My front right u-joint is making noise and getting worse, so is time to replace it I guess. It's on a 1998 Ram 1500 4X4 with the 5.9L if that makes any difference. I haven't looked at it as of yet and never done a Ram one yet, so I figured I would get the great advise from this forum first so I know first what I'm getting into. Is this one that the whole axle pulls out of to do or different? Please let me know ASAP as I'm hoping to do it Sunday or Monday if I'm not trucking for those days.

Thanks in advance!!

 

Someone else posted this and it helped me, take a look.

http://www.pavementsucks.com/tech/hub.php

 

It's pretty basic, I had to do both of mine abouta year ago. The only problem I ran into was trying to get the hub-nut off. Mine was an 1 11/16 socket and after pulling the brake calipers and rotor and everything else off I couldnt break it loose. I ended up having to put it all back together and have somebody depress the brake pedel to hold the axel shaft from spinning. So I would suggest pulling the tire off the get the hub cover off and actually putting the tire back on, take it off the jack and then break it loose. The only other problem I ran into was the (3) twelve point bolts on the back of the spindle were pretty well rusted on and so it took some leverage. Other than that it should slip right out, axel shaft and all.

 

Not hard job.. But do not use hammer on anything but the bolts in the back ..to get the hub out..
Beating on the hub bearing will cause it to fail alot faster.. then they already do...
Was told to use air hammer to remove hub .. worked perfect..and came out real easy...
also had problems with the 3 bolts holding it in... really really really tight...lol

 

Yeah, I need to go to Napa or somewhere tomorrow to get a 1 11/16 socket. I don't have one big enough. I did break the 3 back bolts loose and actually bent a good Matco wrench that I used. I have NEVER bent a box end wrench before. I put two wrenches together for the leverage and bent the main one. I didn't have a 14mm 12pt socket, so I used my good box end/open end wrenches instead. Well should be done sometime tomorrow morning, I hope.

 

Tighter than a nuns **** father!

 

when I replaced mine I left the nut on the shaft. it keeps the wheelbearing from accidentally costing you more money. The nut holds it together then I use a 14mm socket an hammer to beat one the bolts. With a big hammer an common sense it will fly apart. Put the axel shaft in a vice the the nut comes off. then do your ujoints. i have pictures of the whole proceedure. it may be in a previous thread from two weeks ago.. if you wanna see them pm me an there all yours

 

Well it's now apart. Talk about tight!! Holy $h!t. A 300# guy on a 4' pipe and it finaly broke loose. Then a good 1 - 2 hours with a chisle, crowbar, and a BFH(big fricken hammer, for the ones that may not know). Then a hydraulic press to get the u-joints pressed out with a big loud bang. There was NO way a socket and hammer was going to do that joint. A damn good thing for a good neighbor with a farmer friend with big tools. Should be back together later today/Tuesday, I pray.

 

Well my neighbor just cost me $40 on another u-joint and having to have a garage press another new one in it. I have ALWAYS done my own mechanical work as I was a wheeled mechanic in the Army and at a couple used car lots. I didn't have the 1 11/16 socket that I needed and the neighbor had a semi so I figured I would ask him if he had that sized socket. Nope, he didn't but he insisted that he could get one and would help. I always mow part of their yard that connects to mine and snowblow his walks, so he wanted to re-pay me, so to speak. Yeah, he got the axle nut loose, but screwed it up so that cost me $25 for a new one. Then he insisted on using his friends press and they "knew" what they were doing with it. My axle was dropped back off this morning with "A" u-joint in it, but NOT the new one I gave them. Mine had yellow rubber grease seals on them and they somehow turned black. I have a feeling that the screwed up the one I gave them so instead of telling me they picked up another one or one this guy had on his farm and attempted to put it in. ONLY had 1 clip put on right, 2 of them were between the rubber seal and cap, and 1 was gone and not even on. I noticed this right away so I wasn't going to mess with it. I took it to the town garage and him and I took the caps off and some of the needle bearings were missing, and one was under the joint and broke. So now it's costing me another u-joint and the garage charge to install it the right way into my axle. I even gave my neighbor $10 for gas in his car to go out to his friends farm. I'm pissed!! NOBODY touches my truck and "F's" up on it. I will NEVER allow this neighbor to ever repay a favor unles it's something that doesn't have a motor and wheels. I had a gut feeling, but I didn't have the needed tools at this place, so I let my gaurd down, and it now cost me. The most expensive u-joint I have ever had to replace. I would of been farther ahead to just take the new u-joint and axle to the local garage and paid him $25 to do it and it would of been done, as it's costing me that anyways now, plus the screwed up joint, neighbors gas money, and another new joint. I now know that I should of just went out and bought the sized socket I needed and NEVER went to the neighbor to see if he had one.

I guess we all learn from our mistakes, thus the reason I ALWAYS have done ALL my own mechanical work.

It should now be back together later today/Wednesday.