I just noticed a clicking sound from my front axle on the passenger side. grabbed the axle and it moves side to side and in and out, anyone know what kind of job i am up against. I should have mentioned the problem is with a 98 1500 4x4

 

Sounds like a bad u joint.

 

yes thats what i was thinking kinda a dumb ? but is that a hazard i have to use this truck for a few days before i wll have a chance at changing it

 

Depends on how bad it is... If the joint fails completely, the job gets a LOT more expensive very quickly.

 

Ujoints are 15 for cheapos and 35 for good ones. Get the good ones 5-760x Spicer. But the job is a lot bigger. It's mostly labor if you're having it done.

 

If the joint breaks steering can lock up (and shafts get trashed and wb bolts get boogered) BUT I'm not 100% confident with the details given for diagnosis. The axle(s) will always move a little bit (granted, less so with the unit bearing and the way the stub is held tight on these trucks) but what you want to do is grab the stub with one hand and the inner with the other and twist/rock. You should not see the ears of one axle move a single bit without the ears of the other moving exactly the same amount ....IOW zero play in the u-joint itself.

I agree it's likely a u-joint but be sure before you fix what isn't broken.

I'd personally only put a 5-760X in there, don't just accept whatever garbage the parts store has on the shelf

 

I can detest to that! This is what chepo u joints look like after about a year and a half. The spicers have been in there for the last 20 years!