One of my front axle shaft u joints failed today passanger side its clonking pretty bad in 4x4... can someone help with part numbers or give me a part number on rock auto to order as there is a few sizes it has a dana 60 front end its a 99 2500. im in the UK so its easy to order from rock auto or any other recommendations on who to order from. Thanks

1 minute ago, Ronniemx3 said:

It did but the truck sat for 4 years so think that killed it i fitted sealed unit instead

 

Yeah, I might have gotten 350k miles from my factory OEM joints. Still, the fact remains it was a horrid nightmare to get those joint out and replaced. I would much rather have a joint that is not going to last very long and replacement and greasing much easier. So what if I got to change u-joints every 100k miles much better than beating on stuff for over 4 hours with 6 pound hammer. 

 

A lot of people like the seal units. With all the flood highway and snow I travel its just not a good idea. Now that Idaho is using strictly all salt its making suspension part fail sooner. Causing issues on replacing simple things like u-joint a royal beach. 

1 hour ago, Mopar1973Man said:

. So what if I got to change u-joints every 100k miles much better than beating on stuff for over 4 hours with 6 pound hammer. 

 

You must have one heck of an arm, my two handed sledge is only 8#, I doubt I could even swing a 6 with one hand.

 

This is what I use for u-joints, I posted these a while back on another site. I don't use a vice or press. With a press, it requires you to move both caps at once, that is too much resistance and can bend a yoke. Smack the joint right in the cross with a big dull chisel, you only move one cap that way. Do not use the tools on the left, use the ones on the right. I think my hammer is a 2#, lol But when I hit, I hit, no tap tap.

 

 

Edited November 15, 20186 yr by NIsaacs
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I have never done it this way, always used vice or press, BUT I like the idea BUT I might make a piece for the press that presses both sides of the cross at the same time 

When I did my wheel joint the passenger side I beat on for four hour using heat, PBlaster, and more beating.

 

Driver side I could even start one cap. This shaft required a press which was extremely violent when the caps let go. There was no amount of hammer to free the driver side.

 

Hence why I don't want super life span again by that time of 16 years and 350k miles the caps will be bound up again.

3 hours ago, NIsaacs said:

 

You can't get the joint in the yoke without pulling both caps off for that cross.

Thats how I did it. I pushed the old one out, removed one cap and then the u joint. Then just reversed the process to put the new one in. Nothing special other than them beiing stubborn coming out.

5 hours ago, NIsaacs said:

 

You must have one heck of an arm, my two handed sledge is only 8#, I doubt I could even swing a 6 with one hand.

 

This is what I use for u-joints, I posted these a while back on another site. I don't use a vice or press. With a press, it requires you to move both caps at once, that is too much resistance and can bend a yoke. Smack the joint right in the cross with a big dull chisel, you only move one cap that way. Do not use the tools on the left, use the ones on the right. I think my hammer is a 2#, lol But when I hit, I hit, no tap tap.

 

 

I like that idea. I'll try it the next time. Biggest issue I have is getting those dang rusted fast circlips out . Whats the secret to them? I see now you have a front drive shaft. I'm speaking of the circlips  in an axle shaft. Not sure if drive shaft is the same without looking.

Edited November 15, 20186 yr by dave110

1 hour ago, dave110 said:

I like that idea. I'll try it the next time. Biggest issue I have is getting those dang rusted fast circlips out . Whats the secret to them? I see now you have a front drive shaft. I'm speaking of the circlips  in an axle shaft. Not sure if drive shaft is the same without looking.

 Usually you can turn them with a screwdriver to expose the opening then whack it with a screwdriver and hammer. This one has the external ones. The heavy chisel works really well, even on an axle joint or any double joint/yoke combo, it is slender enough to reach down to the cross. A punch heavy enough to do the job is too fat, won't fit. I like the one with the mushroom top, it protects my hand when I miss

 

I am fortunate that where I live, it is semi arid, not much rain or snow, so I don't have the rust that Mike has. I am sure with his 6# hammer they must have been almost welded in. That road salt or chloride they use is about like calcium chloride, the mix you use in tractor tires. That is some really bad stuff.

