******* wants me to pay for hub trashing labor

[LaxCummins]

So one of my front axle u-joints sounds like it may be giving up the ghost... Since I still have the $100 warranty, I thought I'd set up an appointment for getting those fixed and my transmission flushed, brakes done, etc - convenience and all...



The service manager informed me that since the hub assy is so hard to get off, they have ended up trashing the assy in the process when they've done them in the past. They said that I should be prepared to pay for at least the 6 or so hours it'll take them. They said that D-C should pay for the new hubs...



Does this make sense? Shouldn't they pay for it since its their design, their problem with the warranty? Should I find a new dealer? This one's very close, so it's convenient... Ideas?



Thanks,



LAXCummins

 

[trqmnstr]

I'd definitely go elsewhere. It doesn't matter if it takes them 100 hours, you have a $100 deductible.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I don't know if it would work on the 3rd gen axle but on 2nd gen's there is a trick that makes the hubs REAL easy to remove. Lsfarm let me know about it and I'll have an article in the magazine soon on ball joint replacement that includes it. What you can do on the 2nd gen axle is first you soak everything down with penetrant the night before (I used PB Blaster) then you get down to where it's time to remove the hub. Take 2 14mm x 1. 5 x 6 inch long grade 8 bolts and screw them into the back side of the hub on opposite sides (front bottom, and back top for example). Then you start the truck up, turn the steering knuckle (by hand - it'll turn easy if both tires are off the ground which they have to be) until the bolt is contacting the axle housing - you may need to put a socket or something in there as well. Then you just turn the steering wheel slightly and use the power steering to push the hub out. Turn it to the right slightly and then turn the knuckle the other direction until the bolt is contacting the housing (again use a socket if necessary). Turn the steering wheel slightly to push it out again. Go back and forth until the hub is pushed out. I did it this way on my 2nd gen with 230,000 miles and 8 Michigan winters worth of salt and corrosion and I got my hub out in about 3 minutes. You can't damage the hub this way because your pushing it out on the back side and aren't touching the bearing. The thread size and length may be different on the 3rd gen and it's possible that it wouldn't work at all but I'm sure someone who's worked on the 3rd gen axle could tell from my description whether it would or not. Give that description to the mechanic and he might pay your deductible for ya because he's going to make a lot of money off future jobs using that shortcut.

 

[Rattlin_Ram]

Seve,



So those bolts go into the holes that the 4 bolts come out of when you are taking it appart? I have to do my ball joints before I get new tires...

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Yep, you just thread them in there and push it out from the back side. When I did mine on one side the bolt bent slightly at first - I then rotated the bolt around so it was bent in rather than out and didn't have to do anything to the bolt after that. Man, it was REAL simple. I was worried after reading about all the nightmares guys have had getting them out (especially after 8 Michigan winters).

 

[Rams-n-Hogs]

I don't know if it would work on the 3rd gen axle but on 2nd gen's there is a trick that makes the hubs REAL easy to remove. Lsfarm let me know about it and I'll have an article in the magazine soon on ball joint replacement that includes it. What you can do on the 2nd gen axle is first you soak everything down with penetrant the night before (I used PB Blaster) then you get down to where it's time to remove the hub. Take 2 14mm x 1. 5 x 6 inch long grade 8 bolts and screw them into the back side of the hub on opposite sides (front bottom, and back top for example). Then you start the truck up, turn the steering knuckle (by hand - it'll turn easy if both tires are off the ground which they have to be) until the bolt is contacting the axle housing - you may need to put a socket or something in there as well. Then you just turn the steering wheel slightly and use the power steering to push the hub out. Turn it to the right slightly and then turn the knuckle the other direction until the bolt is contacting the housing (again use a socket if necessary). Turn the steering wheel slightly to push it out again. Go back and forth until the hub is pushed out. I did it this way on my 2nd gen with 230,000 miles and 8 Michigan winters worth of salt and corrosion and I got my hub out in about 3 minutes. You can't damage the hub this way because your pushing it out on the back side and aren't touching the bearing. The thread size and length may be different on the 3rd gen and it's possible that it wouldn't work at all but I'm sure someone who's worked on the 3rd gen axle could tell from my description whether it would or not. Give that description to the mechanic and he might pay your deductible for ya because he's going to make a lot of money off future jobs using that shortcut.

Thanks, Steve. After I spent about 2 hours the other day smacking the bolts with a hammer. Wish I had remembered that. I saw that on here a long long time ago.

 

[Cattletrkr]

Should I find a new dealer? This one's very close, so it's convenient... Ideas?

Thanks,

LAXCummins

Yep, go somewhere else. The dealer I use is about 62 miles away. There must be at least a dozen closer, but I like the one I go to. It's worth the drive.

 

[msperos]

Yup it works great. Thats how I did my 01' a couple years ago. When you put the new ball joints and hub back in be liberal with the antiseize, it makes future work alot easier.

 

[Rattlin_Ram]

Hmmm well hopefully it'll work after about 3 MN winters, 2 CO winters, and 1 IA winter... Gotta get me some PB blaster though I think...

 

[LaxCummins]

Think I found a new dealership... Called another, they said no prob, much cheaper for the transmission flush and brakes, apologized profusely that they didn't have a loaner car for me.

Bad for the newly bought out place now owned by something that starts with 'L' and rhymes with ithia. They lost a customer.

Good for the locally owned place that starts with a 'P' and rhymes with ischke. They're in the process of gaining a lifelong customer.

LAXCummins

 

[MarshallB]

hubs

there is a new tool out for the hubs it is a LARGE slidehammer about 3 foot long that bolts to the hub and the other end rest on a jack stand and a few wacks and its off. no bubbles no troubles. it works perfectly

 

[dclassens]

Although the slide hammer works great, it still puts stress on the bearing. As a mechanic in northern michigan, what I use is an AIR Hammer. Back existing bolts out a few turns, air hammer side to side, and keep backing out bolts. Sometimes use a socket and hammer on it so bolts are not trashed. Good luck!!



Dave

 

[Mobius1]

Back in the day when I used to work on Dodges, That trick was worth gold!

 

[Nate]

I've worked on quite a few Dodge and Jeep front ends and I have never had much trouble getting the hubs off. Guess it must be my good looks :-laf

 

[rbattelle]

Here's my saga, and solution.



Who's making this giant slide hammer now? Someone steal my design and start selling it?



Sufficiently welded bearings will separate when using a slide hammer, which means you will also need a very large specialty puller.



The tools I made will pull a hub/bearing in under 30 minutes, but will destroy one that's been fully welded to the steering knuckle.



Ryan

 

[JDerrick]

GIANT SLIDE HAMMER ... ... ... ..... I wish that I had one of those when I tore apart my 99'. And now that my dad has talked me into working on the front end of his 98' so I guess I get to go for round 2... ... ... ... ... . He needs rotors on both sides YUKK