Ball joints...what else while I am in there?

[v1sc]

Doing ball joints soon as mine are shot at 104K miles. What else should I do while I am in there? I was on the verge of buying a free spin hub kit but I don't think it will be cost effective for me. I work offshore half the year and don't put enough miles on my truck. How long are U-joints and wheel bearings lasting? Should I just go ahead and do those? If so recommendations on which ones would be nice (sounds like Spicer for U-joints? What about bearings?).



Anything else I should be looking at? Thanks so much for the help!

 

[AH64ID]

Since you have to pull the wheel bearing out I would replace it, and the u-joints as well.

Free Spin kit's are great, but you won't ever get your money back. It does reduce wear and tear on the front axle, and makes steering easier, a little increase in fuel economy, and you get a 2Lo.

Otherwise, I think Timken makes an OEM replacement wheel bearing.

What BJ's are you going with?

 

[jelag]

There is a process to lubricate the bearings, its been talked about a lot on this site... I'm going to change the ball joints on my truck later this year and have decided on the Raybestos professional grade... I've used rockauto.com for a few years and will order them next month. .

I'd be interested in what else is recommended as well

 

[v1sc]

AH, I am also using the Raybestos professional grade from RockAuto. They seem to be a great bang for the buck. I am going to look into lubricating the bearings and also the Timken bearings. If I can find them for cheap enough I might just go ahead and replace them.

How does Spicer sound for the U-joints? is that what most people are putting in there? Does anyone have a part #?

 

[AH64ID]

I have read and heard about fitment issues with the Spicers. The local shop's all use the OEM sealed joint, and that's what I went with when I replaced mine last month.

 

[MAshley]

I like my free spin kit... Just installed it. a week ago. This past weekend it came in handy being able to back the 5th wheel in a really tight spot in 4wd low range, I have a manual. I also feel that my millage will be 1 to 2 increase. So if your thinking about it. . why not especially if you have the $...

 

[analog]

I'm doing my ball joints right now. Went with the Raybestos brand. I have them pressed in, but haven't put the axles/hubs back on yet. The lower joints have the grease zerk fitting right in the middle and come with a straight up zerk fitting. Does that clear the axel u-joints? They came with a low profile plug for the grease hole I could use instead, but it seems a waste to not be able to grease these guys considering how difficult the job was replacing them!

 

[cerberusiam]

Yes, the zerks will clear the axle joints. Getting a grease gun tip on there is another story.

 

[mwilson]

I'm doing my ball joints right now. Went with the Raybestos brand. I have them pressed in, but haven't put the axles/hubs back on yet. The lower joints have the grease zerk fitting right in the middle and come with a straight up zerk fitting. Does that clear the axel u-joints? They came with a low profile plug for the grease hole I could use instead, but it seems a waste to not be able to grease these guys considering how difficult the job was replacing them!

I honestly don't know if a 90 degree fitting would survive on that lower joint. Pics from my old ball joint thread on the '06.



Entire thread here if you want to read through it. https://www.turbodieselregister.com...edure-w-pics&highlight=ball+joint+replacement

Mike.

 

[jelag]

Analog... remember that a lot of photo's are typical photos... . might not be the actual configuration of what you'll get...

 

[mwilson]

Analog... remember that a lot of photo's are typical photos... . might not be the actual configuration of what you'll get...

Yes, let me clarify the photos posted and my reasons for doing so... . an excellent point and in my haste to illustrate the lack of clearance before he reassembles the front axle and me crashing in the recliner for the night I did a poor job.



1) I assumed the vehicle Analog is working on is the '07 in his signature, if so this will be his front axle as well.



2) At this point he can reverse direction, press the Raybestos joint back out and go get something else as another member did when I posted the thread back in '09. It seems to be important to him that has ball joints that can be easlily greased. I know that is very important to me.



3) The angle drilled grease fitting is the cats behind for that application and I'm pretty sure that Moog is not the only supplier that offers that.



4) What he has now is one step up from a sealed ball joint and will curse his actions at every chassis service trying to force even a dollop of grease into those center drilled ball joints with that u-joint in the way.



