Axle U Joint Tools

[SBeretz]

I think I am going to tackle the front axle u joints this weekend. My truck has gotten pretty rough. When rolling to a stop in any gear it really rumbles. It does not do it after about 10mph but under that it shakes the whole truck pretty good. I have all of the sockets and things like that, but what other tools do I need to rent or borrow? I wanna try and knock it out in a day. Is there a detailed set of instructions for a 3rd Gen Dodge of how to do this? I know some sites have a member that has done it before and has taken pictures of the operation. Is there an inexpensive manual or something I can use for a guide line. Never did the Dodge before so I would like to do them right and have them last at least another 60K miles. IF that does not cure the shaking, I will replace the front driveline joints next. I am kind of thinking it is the axle joints since they are somewhat of a problem. I can't see any slop of extra grease leaking from anywhere. I know it doesnt mean anything, but I have tried to ID the problem, but haven't had any luck. I am going to use the NAPA joints, since they are supposedly greasable. Anyhow, any tools or anything you guys have used in the past would really help me out. I am getting ready to deploy and wanna make sure the truck is right before I take off and i don't wanna pay an arm and a leg at the dealership to get this done. Thanks. Scotty

 

[JCasper]

Try downloading this.



"Right click and say save target as"





http://www.nwdiesels.com/~camotanker/Joes_Folder/19078_dr_int_pdf.pdf

 

[brods]

oh boy... have fun! If your unit bearings are not rusted to the knuckle it is not a particularly difficult job... ...



https://www.turbodieselregister.com...bearing-assembly-removal-lessons-learned.html





https://www.turbodieselregister.com...386-hub-removal-lessons-learned-pictures.html

 

[rbattelle]

I have a 3-ton arbor press that I would like to have used, but actually found it more cumbersome than a good hammer and socket.

Here are some good threads:
This has links to some other threads.
In this one I show a picture of my removal method.

For me, the hardest part of the job is getting each cap to go in straight. The most nerve-wracking part is ensuring none of the needles gets jammed up.

Ryan

 

[jelag]

I was on the way to the beach with my 05 and when I did a turn I felt the axle bind and hop associated with the truck being on a dry surface and in 4 wheel drive... except my truck was in 2 wd at the time... . I just assumed this was the ujoint... almost a 1000 miles later I have the truck home and up on a hoist...

Once I got the truck up in the air and all the parts loose I found that I couldn't drive the hub assembly from truck... as others have found this assembly will rust to the truck... even a puller attached to the hub didn't do much good. I tried to put a socket on the back and drive it with a hammer with no luck at all either... .

I finally grabbed a large Hilti hammer I have and took a chisel blade and pried the parts apart... I later had to go back and buff down the damage done by the hammer... .

I pressed the bearings apart, washed them and dried them with MEK, I personally don't care to install good grease over mineral spirits... greased them and pressed them back together...

I used a flapper wheel on a grinder to buff all the mating surfaces that were a problem coming apart and put a lot of anti seize on the parts...

I called a good friend who has several brands of joints and he shared a story about Dana but the fact was that I could only find the OE American Axle joint... the joint was available in 2 or 3 different boxes by different people in town. . but it was the same joint repackaged... . as I remember my best cost was something like 28-30 each..... I could not find the joint in a grease-able joint...

I have 2 other trucks to do... . but will do this when I have the time... this is one of the toughest projects I've tackled in the past few years because of the rust and how hard the parts were rusted together...

Hope this helps.....

 

[GRoutzahn]

I think I am going to tackle the front axle u joints this weekend. My truck has gotten pretty rough. When rolling to a stop in any gear it really rumbles. It does not do it after about 10mph but under that it shakes the whole truck pretty good. I have all of the sockets and things like that, but what other tools do I need to rent or borrow? I wanna try and knock it out in a day. Is there a detailed set of instructions for a 3rd Gen Dodge of how to do this? I know some sites have a member that has done it before and has taken pictures of the operation. Is there an inexpensive manual or something I can use for a guide line. Never did the Dodge before so I would like to do them right and have them last at least another 60K miles. IF that does not cure the shaking, I will replace the front driveline joints next. I am kind of thinking it is the axle joints since they are somewhat of a problem. I can't see any slop of extra grease leaking from anywhere. I know it doesnt mean anything, but I have tried to ID the problem, but haven't had any luck. I am going to use the NAPA joints, since they are supposedly greasable. Anyhow, any tools or anything you guys have used in the past would really help me out. I am getting ready to deploy and wanna make sure the truck is right before I take off and i don't wanna pay an arm and a leg at the dealership to get this done. Thanks. Scotty

I'm actually heading outside to tackle my axle u joints and ball joints today as well. I got a ball joint/u joint press kit off ebay and have been spraying everything w/ PB Blaster for the last week or so. Look forward to hear how your's went. I'll update later too.



Good luck!

 

[KWilkinson]

I prefer not to use a press with u-joints... sometimes those things get so rusted in, when you use a press it can bend the axle shaft, or driveshaft, whichever your doing, and make it that much harder to get it all back together. I like the good ol' socket and hammer technique...

