Front axle u joint

[Red Rambler]

I have a issue while turning, feels like the truck is possibly in 4 wheel drive, and it’s definetely in the front end. From what I have read it could possibly be front axle u joints. Since these are not terribly expensive what brand is suggested? Rock auto has quite a few brands. 

[Mopar1973Man]

Me personally, I just stopped in at my local NAPA store and picked up a set of wheel joints and went to install. Be aware that thing can be rusted pretty badly and might take a lot of beating to free them up. Like mine lasted 350k miles. One side I beat on for over 4 hours to replace. Then the driver side I could move at all. required a press to even get the bearing caps to move and when they did it was a violent explosive movement.

 

I opted for greaseable joints. Every oil change I can just reach up there and push in new grease. I tend to drive a lot of flooded roads and lots of salt covered highways. I would rather be able to keep grease fresh and from this point on I'll just change them out every 100k miles and be done. I'm not going to repeat that stretch for longevity that just plain crazy. 

[Red Rambler]

1 hour ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Me personally, I just stopped in at my local NAPA store and picked up a set of wheel joints and went to install. Be aware that thing can be rusted pretty badly and might take a lot of beating to free them up. Like mine lasted 350k miles. One side I beat on for over 4 hours to replace. Then the driver side I could move at all. required a press to even get the bearing caps to move and when they did it was a violent explosive movement.

 

I opted for greaseable joints. Every oil change I can just reach up there and push in new grease. I tend to drive a lot of flooded roads and lots of salt covered highways. I would rather be able to keep grease fresh and from this point on I'll just change them out every 100k miles and be done. I'm not going to repeat that stretch for longevity that just plain crazy. 

Thanks sir. Mine look to be a bit rusty after checking yesterday. I fully expect they are not gonna come out without a fight. The first part of the battle looks to be getting the hub removed. What made that part go a little better? I have seen guys using their power steering and an extension/12 point socket but not sure how I feel about doing that? What are your thoughts on the below?

 

Or

 

Edited November 18, 2018 by Red Rambler

[CTcummins24V]

Power steering trick works great, but need 2 people

[NIsaacs]

6 hours ago, Red Rambler said:

Thanks sir. Mine look to be a bit rusty after checking yesterday. I fully expect they are not gonna come out without a fight. The first part of the battle looks to be getting the hub removed. What made that part go a little better? I have seen guys using their power steering and an extension/12 point socket but not sure how I feel about doing that? What are your thoughts on the below?

 

Or

 

 

 

The two joints pictured appear to be drive shaft joints, I understand you want axle u-joints?

Napa performer joint is P374 or Napa SKF is UJ374 for the front axle.

[Red Rambler]

3 hours ago, NIsaacs said:

 

 

The two joints pictured appear to be drive shaft joints, I understand you want axle u-joints?

Napa performer joint is P374 or Napa SKF is UJ374 for the front axle.

I may be confused on what I am ordering on rock auto. It says front driveshaft at front axle, are they meaning transfer case?

edit: I think I see what you are saying now. Some say front axle at wheels. I misunderstood what I was reading. Thanks for clarifying. 

I ordered these thinking they would work as axle at wheel u joints. It says front drive shaft at front axle, but also says CV at front transfer case. 

 

Edited November 19, 2018 by Red Rambler

[dripley]

Those say front drive shaft, you need the front axle shaft u joint. Your front drive shaft has a single u joint at the front diff and a double at the transfer case. The only ones I see labeled front axle shaft are at the bottom of their offerings. I only did a quick read so might have missed some more, the ones listed are pricey compared to the other u joints.

[Red Rambler]

I ended up purchasing spicer SPL55-3X from rockauto. Thanks guys for your help with this. 

[Red Rambler]

The u joints showed up today. Beefy units, I looked and they appear to be the identical units as the stock u joints. 

 

MADE IN THE USA-maybe everybody else knew this. 

 

[dripley]

Seems to be a toss up anymore as to where anything we buy is made in the USA. Good luck with the install.

[Red Rambler]

16 minutes ago, dripley said:

Seems to be a toss up anymore as to where anything we buy is made in the USA. Good luck with the install.

That’s the truth. Not a ton of things, but I’ll take it when it’s an option. Thanks, I’m gonna need a little luck from all the hours others have spent trying to separate the hub 

[dripley]

12 minutes ago, Red Rambler said:

That’s the truth. Not a ton of things, but I’ll take it when it’s an option. Thanks, I’m gonna need a little luck from all the hours others have spent trying to separate the hub 

Yours have never been separated?

[Red Rambler]

27 minutes ago, dripley said:

Yours have never been separated?

Nope. Not by me and it doesn’t appear to have ever been apart. I have been spraying it with PB Blaster for a few weeks now. 

Edited November 21, 2018 by Red Rambler

[dripley]

8 minutes ago, Red Rambler said:

Nope. Not by me and it doesn’t appear to have ever been apart. I have been spraying it with PB Blaster for a few weeks now. 

Well, you could be in for a treat.May the gods of the wheel bearings be kind to you.

[Red Rambler]

6 minutes ago, dripley said:

Well, you could be in for a treat.May the gods of the wheel bearings be kind to you.

Haha. Thanks for that. I will for sure give it heck. It will all have anti seize applied once I do get it apart. 

Edited November 21, 2018 by Red Rambler

[Marcus2000monster]

I’ll tell you a trade secret. Mix Diesel with atf in a spray bottle. A most excellent lubricant and penatrent. 

[dave110]

And don't forget to soak the axle nut. Have a big breaker bar and a pipe and break it loose before you get the tire off the ground. Man alive that thing can be tight. With my dually hub extensions I need can't reach the nut without removing the wheel and extension first. I need to stick a big pry bar across the wheel lugs to hold while I break the axle nut loose. I swear sometimes the studs will break first. No, I don't like hammering on the axle shaft, joints, carrier with an air impact either.

[Red Rambler]

41 minutes ago, Marcus2000monster said:

I’ll tell you a trade secret. Mix Diesel with atf in a spray bottle. A most excellent lubricant and penatrent. 

I will for sure pull my center caps and spray the axle but with some of your mixture. It will be a few days before I get to it. 

29 minutes ago, dave110 said:

And don't forget to soak the axle nut. Have a big breaker bar and a pipe and break it loose before you get the tire off the ground. Man alive that thing can be tight. With my dually hub extensions I need can't reach the nut without removing the wheel and extension first. I need to stick a big pry bar across the wheel lugs to hold while I break the axle nut loose. I swear sometimes the studs will break first. No, I don't like hammering on the axle shaft, joints, carrier with an air impact either.

Yes, thanks for the reminder. I have not even thought about the axle nut until now. I have a few breaker bars and cheater pipes to throw at it. I am hopeful to do one side in a days time, unless all goes smoother than planned. Not likely though. 

[Marcus2000monster]

The stuff is majic. Works extremely well for loosing ball joints tie rod ends etc. soak it well and get you a harbor Freight Tools ball peen hammer and it will come out like butter. For sum reason the HF hammers work very well for this sort of thing. 

[Ed ke6bnl]

1 hour ago, Marcus2000monster said:

The stuff is majic. Works extremely well for loosing ball joints tie rod ends etc. soak it well and get you a harbor Freight Tools ball peen hammer and it will come out like butter. For sum reason the HF hammers work very well for this sort of thing. 

My newest tool for this procedure is the super  rivet gun I have with a bit that is about 1 in. diameter with a bronze piece on the end. a couple of blast with the rivet gun and the stuff just falls apart.