Hey! Small time mechanic here, still learning lots, but I recently bought my grandfather's dodge, and it needs some love! I got it running smooth, but my 4x4 seems to be a bit sticky and clunky, so here's the wave: when I shift either into 4hi or 4lo, i can feel it binding/clunking on the left CV joint, and it's even louder in reverse. My big question is, should I just replace my front driveshaft/u joints and boots, or do I need to open my diff/CV joint and hub to get a better look? Maybe even the 4x4 actuator? I just don't want to pay an arm and a leg if I can fix it myself, any help would be awesome!

 

I would be tempted to jack it up, turn the wheels slightly, then spin things, and see what ya get.

 

Alright thank you man, ya I was planning on doing it this next friday so I can buy tools, and I'm on crutches hahahaa, the mechanic told my mum it's metal on metal and it needs a new bearing, she said the mechanic pointed it out, and when she pointed it out to me she was pointing at the ****ing CV joint, so that's why I'm so confused as to what's grinding

 

Why are you on crutches?? Think I would be lookin' for a tool monkey. Someone to hand them to you as you need them. Makes life for us cripples a LOT easier. (I have MS, so, the whole getting up and down thing is a major exercise......)

 

I slipped in a boot bath at work, and pulled ligaments in my foot, can't put weight on it anymore, but man ms is serious stuff, nothing compared to my foot, I mainly deal with carpel tunnel in the hands it's nasty, can't hold a coffee mug in the morning, surgery twice for my wrists in Edmonton and they're still just as bad, so I understand the hardship of wrenching under strain of your own machine. we dont come with manuals ya know and a tool monkey would be a good idea hahaa my name's Griff by the way nice to meet you over forum, world's a damn cool place haha

 

What's a 'boot bath'??

Yeah, I dealt with carpal tunnel a few times when I was doing machine work on a production line. No fun at all, and one of the reasons I got out of that line of work. Got away from working on the dark greasy shapes altogether eventually, and got into computers. Now all I have to worry about is dust. (and some of the weird stuff you find inside machines, when cleaning them out......) My MS isn't as bad as some. I can still move around under my own power, can still do most things, I just have limited use of my right side. It only works about 60-70% of 'normal'. Getting older doesn't help either. (just turned 59) Still work part-time, and still play with my toys. (computers, mostly)

I'm Brian. Pleased ta meet ya.

I think the word I would use to describe the world would be "odd".