MiGunner

I have a 2006 2500 Mega Cab with the 5.7. I have been hearing a loud clunking noise the last couple of weeks and took it in the other day to my mechanic. Says the front axle u-joint is bad. He kept the truck for two days because he could not get the wheel assembly (?) off. He used penetrating oil and was at the point where he was going to heat them up but when he called to get wheel bearings in case he damaged them during the heating process he was told they were on back order. So he put the truck back together until he can find wheel bearings. My question is, I was scheduled to go on a trip this weekend that will be about 400 miles round trip. My mechanic said that I run the risk of bending the axle if I keep driving it with a bad u joint. When I asked him the likely hood of that happening, he stated 50/50. Do I run the risk of doing more damage if I take it on this trip?
Thanks

Skyd Ram

Although you will most likely be fine on your trip if the u-joint comes apart it will damage the inner or outer axleshaft. Possibly even both. This would also leave you stranded.

Your mechanic should not be using heat or a puller on these hubs as ti can damage them. Pushing them out from the back using an air hammer, BFH, or the power steering method works best when they are frozen on.

jlipskoc

What he said, I just did mine this past weekend.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....store&item_ID=
81164&group_ID=21345

Definately don't use heat, it ruins the seals, and cooks the greese. Use a hardened impact socket and extension (power steering method) to remove the hub.

You might be able to squirt some lube or penatrating oil into the ujoint, mostly likely the seal is already shot/cracked, so spraying will be easy, may have to jackup and rotate wheel while spraying, so gravity fills it up. atleast then it won't bind and get you by for your trip.

1985cucv

your truck has a 5.9 liter cummins anyways.

to take the u joint out: get a few cut off wheels for a grinder. cut the inside of the u joint apart so only the caps are in both pieces of the shaft. then heat the caps while in a vise with a socket pressing on the caps and they will come out!

to get the hubs off take the 4 bolts out of the hub thread them in 3 or 4 turns then start the truck and use a socket and an extension up against the axle and the bolt and they will press out