ok... this randomly started 3 days ago... and I can't always get it to do it.

When I turn hard to the left it starts making a knocking noise. At first it sounded like my brake calipers were loose or something. I noticed it also when I was braking and it was slippy and dry and my tires slid a bit till it was dry and when it hit just the wet pavment it grabbed and made the knocking sound.

I tried it in 4wheel and then put it in 2 wheel drive and it went away... put it back in 4 wheel and no sound again. (it is snowing so very slick)
So i was thinking it might have something to do with the 4wheel drive being engaged.... but im thinking that just makes the actual problem worse because I'm turning tighter in 4wheel.

I put it in park and turned my wheel all the way to the left and got it to knock when I did that... but couldn't get it to do it again until i was driving. Then its kind of hit or miss... sometimes it makes noise... sometimes it doesn't... Didn't look like anything was loose in there that I could tell...

Any thoughts? I was thinking cv joints? is there anyway to check if thats what it is?

Its a '99 dodge ram 1500 with about 91,000 miles on it.

thanks

 

you dont have any cv joints other than the one on the front drive shaft where it bolts to the t-case, it sounds like you have a front axle shaft u-joint going bad...

 

agree, you typically will only hear the knock when 4x4 is engaged bc there is torque on the universal.

 

haha I'm an idiot... no wonder i was having a hard time finding any info on this.... just goes to show the bad info out on the internet...

ok so we are talking about this thing.....



Can I change this myself? Do I need any special tools? And should I replace anything else while im in there? and do i need to do both sides at the same time?

 

that is a u-joint but the pic shows what looks like a rear drive shaft, you need the u-joint for the axle shaft inside the front axle, can be done your self, pull the tire&wheel, brake caliper, and wheel bearing, then the shaft will come out, but better have a torch handy to get it apart

 

a torch to get the caps off the u joint to get it out? I'm in wisconsin so I'm sure its rusted as F@#K.

so the shaft just pulls out when you get all that off? Do I need a tool to pull the wheel bearing, or replace them with new bearings when I put it back together? I just watched a couple video's on changin the U joint... but they are not quite 99 dodge ram specific.. but i get the general idea.

 

When you get the hub bearing off,Move the u-joint with your hand both ways and diagonal(sp?)before you pull the axle out.If they move easily with no play or binding,It's probably not the problem.I've seen them last from 10k-350k depending on use and conditions.Wisconson is probably rough on them with lots of 4x4 use and salty roads.Check the hub bearings as soon as you jack it up,grab the tire at the top and bottom,and try to move it up and down.If you don't feel any play they're good.

 

get some good penetrating oil to break the hub nut loose as well.

 

I have not dug into anything related to the axel or anything like that on my truck yet... outside ot changing the brakes....

can anyone point me in the right direction of a nice exploded diagram of how the hub, and all that stuff is assembled. Are there torque specs for that stuff when I put it back together?

 

here you go.
http://www.rm-indy.com/wavefiles/2001ramsrvcmanual.zip


lots of good how-to's here. see the tech tab for the index.
http://www.pavementsucks.com/tech-article-3.html
http://www.pavementsucks.com/tech-article-5.html