MTC

About 2 years ago I had my right front axle u-joint replaced at the tune of $400....now I'm having the start of the same problem on the drivers side.

My question: Is there anything I can do (ie. spray it with lubricant? grease?) to make it last a little longer? I dont have the $400 right now to have it repaired. The mechanics who fixed it the last time said that it was a bull of a job...they said that they never want to see anything like that again.

Since the mechanics had such a hard time with all their tools and lifts, I;m alittle scared to try fixing it myself.

Well, is there anything I can do to nurse it, or do I need to bite the bullet and get it fixed?

sea prowler

a good quality brand name u joint with a grease nipple well looked after will give alot of service.If their bad replace no way to patch.

reddodge225

I've owned three dodges, so I've become pretty familiar with this problem. My first piece of advice that I learned is that if you drive one of these trucks the best thing you can do is learn to make these repairs yourself if you have the facility and tools available. I just replaced a u-joint a few months ago and all it cost me was I think around 75 bucks with a joint from napa with a grease fitting. The next thing is that once you get everything pulled apart when you begin putting it back together find a thing of anti seize, and you'll see why i say this when you go to do it again next time. I'm not a mechanic by no means, but I believe I could take apart a dodge front end blind folded. All you need is a blow torch to heat it and break things loose, a hammer, some anti seize, and a nice cold 12 pack to help you remain calm cause it's goin to push you to the limit like your mechanic said.

rootkit

Talk to George over at 8lug truck gear he will get you the right u joints.
As for replacing them... I dont know yet but if its anything like my 1500 on the drive shaft just takes time.

this time around i plan on taking the axle shaft out and having a shop press the old one out and the new one in. Should be less then 15mins vs wacking at it for 45mins with a few deep sockets and a 5lb hammer.

Pep boys said it would cost about 20 bucks for press it out and in. Seems like a deal to me vs 400 bucks.

OR go to harbor freight and get there 5ton press for 100 bucks =D

MTC

Thanks for the replies....I just went out and checked the front end. Its actually the passenger side front axle u-joint AGAIN!

It was replaced 17K miles ago last year!!! Now its bad AGAIN!

What would cause the same u-joint to go bad in one year and only 17K miles of use??????

Rob's Red Ram

Ditto what Rootkit said .Contact 8lug and they will set you up with good ujoints.Thats what i did .Spicer life joints non greasable.Seem heavyduty.

rootkit

Are you in 4wheel drive a lot? Hard turning at high torque moments will do it.
Also a crap install will do it.

torquefan

x2 on the Spicer Life NON-greasable joints. Those are the only ones I'll use. Seen way too many greasable joints fail early because they have lousy seals, and all the water, slush and junk gets in too easy. Put a Spicer Life joint beside any jobber store joint (Precision, etc.) and you'll be pretty amazed at the difference in quality.

MTC

Average use on the 4x4...I do tow a trailer just about everyday from April to November. There is alot of turning and backing while turning...I would think a 3500 heavy duty would handle it though.

I had the entire front end (ball joints etc) done under warranty at 35K...axle u-joint at 47K and now the same axle u-joint again at 65K.

Oh well, I still love the truck and how it performs...Just this front end is killing me.

torquefan

The problem if you are having the axle joints done under warranty, is that they are most likely still replacing them with the trouble-prone AAM joints. There's just way better stuff out there that they could be replacing them with.

Red Goat

Very interesting!
I had my left one go at 102k miles last year and had local garage install new greasable one.
Now at 112k miles the click is back and went back to garage expecting right side to be gone which it is.
I checked the 1 year old left one to find its gone again as well!
Something not adding up here!
I dont use the truck off road and it is very rare to even be in 4 wheel drive and has never been used in 4 wheel low range.
Would the factory ones be these spicer ones, anybody know? and who carries them?
Thanks

mini14

id be thinking the stub shaft needs replacing, the yoke might not be true. Happened to me.......aam garbage

torquefan

Yep that's really common with the greasable ones. They have really flimsy seals because they need to be able to vent the grease as you pump it in. So they aren't real good at keeping out all the bad stuff.
The factory ones aren't Spicers on the third gen trucks, they are AAM joints. That's when the failures started, in 2003 when Dodge switched to AAM. The Spicers aren't as easy to find at jobber stores, I think a lot of people think they'll be further ahead spending $12 on a cheap Precision joint. There was mention a few posts back of an outfit that sells the Spicers though.

nickg

x2 on using the spicer joints only, greasable precision are junk and I've changed enough to know.

heres a picture I've posted more than once of a precision joint used in my 01 truck that was greased monthly (truck used commercially). just because its greased does not mean that the grease makes it to the cups



grease would only come out of one cup!

the plastic plate has a nossel that gets easily plugged, cant explain how or why they do but they do, I have tried on in a 3rd gen that I drilled it out so the grease would make it to the cups, it did help but the joint failed just over a yr later (in my truck they lasted typically every 8-9months)


drilled out

dieselfreak21

400 is robbery. Joint and Labor for mine was 185. Find a better and cheaper shop that knows what they are doing. You can do it your self as well with by losing the 4 nuts that hold the unit bearing in. Do a search for more details.