5) If someone has managed to get a 90 degree fitting on a 3RD Gen 4X4 center drilled lower ball joint and have it clear the joint I have never seen it stated here. A 2ND Gen with the ball joints mounted to the knuckles instead of the axle tube will accept a 90 degree fitting and clear the spinning u-joint but I just can't see it working on a 3RD Gen.



To me sealed front end parts suit my Jetta or Mini-Vans just fine but have no place on either of my 4WD trucks.



Analog, have a look and think it over before you put the rest of the front end back together. Just wanted to show you that there are other options that won't cost a grand and still give satisfactory results.



Mike.

 

[AH64ID]

My dynatrac's have the center drilled zerk fitting and the low clearnce plug barely clears the u-joint, it would be impossible for a zerk to go in there. When it's time to grease them I have to use an 8mm socket and pull the plug and add a zerk, grease and then re-plug.

It's all a trade off, but BJ's don't need to be greased all that often so I am not concerned about that. What I wanted was the robust construction of the dynatrac's.

 

[mwilson]

My dynatrac's have the center drilled zerk fitting and the low clearnce plug barely clears the u-joint, it would be impossible for a zerk to go in there. When it's time to grease them I have to use an 8mm socket and pull the plug and add a zerk, grease and then re-plug.



It's all a trade off, but BJ's don't need to be greased all that often so I am not concerned about that. What I wanted was the robust construction of the dynatrac's.

I'm surprised, I figured that the Dyna Tracs would have that side drilled feature.



Mike.

 

[AH64ID]

I have yet to call Dynatrac and verify, but I gather they don't want them greased very often.

 

[mwilson]

I have yet to call Dynatrac and verify, but I gather they don't want them greased very often.

Let us know, I would be interested.



The primary issue and need for frequent greasing up here is to force the moisture and road goo out of them. Always take 3 or 4 pumps to swell the boot and force the brown water/snot/grease mix out.



Regardless of climate and how often you choose to grease load bearing components the weight needs to be removed before greasing for it to really do any good.

I don't think that is practiced as often as it should be with these tall trucks that don't need to jacked up to get under them.



Mike.

 

[analog]

Thanks for the pics and suggestions. I re-assembled last night before reading all of this, and indeed mine are center drilled. The zerk fit and clears the u-joint by about 1mm. Let me tell you, there is no way I was going to press those joints back out! Tearing down to that point was a cake walk compared to the pressing out/in. So, if I can't figure out a creative way to grease those lower joints at service time, then the next time they'll be pressed out is when they wear out. Hopefully some other poor sap will own this truck by then!

 

[mwilson]

Thanks for the pics and suggestions. I re-assembled last night before reading all of this, and indeed mine are center drilled. The zerk fit and clears the u-joint by about 1mm. Let me tell you, there is no way I was going to press those joints back out! Tearing down to that point was a cake walk compared to the pressing out/in. So, if I can't figure out a creative way to grease those lower joints at service time, then the next time they'll be pressed out is when they wear out. Hopefully some other poor sap will own this truck by then!

Is that 1mm clearance by using the supplied straight fitting??



Mike.

 

[S.Morris]

I was told by dyna-trac that they do not need to be greased. The seal is tight and they won't flush grease in the traditional way. As long as the seal is good they will never need grease. The fittings were installed because the consumer thinks they need it... ...



We had two trucks with dyna-tracs. One got written off in a accident this winter and the other is still going strong with close to 200Kmiles on the joints with no play and only one attempt at greasing.

 

[analog]

Is that 1mm clearance by using the supplied straight fitting??

Yes that used the supplied straight fitting. With the axle rotated just right, there might be a way to get a flexible grease hose onto it. Will have to see what I can find.

 

[mwilson]

Yes that used the supplied straight fitting. With the axle rotated just right, there might be a way to get a flexible grease hose onto it. Will have to see what I can find.

I'm thinking you might get away with 90 degree fittings, I would certainly try it. Alemite brand 90's in that size don't have a high profile. You will still have to rotate the axle shaft a mite to grease it but you'd be hitting it straight on from the front with the gun tip. . as long as the axle shaft can't swat it you would be good.



Let us know if you try it.



Mike.