Me78569

I need to tackle this myself.

the ujoint between the hubs and axle shafts. The unit bearings are what bolt the hubs to the knucles.

I would check those first. then check your unit bearings. Jack the truck up and see if you have play in the bearings. It could be in the column itself but I would lean more towards the ujoints or bearing first.

Did you replace the front u joints?

yea haha.

did you replace your u joints? Any clicking noise when driving in a tunnel or next to a wall?

Agree'd wife and I are VERY actively working towards cash only. thankfully all vehicles are paid for. Working on the house now. doesn't happen overnight, but things are better this year than last

yep, The pull and pay is $14 per side to pull brake and hub. Gonna pull them, rebuild them on the bench then swap them in. Just need to figure out any other details in the process. that is all assuming that the junkyard has the parts. The CAD was removed from all 9 of the dodge trucks at the yard...

That's the beauty I keep 2lo thanks to having hub locks on the ford.

I am happy to report that my grinding issue is no more. The cad was causing it. I am guessing that when the alignment people put it up in the air on my vacation that they damaged it. Or just random timing that it started right after they put it in the air. Interestingly enough the front end "clunk" I have been chasing since I got the truck is somehow related to the cad also. I no longer have it...... So the front end needs, 1 ball joint ( will replace all 4) , and a vacuum actuator. I think I am going to go ahead and swap in the ford outer hubs. cost will be the same and I might be able to get rid of the clunk by getting rid of the CAD system completely.

I would guess that heat is what causes the issues to come up. But that is just a guess. They are probably all the same, hit and miss.

I would bet your "new" alternator is still bad. I have never seen an oreilly's have a tester that can test the diodes on alternators, they just look at output. Did you verify %100 that the parts store actually tested the diodes? I would guess heat may have had something to do with it, maybe the diodes on the new alternator are on the edge.

Digital volt meter. I don't bother either.

since my vacuum actuator was bad I decided to just lock the front axle over in 4wd mode. Hopefully my grinding issue goes away. If so I will get a new one, but I need to stop blindly throwing money at this noise.

Well I still have that stupid grinding noise. So either the snap ring that hold the rear main bearing is weak, or the noise it elsewhere. I guess I have to dig more..... I guess at least I fixed the other issues though.

To bad they don't offer any check gauges repair tape, I would be all over that.

Since you are moving soon you can help me take the roof off of the camper, Convert able camper...the new fad.

I wish haha, I would have to talk him down to $1000. Interestingly enough, I haven't paid more than a grand for a vehicle in almost a decade hahaha. Might explain why I am always fixing them.

Pretty much, "Humm that's a new sound.......oh crap I forgot to tighten the lug nuts, play it cool so your wife doesn't laugh at you"

The Germans make it pretty easy, once you get the car in the air it is less frustrating than working on the dodge.

Well I feel dumb...I forgot to tighten my lug nuts....not real damage other than my ego.

I will be living I fear for a few weeks while I wait for the transfercase to rip out of the truck. Haha

So I was browsing craigslist and a old dream car popped back up..... I am still in love with the BMW E31 series. I think I am going to start saving for one. http://fortcollins.craigslist.org/cto/5462817049.html pure BMW goodness.

camper canvas is at Bear Creek canvas now getting a new one made.