13 minutes ago, NIsaacs said:

That road salt or chloride they use is about like calcium chloride, the mix you use in tractor tires. That is some really bad stuff.

 

100% agreed.

I find a sprayed mix of T9 BoeShield & used Hygard works wonders, I drive my truck all winter with nary a rusted part.

 

^^X2. Only 2 things will kill these trucks. Electronics issues, and rust. I spent 1/2 hr. under mine with a pressure washer last weekend blowing the salt off that I picked up on my hunting trip. Do it every time I drive in that crap as soon as I can. I've often thought of coating the underside with diesel and drain oil but have yet to do it. @ofelas, what is this T9 Boeshield you speak of, where do you get it, how much Hygard do you mix in, and how do you apply it? Sorry, that's a lot of questions. I assume drain oil would work too? I stock lots of that.

1 hour ago, ofelas said:

 

100% agreed.

I find a sprayed mix of T9 BoeShield & used Hygard works wonders, I drive my truck all winter with nary a rusted part.

 

 

Nice 1st gen

 A leaky rear main will keep the the underside oiled with no spraying involved, manually that is

I already have that . Looking for something to help the front as well. Maybe pull my breather tube off?

Remember how the old Harleys had a device that injected engine oil on the drive chain? That's what I need. A one shot lube system for the underside.

Looking forward to hear about this Boeshield T9.

Edited November 16, 20186 yr by dave110

1 minute ago, dave110 said:

I already have that . Looking for something to help the front as well. Maybe pull my breather tube off?

Maybe just re direct it to what you want coated. I get some blow by out mine. Hopefully with the HG replacement with new guides and seals will calm that down some.

1 minute ago, dripley said:

Maybe just re direct it to what you want coated.

Pretty much anything without paint............

10 hours ago, dave110 said:

^^X2. Only 2 things will kill these trucks. Electronics issues, and rust. I spent 1/2 hr. under mine with a pressure washer last weekend blowing the salt off that I picked up on my hunting trip. Do it every time I drive in that crap as soon as I can. I've often thought of coating the underside with diesel and drain oil but have yet to do it. @ofelas, what is this T9 Boeshield you speak of, where do you get it, how much Hygard do you mix in, and how do you apply it? Sorry, that's a lot of questions. I assume drain oil would work too? I stock lots of that.

 

It's some weird anti rust developed by Boeing that dries clear & needs chemical or abrasive stripping to get rid of it.

The seaplanes up here use it on their floats, sometimes they lose a 55 gallon drum at the hangar.

Ideally sprayed through a mist wand like any other commercial rustproofing; drilled holes then plugged after spraying, in door sills, roof skins, bed sides etc., as well as inside the frame rails, underbody, brake/fuel lines, springs/hangers etc etc.

Wish they'd lose a drum back here to PA. Sounds like good stuff. Too bad the general public can't get it.

1 hour ago, dave110 said:

Wish they'd lose a drum back here to PA. Sounds like good stuff. Too bad the general public can't get it.

 

I think I've seen spray cans of the stuff at hardware places, or Amazon or such, but they are inordinately pricey.

On 11/13/2018 at 8:11 PM, ofelas said:

Those Spicer Life non greasable non cross drilled joints are the cat's meow.

 

Important to reinstall the caps on their corresponding cross yokes as they have a pre-measured amount of grease in all 4.

 

Wouldn't use anything else, even though I'm the type that lubes greasable U-joints well ahead of schedule.

when i rebuilt my ujoints on the half shafts, i added grease to the cups on purpose (not much) and gently put them back on the cross by hand making sure they seat and wiping any excess grease away before final install.  almost 50,000 miles and no issues and they have been used hard offroading in colorado.