RF 3500/4WD U-joint gonzo
 

I'd long been pretending not to notice the growing rusty stain around my passenger U-joint, and sure enough...the stain went away. But that probably happened when all the remains of the needle-rollers finally made their exit. It's now VERY sloppy, as you can imagine, but I knew nothing about that condition from driving. But yesterday I happened to swap out that tire/wheel, and even my averted gaze couldn't continue to ignore this when I discovered it yesterday.

There ensued a fruitless search for the Youtube videos I'd envisioned would give me a preview and maybe help avoid some pitfalls...if anyone's got a fave for this instruction, please LMK.

A number of not-quite-on-point videos seemed to feature this method of popping the hub out by using power-steering & spacer of some kind, but I'm not even sure that's applicable to a 3500/4WD. Anyone?

Is it possible to adequately inspect the yoke before removing it, to see if my former bliss led to one or more cups getting whacked out to the point where the yoke itself is toast? (It's my daily-driver, one and only, sorry to report, so whatever it takes to get it back on the road needs to happen between a typical Friday afternoon and Sunday evening.) I'm pretty sure I can manage pressing out the old cups - IF I can get the axle out to begin with (or getting medieval on the joint with a wafer-disc...which has a certain appeal, because why mess with a careful extraction of a part that's going in my steel scrap bin as soon as I can wrest it loose?)

Is there a point to spending the $$$ for a ready-to-install axle? If so, what's to know about its correct ID?

I'd appreciate even knowing for sure just the U-joint p/n - I mean, the nomenclature is just all over the place, it seems...this isn't the "drive shaft" per se, but then again, it IS...and yes, I do have ABS...but there's a housing that extends apparently ALL the way from the front diff to each hub, so I have no idea how long the actual shaft is going to be until I get into pulling it out...

Hasta - Dave
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I don't recommend the steering-box press trick. A co-worker wrecked his steering box doing that. I do suggest you get a spare unit bearing because you may damage it trying to remove. One buddy bolted a spare/junk rotor on backwards so there was a surface to hammer on.

If the ujoint cup hasnt fallen out, the axle shafts yokes should be ok. They should all be the same length from 94-99. I forget if ABS makes the stub axle different.

It is also possible to get halfway done and drive, with only 2wd. The stub axle should go back in to make sure the unit bearing cannot separate, and the axle tube can be plugged off to keep gear oil in.

Thanks, but ugh...I can't really picture the "unit bearing" you mention - where it lives, what it does.

My take on the basics of this assembly was much simpler: there's an outboard shaft bearing, in the form of the (obviously-whacked-out) U-joint.
And on the inboard end, there's an un-see-able, deep-inside-the-diff-tube inner bearing, of some kind, but which I'm praying won't matter for my task...because the axle I'm dealing with is going to be splined, and slides within that bearing inside some kind of a carrier, while the whole mysterious inner end is somehow sealed (still un-see-able).
I got this impression from what appear to be likely replacement shafts on RockAuto - but there are several that are described as if they're for my model, and they look entirely different, and costs are all over the map.
My axle has rigid welded tubes that extend nearly out to the U-joints, so there can't be any SIMPLE removal of a bolted-up inner axle joint if that's what I'm up against - it'd get ugly really quick with my ghetto work conditions (steep, rutted dirt-and-gravel driveway that's often...moist...)
If it's really just a splined inner end, then I'm thinking "KISS:" get the damned U-joint replacement, deal with the swearing and bashing of extraction, whisper sweet nothings into it as I coax a new U-joint into place, and be done with it.

All well and good, but I still have almost no idea what I'm up against in terms of disassembly. And I've again searched for videos, and it appears there's nothing for 2nd (or first) generation, which seems really odd to me. I'd settle for some still shots, even, at this point. Anyone?

How do I even ID my axle?

Aloha - Dave

There are 4 bolts on the back side of the rotor you have to remove I believe they are 10mm 12 point (I used 3/8 drive) you also need to go on the axle shaft and remove the "box" the contains the slip joint that slides between the inner shaft and the outer shaft that engages the 4x4. (once you are under it, it will be self-explanatory, it has a couple of vacuum hoses running to it) then it is a matter of driving the rotor and hub assembly off. you cannot get just the bearing it comes as a hub unit and they are a pain as the hub fits tightly and it will have some rust so be persistent. Hope this helps.

