Best front axle u-joints ?

[Blakers]

Folks, I know it's been asked and discussed on here a thousand times, but I don't have time to search for all the answers... .



What are the best front axle u-joints to buy for an 03 Ram?



The last one I replaced was with a Precision 464 greaseable from Rock Auto for $37. 79. That one did not last long at all and the greaseable feature is basically worthless because the grease won't go into all four caps. Does anyone offer really good non-greaseables, beside the dealer?



Where is the best place to buy front wheel bearings? Prices are all over the place and most are still made in China.



Thanks guys!

 

[LMarler]

I have used the percision 464 with really good luck. I have used then for sure 14 times on different trucks with out any problems. But they cost me more last ones I installed in Dec 09 from Napa were $69. 34 ea. Do you think you have got a bad joint?

Thanks

Lynn

 

[Blakers]

Both of my axle joints are shot. I replaced the left side with one from Dodge since no one made an aftermarket one then. Then later I replaced the right side with the 464, but it went bad relatively quickly - maybe 10,000 miles. And I have one bad wheel bearing now as well.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Spicer makes good universal joints. Non-greasable are stronger, but greasable joints should be plenty strong if they are high quality. Look for a bigger diameter trunnion and more needles. Cheap joints often skimp with fewer, large diameter needles. I got the hub and bearing assembly (5103507AA) and since you have to remove the brake pads and mounting parts, pads too (V1013267) from Saitta Trudeau Dodge in Pahrump, NV. They sell at employee discount to everyone. The hubs were $280 each, OEM quality and cheaper than NAPA or Car Quest.

 

[RDHamill]

I have been greasing my hubs since '01, with great results. Zero failures.
Also had good luck with the 464. I'm almost looking forward to replacing my ball joints next time as I now see greasable ones mentioned on the TDR.

 

[Blakers]

The joints on my axle that failed did not break or fail due to lack of strength, but due to lack of lubrication and the needles wearing out.

Does anyone know a Spicer part number that will work? Are the Precision joints considered as high quality as Spicer? The needs are not as small as some Spicers I have seen, though I have also seen Spicers that have larger needles, so one may not always go by brand when determining quality.

Rock Auto has several wheel bearings listed, but the cheapest is $198. 99 for Timken part number HA590032. My cousin got some for about $64 each, so I have him looking into it right now.

Does anyone know anything about AC Delco part #45U0305 ? This is a front axle u-joint that should fit the truck as well.

Blake

 

[Tejasdge]

I am about to do my front end and bearings. At NAPA the Timkens were the premium bearing unit, but they were higher than Rockauto. I went ahead and got them from Rockauto.

 

[mwilson]

I dug into the Spicer u-joint question before I did my truck this summer and could not get anywhere with it. Had to go with the greaseable 464's. The front axle assembly and drivelines are American Axle so it appears that Spicer has not addressed that market yet. There are a few Spicers that are very close and some people grind whatever to make them work but I would rather not do that if I can help it.



Here is the link to the Spicer/Dana driveline catalog



The Expert - K350 - Information for driveshafts, u-joints, axles, heavy axles, light axles, Driveline



Select Dodge, Then Ram 2500, then year, then 2x4 or 4x4. See what I mean?

The only joint shown for the knuckle is lubed for life.

 

[rbattelle]

That one did not last long at all and the greaseable feature is basically worthless because the grease won't go into all four caps.

They must have been installed wrong. You never never never put universal joints into service without ensuring you can pump grease until it oozes from all 4 caps.



I've always used Precision joints, and have not had a problem (yet).



Ryan

 

[Blakers]

They must have been installed wrong. You never never never put universal joints into service without ensuring you can pump grease until it oozes from all 4 caps.



I've always used Precision joints, and have not had a problem (yet).



Ryan

I had my mechanic friend put this one in while he replaced the ball joints. I am suspicious that he may have put it in wrong as well, as I've never had a u-joint go bad this fast.

 

[FTotts]

I to have had to replace my axle joints. Not a fun job but I am surethere are worse ones. I also have a bad wheel bearing/pac on the right front of my truck. I think it may be due to me beating and heating things to remove it from the housing when we changed the axle joint. I am wondering whose bearing to replace it with when I finally get around to changing it.

