another bad front axle u-joint. Anyone else ?

[NSperduto]

So last year around 30k on the truck. I back down my buddies lawn in 4wd at about 1/2 mph and stop and slide on the mud a few inches. I pull off the lawn and take it out of 4wd and start driving and when I turn the corner the truck feels like it's partially stuck in 4wd. The steering wheel is shimmying, but only when turning, as a few days go by, it goes back to driving normal. a month passes and I have a noise coming from the front end and it's the driver side u-joint on the front axle with a bunch of play in it. So I get it replaced under warranty.

I use 4wd on and off during the year with no problems.



Now it's a year later in end of March 2006 (53k on truck) and my friend uses my truck tow a car trailer and also uses 4wd to get out of a rut on my lawn.

I go to use my truck again and again it feels like it's partially stuck in 4wd. when you turn a corner, the steering wheell jerks/saws back and forth, like a binding front end, but not a full bind like when in 4wd on dry blacktop.

I drive it to Virginia and it's slowly going away. When I get to VA I have to drive around a grass field a bit, so I use 4wd a bit. when it comes time to go home, the truck drives fine.



Now it's the end of may and I have a noise in the front end agian. THe right front axle u-joint is binding up when the wheel are turned all the way in either direction. so I'll be making another appointment.



I just wish I could figure out what the heck is going on here. I have a manual transfer case, so I would think that once the shifter is moved, it's completely out of 4wd.

Or do I have a case of bad u-joints. It;'s ok now, but when I'm out of warranty. I'll be ****** if this keeps hapening.



I'm making an appt tomorrow to get it looked at along with the parking chime recall, dripping injector pump and wet engine around the timing case cover and trans bellhousing.



anyone with any comments.

THanks,

Nick

 

[Slow Six]

All the u-joints on these new trucks are short lived. I've done every joint on my truck once, two of them the second time. I should be good now as I used all greasables joints. The OEM joints are not good. The biggest problem as I see it is the OEMs don't have grease in them and they go dry and seize up. If you have to pay a deductible for warranty I think it is cheaper to buy a good joint and change them your self.

 

[NSperduto]

If you have to pay a deductible for warranty I think it is cheaper to buy a good joint and change them your self.

If it were the driveshaft u-joints going bad, I'd agree. I'd replace them with aftermarket. but for my $50 deductible I will let them replace the one in the front differential. I haven't looked at it, but I'd think that's quite a big job. Once I'm out of warranty, I'll replace them myselves.

 

[ACoffel]

If the manufacturer had put some kind of disconnect at the wheels to allow for a

freespinning wheel, the front axle joints would last most of us a very long time.

I do agree however that replacement with greasable versions is a vast improvement.

If one can afford it the best fix is to install the Dynatrac freespin kit along with greasable u-joints and ball joints all at one time and then be done with it for a while.

 

[NSperduto]

I just think it's crappy u-joints. They fixed the truck under warranty with no problem. So I'll see what happens for now. They also replaced ball joints (and believe it or not, they did it without me telling them about it)



The problem I see with ujoints that don't spin is they get screwed up from not being used. I've seen in on used trucks that I've bought.

I also don't think having them spin all the time is necessarily a bad thing either. I'm not a fan free spinning hubs. well, the manual locking aspect of them. I go into an out of 4wd on an almost daily basis to I don't tear up lawns. So for my use I'd wind up leaving them locked anway.

 

[TWhetten]

How hard is it to remove the axle to replace the u-joints. I have never worked on a dodge axle before. I have always drove fords, I can tear down a ford front end in about ten minutes, but I have heard the dodge is a little more difficult. I also heard you can break the bearings.

 

[Toshiro]

My front end is now making a clunking/binding noise. I was in 2wd and made a quick u-turn on pavement. Right after there was a clunk. Seemed to be a u-joint binding a bit. The problem persisted every time I turn sharply with any amount of speed (above 3mph or so). Could this be the u-joint issue you guys are speaking of. If so, any idea on the cost of replacement and length/difficulty of job. I do have 35/12. 5 tires on there, could that be making it happen?



2005 4wd QCLB 20,000mi

 

[Turbo1Ton]

My front left is bad and it sounds like someone loaded my hubcap with rocks! I don't seem to have any issues with it binding in 2wd, I refuse to put it in 4wd until I get it fixed. Since I don't use 4wd all that much it hasn't been a big problem. I just need to get off my butt and fix it before I need it.



BTW, 88686 miles and I don't know if they are the original joints or not since I have only had the truck since 74k.



Jeff

 

[Kiohio]

These joint's turn all the time whether you are in 4wd or not.

So, you may want to look at them sooner than you had originally planned.

I think putting it in 4wd and putting stress on them makes then make noise sooner.

They are already dry then put the power to them and they bind and/or start squeaking.

Mine sounded like the front end was gonna fall off.

That was at approx 36k miles. I have one Precision in it now and one Dodge that was put in on the opposite side at 69k.

Funny that the drivers side only lasted 36k and the passenger lasted till 69k, and it STILL wsn't making the horrible noise the drivers side was.



KO