Front end rebuild on 2004 Doge RAM 2500 has begun, Lessons Learned, and New Questions
i tried changing my u joints last night..... for the life of me i cannot get the hub separated from the steering knuckle......... i'm afraid of damaging the hub, and or steering knuckle.. i bet i spent an hour with an air hammer, and chissel tip between the knuckle, and the hub, and it didn't move, or even crack the rust around the edges.... it's an 05 with 46,000 miles ram 2500 hd 9.25 front diff., i bought it used less than a week ago, i emailed the dealer i bought it from to see what my warranty covers....... if i have to spend any money, i'm doing them myself...... will the axle shaft fit threw the hub hole, without taking the ball joints loose?? i think i may have to to torch the joints, drop the ball joints, and tie rod, and press the hub out of the steering knuckle off the truck if possible..... and if i have to do all that i am putting hubs in it to, and i am going to clean everything, maybe paint it, and load it all with never seize so if i have to do it again, it might come apart............. upstate ny good ole road salt, but it was a pa truck, and it's sat most of it's life, wich is sometimes worse than salt. is it possible to change the joints in the truck?? thought of that to, lol.
Last edited by rebeltaz83; Jun 3, 2014 at 07:31 PM. Reason: miss spelling
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Well, I will post one video and one article below. The first video is the technique I used. And then I would switch from that and hit the hubs with an air hammer, and then the technique from the video, and then the air hammer... You get the picture. Eventually they worked loose. Also, when you use that power steering method from the video, you need to give it a half man sized turn. Also, on the air hammer I used this tool: http://www.genosgarage.com/LISLE-382.../#.U48alWgo7IU
and when I used the method from the video below, I used this tool: http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/print...&email=true#Li
I don't think I would have been able to do the job without these two tools to be honest.
Again, the technique in the video below AND then switching every once in a while with the air hammer is what worked for me. Those two tools I put above are a necessity in my mind.
Now, somebody will inevitably say that you don't need the snap on tool - that you can use a combo of a socket and socket extension. But honestly, good luck there. That snap on tool I posted above is made for your truck and fits perfect. You can make the call.
Once I cracked the hubs I used the article below to change out my ball joints. The U Joints were interesting demons. Not sure I will ever really attempt to actually change those out myself ever again really. I am going to take the axle shafts to a machine shop next time and have them do it for 15 bucks
Hope this helps.
The video for the hub cracking I followed:
In general, I used this article to do my ball joints: http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/3r...-write-up.html
and when I used the method from the video below, I used this tool: http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/print...&email=true#Li
I don't think I would have been able to do the job without these two tools to be honest.
Again, the technique in the video below AND then switching every once in a while with the air hammer is what worked for me. Those two tools I put above are a necessity in my mind.
Now, somebody will inevitably say that you don't need the snap on tool - that you can use a combo of a socket and socket extension. But honestly, good luck there. That snap on tool I posted above is made for your truck and fits perfect. You can make the call.
Once I cracked the hubs I used the article below to change out my ball joints. The U Joints were interesting demons. Not sure I will ever really attempt to actually change those out myself ever again really. I am going to take the axle shafts to a machine shop next time and have them do it for 15 bucks
Hope this helps.
The video for the hub cracking I followed:
In general, I used this article to do my ball joints: http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/3r...-write-up.html
Well, I will post one video and one article below. The first video is the technique I used. And then I would switch from that and hit the hubs with an air hammer, and then the technique from the video, and then the air hammer... You get the picture. Eventually they worked loose. Also, when you use that power steering method from the video, you need to give it a half man sized turn. Also, on the air hammer I used this tool: http://www.genosgarage.com/LISLE-382.../#.U48alWgo7IU
and when I used the method from the video below, I used this tool: http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/print...&email=true#Li
I don't think I would have been able to do the job without these two tools to be honest.
Again, the technique in the video below AND then switching every once in a while with the air hammer is what worked for me. Those two tools I put above are a necessity in my mind.
Now, somebody will inevitably say that you don't need the snap on tool - that you can use a combo of a socket and socket extension. But honestly, good luck there. That snap on tool I posted above is made for your truck and fits perfect. You can make the call.
Once I cracked the hubs I used the article below to change out my ball joints. The U Joints were interesting demons. Not sure I will ever really attempt to actually change those out myself ever again really. I am going to take the axle shafts to a machine shop next time and have them do it for 15 bucks
Hope this helps.
The video for the hub cracking I followed: Dodge ram 2500 hub - YouTube
In general, I used this article to do my ball joints: http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/3r...-write-up.html
and when I used the method from the video below, I used this tool: http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/print...&email=true#Li
I don't think I would have been able to do the job without these two tools to be honest.
Again, the technique in the video below AND then switching every once in a while with the air hammer is what worked for me. Those two tools I put above are a necessity in my mind.
Now, somebody will inevitably say that you don't need the snap on tool - that you can use a combo of a socket and socket extension. But honestly, good luck there. That snap on tool I posted above is made for your truck and fits perfect. You can make the call.
Once I cracked the hubs I used the article below to change out my ball joints. The U Joints were interesting demons. Not sure I will ever really attempt to actually change those out myself ever again really. I am going to take the axle shafts to a machine shop next time and have them do it for 15 bucks
Hope this helps.
The video for the hub cracking I followed: Dodge ram 2500 hub - YouTube
In general, I used this article to do my ball joints: http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/3r...-write-up.html