 

[SBeretz]

So no other tools are needed besides a hammer and socket? I did not get a chance to do them this weekend so I may end up dropping the truck off. But it does sound like a bear of a project. JELAG, your truck sounds exactly like mine so hopefully that is all it is. Scotty

 

[GRoutzahn]

Well, I got the drivers side done today. Believe it or not, it wasn't too bad. The hub assembly came out pretty easy w/ a big cold chisel and a small sledge hammer. The top ball joint came right out but the bottom one was a real bear. I broke two ratchets, a socket and the brand new Made in China ball joint press that I got off of ebay on the bottom. Turns out that I had a complete brainfart and was pushing the wrong way. I felt real real awesome about that one. Anywho, after that moment of brilliance everything went pretty well. I did end up using the hammer and socket trick for most of the u joint process.



All in all, I was quite pleased w/ how it went. My truck has over 130k on it so I thought that I was going to for sure be one of the unfotunate ones. And the ball joints weren't in too bad of shape either. So, just goes to show that you don't know until you give it a shot.



Tomorrow night I'm going to tackle the other side. I'm hoping to have that side done in a few hours.



Good luck to anyone trying it on their own.

 

[SBeretz]

Okay, I have everything apart on the drivers side. Mostly. I pulled the drivers side axle out and have not pulled that joint apart yet, but it seems fine. I did pull the whole wheel flange and unit bearing assembly off in one piece (the piece that holds the ABS sensor) and when I spin it, it seems to click. I spins fairly freely, but do you all think it could be the actual unit bearing instead of the U joint. What were your symptoms when a unit bearing took a crap, compared to the u-joint? I have ordered new u joints from NAPA, so they will not be in until the morning.

Do I need to take the unit bearing to NAPA or another machine shop inorder to have the old one pressed apart and the new one installed, or is there another way.

I think the u joints will get a big C clamp and I will press them apart. The clicking noise of the wheel bearing has me concerned. I guess it could be the other side, but it sounds like it was coming from the drivers side. Anyhow, any advice would help. Scotty

 

[rbattelle]

Do I need to take the unit bearing to NAPA or another machine shop inorder to have the old one pressed apart and the new one installed, or is there another way.

No, the bearing is all one piece. The new one will be complete.



If it's making any noise, it's probably bad. They really should be silent.



Ryan

 

[Briman]

My truck has gotten pretty rough. When rolling to a stop in any gear it really rumbles. It does not do it after about 10mph but under that it shakes the whole truck pretty good.

When this happend to my truck, the cause was the center U joint in the rear drive shaft. I replaced that myself. Does a mega cab evan have a two piece drive shaft? Any way, good luck with your repairs. I was a chicken and let an indy shop that I trust explicitly do my front axle U joints and ball joints.

 

[Matt400]

I think the u joints will get a big C clamp and I will press them apart.

I tried that way and nearly ruined a couple of really good ball joint press C clamps. On this particular U joint I ended up buying one of these for those jobs.

 

[rbattelle]

I hate to "toot my own horn", but the removal method I posted really works quite well, with little chance of damaging the yokes.

Ryan

 

[SBeretz]

If the unit bearings are bad, where do I go to get a new one? I am going to take the other side apart first and make sure it doesn't sound like the driver side. IF it does I will replace it. It is crap that I am replacing bearings at 60K. Can that be right? Anyway, I won't go crazy yet, but I need to check the driveshaft and make sure it isn't the rear driveshaft U joint either? The megacab does have a 2 piece prop shaft, same as the long bed quad cabs. Scotty

 

[SBeretz]

I checked the driveline. They all seem good. I pried on them all and they seem to be tight with no movement. . Not saying it isn't them, but I am leaning towards that unit bearing. Scotty

Now, where to get a new bearing, quickly and not for a million bucks.

 

[Matt400]

I am going to take the other side apart first and make sure it doesn't sound like the driver side.

Thats sure allot of work to ck a bearing. Seems you could just give the tire a spin, if there is a rumble then probably bad. If its a vibration you are after rather than noise then I would look elsewhere.

 

[SBeretz]

I am withou on the amount of work but the bearing is the only thing that seems bad so far. It makes the clicking noise so it stands to reason that it is the problem. I have no idea what the vibration is and I would like to figure it out before I drive 750 miles to NY and it fails and leaves me stranded. I will give the other tire a spin and see if it rumbles at all? Seems odd it only does it under 10mph. Hopefully it is the bearing and I can be done with it. It did come apart really easy and in under an hour so I am not scared to tear the other side down and check that also. Scotty

 

[rbattelle]

I wouldn't rely on any kind of pry test to find a bad u-joint. The only real way to check is to remove the shaft, and even then you often have to pull the joint to know for sure.

Ryan

 

[Matt400]

x2 what Ryan said. More often a U joint will dry up and bind not allowing the shaft to rotate smoothly.