So I just returned from up north and it is time for what sounds like U-joints on the front axel again...this will be the 4th set of U-joints on this truck. why do these dang trucks have such terrible front ends? I don't plow with my truck, I don't go off roading and abuse my truck, I don't really even use 4wd unless the roads are terribly icy out and the trailer is in tow. So what gives? The truck only has 89K on it and I have owned it since new. This last set of Joints were just put on it in 8-29-11 so less than 5 months they are gone...come on.

 

Are you using greasable joints? How about adding a little dab inside the cup before installing them? I had some Precision greasable joints on my front axle shafts for about 5 yrs before replacing them with some Neapcos about 4 months ago....figured since I was having to do a complete front end rebuild I might as well do the joints too.

When I pulled the factory joints out brown and red powder fell out of the bearing cups....I could not believe a ujoint would be that dry. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised after seeing the rear driveshaft joints do the same thing. The dealership had to torch the 1st set of factory joints from the yoke. They were basically welded together from the inside....they were that bad....and at only 30k miles to boot.

 

Yeah they are MOAG u joints with grease zerks on them. I personally don't put them on, I have it done by a mechanic, he has warrantied them the last two times for me but it is a PIA to be w/o my truck while he fixes them. I make sure they get greased at every oil change too. I just don't understand why it goes throught them so often sounds like a design flaw to me. Any one else have hungry front end issues..?

 

What's a MOAG ujoint? Never heard of it.

If you don't install high quality joints and do it correctly you will have issues.

Sounds like you have a parts\installation failure there.

 

SO I am open to sugestions here...I am just tired of taking it in for this same damb problem..

 

Spicer u-joints to start with. If the original installation was done with heat to remove the old u-joints it may mean new axle shafts.

Need to figure out whether it is the parts that are failing or something causing it. How often and hard do you use 4 wheel drive?

 

I only use 4wd when it is really icy. Maybe 15-20 times a year. I definelty do not use it hard or do a lot of wheeling as I use this truck as my daily driver too. Hunting season it gets used to drive accross a feild of CRP to pick up a deer maybee, Snowmobile season it gets used to haul a trailer around, and when the roads get where you can't drive more than 45mph I will turn it on to get moving or to pass someone in the snow covered lane, then turn it back off as it cuts down on mileage. Over all this truck is babied, for a 3/4 ton diesel truck.

 

I would go with different joints. I use my truck about like yours, periodic use of 4x4, no wheeling, and heavy use in 4x4. I have put a tota of 3 joints in the front axles in 190k. I have one that is a nin greasable higher quality joint that we exta greased the cups with synthetic grease. It outlasted a cheap greasable on the other side.

Spicer Lifetime non greasable joints and make sure the cups are packed with high quality grease seems to be as a good a choice as any.

If the MUAG you mentinoned is actually MOOG get some different joints. Moog quality is suspect.

 

300,000 k just replaced them because i had to do the ball joints but still where good used spicer stick with what works