cap, then in the other direction to remove the other bearing cap. It's been awhile since I've done one, but iirc you may have to remove all the bearing caps to get enough clearance to remove the cross shaft. Reverse the procedure to install. You can be careless with the old joint, but when installing the new one, you need to be very careful to keep the bearing caps clean and insure the needle bearings remain in position.

If you decide replacing a driveshaft universal joint is on your "bucket list", then be sure to paint match marks on the companion flanges, driveshaft, and transmission output shaft to ensure everything goes back in the same position it came out. This shouldn't be necessary, but I've found it's good insurance against increased vibration.

Park the truck on a slope nose-down to minimize any fluid loss. When you remove the yoke from the transmission, you are "unplugging" a hole for some drainage.