So both front axle u-joints had about 250,000 on them one blew near civilization got that one fixed didn't think about the other side at the time since I found a shop in the town I was staying at to fix it that day they slipped me in and got it done a half hour before they closed so then the other side blew coming through a mountain pass and now I'm in a hotel with no options for repair and wondering if I could do this in a parking lot with no press.  Otherwise for the first time in 15+ years of owning the truck I will have to abandon it until Monday when shops in this town (Boscobel WI) open. Any suggestions?  Sorry if I put this in the wrong section 

No. Mine failed at 350k miles and required a 50 ton press to get them out. The first one I beat out with sledgehammer and took better than 4 hour beating to get the old joint out. The other one I could move at all and required a 50 ton press.

Thanks my assistant/employee is on his way up here with tools to try and pull the axle shaft here in the parking lot I found a local that has a press and he is willing to let us use to try the repair I have already acquired a new part.  The more I think about it these may actually be the original's with 378,000 miles on them.

Edited March 23, 20196 yr by WiscoRedkneck

My first OE front went at around 400k and I just replaced them both. I dont use 4wd that much. Drive shaft is still oe, front and rear. Pounding them out in parking lot cant be any fun.

Make sure the assistant stops for beer as well...it can help ease the pain. 

A good suggestion... That all suspension and u-joints that are pressed just get replaced every 100k miles. If anything makes it as far as ours at 350k to 400k miles it's just totally insane to get the rusted parts or of axles and shafts. I'd rather change out a good joint at 100k miles easily than fight a rusted u-joint that been in place for 17 years of rust. UGH!

My front axle joints were not as bad as expected, once i figured out to tighten up the press then hit the screw with a hammer. Mine has not spent alot of time in the salt country. At least it was nothing like changing my first unit bearing.

Success, truck trailer and I are back home safe.  Well all I can say is the only thing that went off without a hitch was getting the hub assembly off, since that was changed with the rotors a few weeks ago. Everything else sucked the axle shaft didn't want to come out at first, issues with the aftermarket locker I have in there can't say why but we had to wiggle the center section while someone pulled on the axle.  Once out the clips were rusted in place well the last two remaining , apply heat and they came free.  So now about that press fit/rust weld, apply heat add oil try again (fyi were are using an inducer coil or something like that so no torch) tried to separate the beast which should be easy right he's got a "100 ton" farm built press.  Well it's got a gauge that said we hit 55 tons and nothing he wasn't sure if he wanted to push harder on it.  We figured let time do its work so during a sit down enjoying a frosty beverage I about **** myself as did everyone else when it let go haven't heard anything sharp bang louder than that was that I can recall.  Put everything back together in no time at all and enjoyed a 3 hour ride home.

  On 3/24/2019 at 3:36 AM, WiscoRedkneck said:

Success, truck trailer and I are back home safe.  Well all I can say is the only thing that went off without a hitch was getting the hub assembly off, since that was changed with the rotors a few weeks ago. Everything else sucked the axle shaft didn't want to come out at first, issues with the aftermarket locker I have in there can't say why but we had to wiggle the center section while someone pulled on the axle.  Once out the clips were rusted in place well the last two remaining , apply heat and they came free.  So now about that press fit/rust weld, apply heat add oil try again (fyi were are using an inducer coil or something like that so no torch) tried to separate the beast which should be easy right he's got a "100 ton" farm built press.  Well it's got a gauge that said we hit 55 tons and nothing he wasn't sure if he wanted to push harder on it.  We figured let time do its work so during a sit down enjoying a frosty beverage I about **** myself as did everyone else when it let go haven't heard anything sharp bang louder than that was that I can recall.  Put everything back together in no time at all and enjoyed a 3 hour ride home.

Cheers!