Write up about replacing axle u-joints... 4x4 trucks in the rust belt read!

[PatrickCampbell]

I suggest everyone in the rust belt apply anti-sieze to the knucle, hub bearing and rotor surfaces so that you don't have to spend $300 replacing a $50 u-joint when they go bad.



I did an article about this painful process.



http://xj.cdevco.net/auto/3rd_gen_u-joint/

 

[ThomasLawrence]

Why do people insist on trashing their hubs like this?



Generous amounts of penetrating oil, combined with a little common sense, has always allowed me to remove these without destroying them. Loosen, but do not remove, the four hub-to-knuckle bolts from the back side of the hub/rotor. Leave about 1/8" gap between the bolt shoulder and the knuckle surface. Apply some tension with the hub puller, and strike the hub bolts with a hammer, each one in succession. This will almost always free up the hub from the knuckle. You can then remove the bolts, and remove the hub/rotor assembly with the puller alone.



-Tom

 

[PatrickCampbell]

Thanks tom I added that to the page.



I don't know if that would've worked in my case to be honest with you.



100K miles of Wyoming, Montana, Pennsylvania, NJ, Alaska, Canada, etc salt and snow does a good job of fusing.



I do think that anti seizing before hand is still a good idea.

 

[rbattelle]

This is good info from both Tom and Patrick... thanks!



-Ryan

 

[Yo Hoot]

Yes... great info from both of you. Thanks! Might save us all a bundle down the road.

 

[johnrv4]

I just did a 2nd gen a couple of weeks ago.

I did a '95 a couple a weeks ago, and I have to agree with Tom. My buddy started spraying the crap out of everything (especially the hub/knuckle joint) with PB Blaster for a week or so before we tackled it. I didn't use a puller at all. I popped both tie-rod ends loose so I could turn the knuckle easily to the stops, and took the existing 14mm bolts out and put some longer ones in their place. I could hit these a little easier with the hammer, and I didn't have to worry about trashing the original bolts. But, it wasn't needed on this truck. Somebody had it apart before and anti-seized everything. It came apart very easily. I've done another in the past that I got loose using the above method, but it took some hammering and cursing to get them out. Anti-seize rules Oo. Oo.