[CumminforCummins]

Looking for a DIY axle U Joint repair. Looked for a while on the search threads but all it came up with was ball joints. Can anyone find me a good writeup on them? Thanks.

 

[ddtnewyork]

they are best to be changed by pressing them out i hate u joints but drop what ever axle it is on and remove the clips holding the joints in housing 4 per joint if you use a vice be care full not to over tighten on the drive shaft it will compress and take it out of balance. but you can push each end in till opposite side of cap can be popped off then push back to remove other side and repeat!.. when re installing take of two caps across from each other carefully not to mess up the needle bearings or fall over or out.. that sucks.. so set a cap in one side compress a bit slide the ujoint into this cap then center and put the other side of the u joints cap on opposite side and compress together making sure not to know bearings over or its a do over.

 

[CumminforCummins]

I need the writeup for how to get the shafts out too. I can figure it out but I'm wondering about actual steps I need to take. Thanks !

 

[ddtnewyork]

just remove the brakes, the big nut and cotter pin on the end of the axle shaft then the 4 bolts on the unit bearing then remove the bearing assembly then pull the axle shaft straight
theres also a hydro boost way ive never done it. and the large nut is 1 11/16 i think good luck on the step by steps hardest part is getting them off the truck.

 

[CumminforCummins]

The big cotter nut at the end of the shaft is what holds the rotor on correct? And the 4 bolts on the back side hold the hub on? My cousin knows how to do the hydroboost idea, just wanna make sure I boost it at the right time and not figure out that I still have to unbolt things.... Lol

 

[ddtnewyork]

FSM. http://dl.dropbox.com/u/42304/2002-2008 Dodge Ram Repair Manual.pdf

 

[CumminforCummins]

Is there a certain page number? I didn't learn to read in high school Hahaha

 

[papaduck]

The proceedure is straight forward, but the doing is not so easy. Break the axel nut loose before lifting the truck. You will need a 3/4 breaker bar and extension to get the nut loose. Put the truck on jack stands remove the wheel(s) and the brake caliper and tie it up out of the way. (Do not let the weight hang on the flexable line.) Remove the rotor and the ABS sensor. Loosen the 4 bolts holding the unit hub to the yoke. You will need a socket extension or a short piece of steel and someone to help. Place the extension so that as steering is turned it will contact the axel housing and push on the bolt. You may need the power steering to help. The bolt will only move the unit bearing a very small amount and you will need to push on each bolt and rotate around the 4 bolts to slowly push the unit bearing out. Back the bolts out a little at a time as the unit bearing is moved out of the yoke. (If you use a puller on the unit bearing you can ruin it.) Once the unit bearing is out the axel will slide right out.

When installing be careful as you re-install the axel to not damage the seal at the differential. Use plenty of anitsize on the unit hub to get it out easier next time.

 

[CumminforCummins]

Ok the big axle nut is what holds the rotor on? I ear the rotors dont come off half the time which is why you use the power steering to push the hub off? What size is the axle nut? And the shaft will slide through the yolk so iwont need to remove the ball joints i believe....

 

[CumminforCummins]

I think I get how the front bearings work. The housing is held on by the four bolts but if you try to pull the rotor you get the bearing with the rotor? The best way is to loosen the big nut then just loosen the four nuts and get the entire thing off in one piece?

 

[chwhit]

The rotor should only be held in by the little retaining clips on the lugs, and a whole lot of rust. Can't remember the size of the big nut on the end of the axle shaft. The biggest pain for me was getting the bearing to come off *&*%^*&%*&%*&%. I finally came on here and found to use the steering and a socket extension to push the bearing off. Once you get the bearing off, (of course after the large axle nut off) the axle will just slide right out. I probably spent four hours on one side and then found the trick on here to get the bearing off and probably spent less than two hours on the other. Hope this helps. I'll check in on here from time to time, but I thought there was a write up on here somewhere that I found that.

 

[superman279]

The large nut holds the axle onto the wheel hub. The rotors are held on by rust generally. Just pull the caliper mounting bracket off (the two large bolts) and tap the brakes off, everything should come off easily. Start tapping around the edge of the rotor, rotating it to tap it loose evenly and it should break loose. Be careful not to damage the wheel hub stud threads, they can be fixed if you do screw them up.

The hardest part is getting the wheel hub itself off. Some people recommend not removing the ABS sensor because junk can get in it and mess the bearing up early. Also don't add grease to it, it just won't work. Get some anti-seize and PB Blaster because you'll need both. Spray lots of PB Blaster around the top of the wheel hub where it contacts the brake shield and on the back where it sits inside the spindle, these are where it rusts most. You can use a bearing/gear puller to pull the wheel hub off but you have a good chance of separating the bearing and destroying it. The power steering method (for me anyways) did not strain my power steering pump, so it did no harm. You simply back the 4 hub bolts off on the back about an eighth of an inch or so, place an 18mm / 3/4inch socket plus an extension on it and you turn the wheel until the extension contacts the frame or something, essentially pushing on the bolt. Don't back the bolt off too far as you risk bending it and do it evenly around the hub, pressing like hell on one bolt will not push the entire bearing out, go smoothly.

You might have to yank on the axle to get it out, but don't yank it up and down or side to side, just in and out. There is a seal that the axle goes through when it passes into the differential carrier, if you damage this you will leak gear oil and changing that out is a few times harder than doing u-joints. Be careful when reinstalling the axle, don't damage the seal! The best way to install the axle is to gently slide it in the axle tube until it stops, then gently pick it up until its center in the tube and slowly push it in until you find that it passes through the seal.

Changing the u-joint itself is simple, remove the C clips, press the caps and reinstall. I put some anti-seize on the u-joint caps when reinstalling them too, I really don't like rush and would rather use a hammer to remove the caps anyways, presses give me bad feelings at times.

Also anti-seize the wheel hub when you put it back on, clean up the rush where the wheel hub contacts the brake dust shield and clean the rush off of the spindle where everything contacts, then apply the anti-seize and reinstall. Its best to apply the anti-seize on the part you are installing and not the surface where it contacts, don't apply it to both surfaces either, it does nothing "extra."

When you are checking your u-joint it should swivel freely on its own weight. So when you reinstall the new one, grab the axle shaft in your hands and rotate it, it should swivel freely and you shouldn't have to force it to move. Temperature can play a role in this also, but if its really hard to get that thing to swivel you should probably check it over again. A little resistance can be fine for new u-joints.

Getting the C clips to seat can get annoying, I had to put mine on my press a few times and gently push the joint from side to side to give me room.

 

[3lakesguy]

Here's a thread with picture. Disregard the ball joint instructions.

\http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/3rd-gen-non-powertrain/215234-diy-ball-joint-replacement.html