Need help changing front drivers side axle U-joint

[PatrickCampbell]

I'm trying to get this axle shaft out of here but it doesn't seem to want to come.



I have removed the caliper and caliper bracket

The 4 bolts behind rotor on the axle flange

the 1 huge 44 MM nut and cotter pin that is in between the wheel studs

Banged the crap out of the rotor with a rubber mallet



The rotor and/or axle shaft both do NOT want to come out. Anyone have any suggestions? This is a northeast truck so I imagine everything has fused together with rust...

 

[rbattelle]

The service manual says to remove the rotor, then unbolt the 4 knuckle bolts and remove the hub/bearing assembly. Then the axle should slide out. I'm confused why your rotor won't come out. The procedure for removing the rotor is:



1. Raise + support vehicle (duh)

2. Remove wheel and tire (duh)

3. Remove caliper and adapter assembly

4. Remove the rotor from the hub/bearing assembly.



Of course, the manual makes it sound easy. I reckon that rotor is siezed up on the hub. Get yourself a sledge, maybe that will help?



For my own curiosity, how hard was it to get that 44mm axle nut off? Doesn't it rotate with the axle?

 

[Boonieman]

If you will go to this site, it gives a good idea for getting off stuck rotors. I have used this method before and it works. There is a picture also to give you a better idea of what the guy is talking about. Good luck!



http://www.vfaq.com/mods/BrakeRotors.html

 

[Buzzer]

Well heres what I did. I put a puller on the rotor spanning it with the puller legs and tightened down on the axle shaft end. While putting pressure on the puller I continued to work around the inside of the rotor with a hammer, not pounding hard but enough to help the liquid wrench I used work its way in. Took me roughly 1/2 hour but it worked. Boonie man presents an interesting article though. I'll have to try that next time. Good luck. Keep at it ant it will come loose.

 

[rbattelle]

Whatever you do, don't take it to the dealer!!



The usual DC customer no-service

 

[PatrickCampbell]

The service manual says to remove the rotor, then unbolt the 4 knuckle bolts and remove the hub/bearing assembly. Then the axle should slide out. I'm confused why your rotor won't come out. The procedure for removing the rotor is:



1. Raise + support vehicle (duh)

2. Remove wheel and tire (duh)

3. Remove caliper and adapter assembly

4. Remove the rotor from the hub/bearing assembly.



Of course, the manual makes it sound easy. I reckon that rotor is siezed up on the hub. Get yourself a sledge, maybe that will help?



For my own curiosity, how hard was it to get that 44mm axle nut off? Doesn't it rotate with the axle?

It was not that difficult BUT don't take it from me that it is exactly 44mm. You may want to take a dial caliper to it and measure, then get the appropriate socket. We used a 1 3/4" 12 point wrench that was way too big. We put it in 4WD to keep it from turning which unfortunately probably puts a lot of stress on the entire drivetrain. I have no clue what you would do with a 2WD truck.



I have the FSM here but we when we couldn't get the rotor off, we started unbolting everything else thinking maybe we could just leave the rotor on!



Thanks for this link all I will have to check it out.

 

[rbattelle]

We put it in 4WD to keep it from turning which unfortunately probably puts a lot of stress on the entire drivetrain. I have no clue what you would do with a 2WD truck.

I doubt you put any more stress than the front driveline was built to handle. Remember, the Cummins makes a ton of torque and in 4wd low-range it's multiplied even more!!



On a 2wd truck, the spindle nut doesn't rotate with the wheel, as far as I know.