Fred

 

[dieselpowered]

Spicer and these http://http://www.neapco.com/n_products-catalogs.phpare some of the best.

 

[mini14]

when mine went in for replacement last year they also put in new stub shafts.

 

[RBridenbaugh]

When I was searching for u-joints and hub assemblies in December, the part numbers I came up with for a front axle steering u-joint, with 1. 375" Bearing Diameter, 2. 920" Inner Yoke Lockup dimensions, for my 05' 3500 4x4 were :



Dodge 05086665AB

Spicer Life 5006813 (sealed)

Precision 464 (greaseable)

Neapco 3-0485 (sealed)



Went with the Neapco, based on quality, from www.advanceautopart.com since they had the lowest overall price for the other Neapco U-joints that I ordered at the same time, with shipping. A place called usedcarsplus.com had a large selection of Neapco u-joints under "+ car parts" and "find by brand". The Neapco 3-0485 was even less expensive at ~$25 a piece vs. ~$50 each at advance auto for just that particular joint (Precision was ~$38 each; Spicer joint was ~$77 each for comparison).



Another reason I went with Neapco was the rear driveshaft u-joint outer yoke lockup dimension was 0. 010" less than the equivalent Precision u-joint, so I would not have to do the grinding that others had mentioned, to get them to fit.





For the integral front brake hub bearing assembly the part numbers were:



Dodge 05103507AA

SKF BR930502

Timken HA 590032

National Wheel Corp 515061



The latter three were all around $200. Really low priced ones on the net were clones with not much information about bearing quality. I went with the Timken hubs from an www.amazon based shop called StockWiseAuto for ~$155

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

If you use greasable joints, install them so the zerk hole is under compression when the joint is under load.

 

[Blakers]

Thanks RBridenbaugh!! That is great information and worth archiving someplace.

Blake

 

[brods]

I had my mechanic friend put this one in while he replaced the ball joints. I am suspicious that he may have put it in wrong as well, as I've never had a u-joint go bad this fast.

During the summer a few years back I installed 464s and locking hubs. The hubs were always in freewheel so I figured the joints should have been like new and did not grease them again until about 9,000 miles later. When greasing them some water was forced out of one of the caps. By 6,000 miles later that joint was bad. While it is possible that I installed them wrong, I don't think that was the problem. When installed the joints were pumped full of grease until it came out of each one of the caps. Maybe a different grease would have performed better?



Imo is it is all about the cap seals. The bad AAM stock joints on my truck had visible degradation of the cap seals and the bearings were rusty inside. The water coming out of the 464 cap indicates it's cap seal failed (or is simply inadequate). The 20+ year old Dana 60 front axle I have on a different truck has more miles, has been under water several times and has seen harsher duty than this Dodge/AAM axle yet it still has the original sealed for life wheel u-joints. Live and learn. When this set of 464s go I will be switching to a quality sealed for life type joint.



Bill Vista wrote a good article on u-joints: Pirate4x4. Com - Extreme Four Wheel Drive

The moral of Bill's article is if you do get greasable joints be religious about greasing them.

 

[opjohnny]

Joe how do you install it to keep the zerk in compression ?

John

 

[rscurtis]

I briefly pondered that question myself. Here is the answer, using the driver's side front axle joint as an example. Assume that the driving joint (axle shaft) is in the 12 and 6 o'clock position, and the driven joint(stub shaft) is in the 9 and 3 o'clock position. If the fitting is installed at the 1:30 or 7:30 position, it is under compression. If installed at the 4:30 or 10:30 position, it is under tension and more prone to crack at that location. This assumes the vehicle is going forward, of course. This is probably good advice on all the other joints on the vehicle also that are replaced with greasable parts.

 

[Blakers]

A place called usedcarplus.com had a large selection of Neapco u-joints under "+ car parts" and "find by brand". The Neapco 3-0485 was even less expensive at ~$25 a piece vs. ~$50 each at advance auto for just that particular joint (Precision was ~$38 each; Spicer joint was ~$77 each for comparison).

I can't find anything on usedcarplus.com - the site has no "car part" link.