"unit bearing" aka wheel bearing.

These are now a bolt-on assembly with the flange holding the wheel studs.... rather than loose bearings you pack with grease and assemble yourself.

Oh, I see! Def didn't know about that. Also hope not to find out the hard way how much one o' them costs.

I don't know why I didn't recall that yes, I was looking at the splined end of the same shaft (with now-destroyed U-joint) when I followed some guidance here to mechanically defeat the 4WD disconnect that had become really flaky, probably due to some vacuum-leak issue...but that was quite some time ago. There was a selector fork that could be flipped around to STOP it from opening the mechanical connection between two shafts; that's what I recall doing now. Thanks for pointing that out.

This still isn't clear to me. What bearing are you referring to? Videos of not-my-year versions all seem to show some form of breaking the rusty friction-bound joint between two plates (I won't try to use the correct terminology) after removing four bolts. And not that this wouldn't be enough to worry about, but is there more to fight with?

RockAuto sells an almost-$500 "delete kit" for that 4WD splined-disconnect item, including a blanking plate, etc, so it seems like deleting is well-sanctioned by the aftermarket parts industry. But if my yoke is salvageable (U-joint cups appear to be intact, that is) then is there some other benefit to this mod?

Thanks - Dave

Because of the axle design on these Dodges... hub, wheel bearing, and unit bearing are all referring to the same packaged part assembly.

I don't think he is changing the wheel bearing. I believe it is the outboard u joint he is dealing with. That said you can pull the hub rotor assembly and axel in one piece but I have found it is easier to remove the 1 ton adapter then the nut on the end of the axel shaft, after getting the hub it's self loose (many cuss words required here) either slide the hub and short axle out as one piece then tap on the end of the axle to remove from the hub assembly. When reinstalling you will have to remove that cover for the fork to reinstall the axle shaft into the slide collar. A lot easier with 2 people for that but can be done by yourself, oh and you have a Dana 60 in the front of that.

When the bearing is seized in the knuckle, the pounding required to dislodge it is most likely going to damage the bearing. Might not find out until reassembled and it dies 20 miles later.

Thanks, guys - OK, I get that I should be prepared to maybe deal with bearing change, too. I'm looking at those complete kits with rotors now, too, since my visible pad looks pretty thin - but also trying to control my "repair creep" tendency...shiny and new stuff, right?

If there's some risk to using PS pressure to (I guess) essentially press the "1 ton adapter" (?) "out," away from the frame, occurs to me I do have a smattering of porta-power stuff that might be cobbled up to assist. I also like that approach in that I can be right there, watching, while pressuring up, and thus maybe not damage something just because I couldn't see it from the driver's side while "steering" the components apart. Anyway, will it be obvious what needs to be pushed on, and from what stable perch the pushing can be done? I dunno, maybe it'll be obvious once I get into it.

Doing all of this on a steep dirt & gravel driveway that might get soaked with rain isn't my idea of weekend fun...I'd bring it to a shop if I could find one that'd work on my "classic," but I couldn't, last time I called all over.

Yikes...more to worry about. But I don't *think* I've got any wheel-bearing problems. Is this still a real concern?

Another concerning issue: I use 4WD daily, though only for 70 feet or so, to get down my absurd driveway in the AM, then I back up the same driveway in the PM. Now, one of the ancient problems that came up before I bypassed that...wait, it just came back to me: that CAD (can't remember what that stands for, though) was a JOLT that would occur maybe a hundred feet after disengaging 4WD. Well, that started happening in a much more noticeable way, to the point where this AM, it was so strong that I wondered if it had bent the yoke. I creep down the driveway, stop at the bottom, go to N, disengage, then shift back into drive, then head up the road quite slowly (5-10mph since it's so quiet at that hour and the road's one lane). And it's been totally predictable, within say 50', that I'm going to get that jolt/clunk. Surely it's recently worse because of the new slop in the U-joint, but is there always some measure of that delayed, jarring clunk from disengaging 4WD?