Front axle u-joint replacement?

[BHolm]

Both u-joints on my dually's front axle are toast. I read rbattles ordeal with the bearing/hub assembly and really don't want to go that route. It looks possible that by unbolting the ball joints that the whole knuckle/spindle assembly, with the hub/bearing still in place, could be removed. I really do not want to pay somebody to do this, does anybody know if I can get to the u-joints without having to press out the wheel bearing?

 

[Mr.Goat]

Well I can't comment on whether or not you can take it apart for repair as described. What I can relate is that these U joints have been wearing out prematurely. They are coverd by warrenty. Which I did not realize until after I paid to have mine replaced. DC will not pay for warrenty related issues not performed by there folks. So my best advice is to read your warrenty book and if you think you have a case take it to the dealer and stand your ground.

You have nothing to loose, as believe me replacing those little devils is real pricy. Good luck. Pete

 

[Jeff_K]

Read some of the other threads about hub/bearing removal where you use a socket & extension to press on the bolts on the back of the steering knuckle by using the trucks power steering. Took me less than 5 minutes.

 

[Jason Hughes]

You can get to the u-joints without pressing off the wheel bearing cartridge, it just makes it a little more akward to manipulate the u-joints on the bench. But the axle shafts come out real easy, they do in So. Cal. anyway-not as much rust. Anyway pull off the tires, remove abs plug carefully, pull off caliper, remove the four bolts on the inside of the knuckle, and gently pull or pry the whole axle shaft out. Pull the whole axle out in one shot, from there you can decide wether you want to break it down or not. Good Luck.

 

[DerekW]

You can get to the ball joint nut with out removing the unit bearing assem and the axle shaft . neither can you service u-joint with the unit bearing assembly in the way. Never tore apart the AAM 9. 5's during my 3 year term a 4WD shop. but I can tell you if you take a pry bar and used it to push the outside axle shaftear outward you can remove the both axle shafts and the unit bearing all at once. I tried every other way for maybe a hour on one fords with unit bearing (i know different axle manufacturer but they all work the same, Air hammers and all and it took one guy to get off the phone and finally just pop them out without breaking a sweat doing it with a prybar like that. then just use impact to get nut hold the axleshaft on the unit bearing and then you have yourself 2 axles with a junk u joint holding them together. do make it harder then it is.

 

[rbattelle]

and finally just pop them out without breaking a sweat doing it with a prybar like that. then just use impact to get nut hold the axleshaft on the unit bearing and then you have yourself 2 axles with a junk u joint holding them together. do make it harder then it is.

I agree with the idea of not making things harder than they need be. However, I think some of you guys don't understand what those of us in salt country are sometimes up against with these unit bearings. Let there be no question that I poured my heart and soul and every tool at my disposal into removing my hub bearing on the driver side to no avail. The only thing that would remove it was 7 tons on a puller, heat with an oxy/acetylene torch, and a 14-lb sledge, followed by 45 minutes of prying/chiseling.



BHolm, I agree that removing the unit as an assembly would be convenient, but I don't think it's possible to do without actually cutting off the ball joints. The problem isn't access to the nuts, it's the fact that to remove the knuckle it must move vertically straight down quite a bit. Universal joints will allow a shaft to bend, but it's not possible to move the shaft in a purely vertical plane.



I'm pretty sure I've got a bad ball joint on my passenger side. When it comes time to repair it (in the spring), I'm considering cutting the ball joints. Don't know if I can do it, though, as I don't own an oxy/acetylene torch (or a plasma cutter).



Ryan

 

[Richards]

Unit Bearing removal

What holds the Unit Bearing in place is it the the Yoke spline? or the bore in the Steering Knuckle? I am trying to get mine out.

 

[rbattelle]

What holds the Unit Bearing in place is it the the Yoke spline? or the bore in the Steering Knuckle? I am trying to get mine out.

The steering knuckle. Load is transmitted from the axle tube to the steering knuckle, then to the unit bearing. The bore is more than 1" thick, as is the unit bearing which fits inside.



[I assume you've already removed the 4 retaining bolts on the back side of the knuckle. ]



Ryan

 

[Nate]

Want to talk about rust? The cast iron exhaust manifold rusted out... like an actual hole in it from rust on his 1979 Chevy plow truck.



I've never had a unit bearing give me much trouble with using a cold chisel between it and the knuckle. Cold chisel and 3lb sledge has worked every time and I've torn apart 5 or 6 different axles this way, some of them hadn't been touched in 10-15 years.

 

[Richards]

Unit Bearing

Thank you for your quick help. All bolts are out and yoke nut off. But i am trying to unerstand if the spline and Knuckle are both pressed on to the unit bearing. Can i pull the flange first?

 

[rbattelle]

The splined axle shaft is NOT pressed into the unit bearing! You can press the bearing off using the flange (I assume by "flange" you mean the flange where the wheel studs are pressed in) with the forcing screw of the puller pressing on the axle shaft.



Have you looked at this thread?



Ryan