Front Axle U-Joint Replacement
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 383
Likes: 3
you dont take the unit bearing apart or anything. it just fits on the end. if those needles get flat spots on them they chew up the axle shaft.....
its just a standard bearing..... see it? hope this helps.....
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 19,055
Likes: 235
From: Saratoga Springs,UT
I think I sucked it out with my vacume brake bleeder then installed new oil. You may be able to pull the return line from the steering box to the resivoir and drain it from there. I used the Valvoline stuff in the silver grey plastic bottle. I use that on my other rigs and it seems to work well My oil was pretty dark and burnt smelling when I changed it. My steering was getting weird. I thought it was my steering box at 1st. So I tried the flush and it worked.
so was it just vavoline PS fluid or a tranny fluid of some type
I need to do it Im shure it gets sheared alittle in the pump
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 19,055
Likes: 235
From: Saratoga Springs,UT
sorry....I expain things bad sometimes....There is another bearing inside the unit bearing.... two bearings total.....
you dont take the unit bearing apart or anything. it just fits on the end. if those needles get flat spots on them they chew up the axle shaft.....
its just a standard bearing..... see it? hope this helps.....
you dont take the unit bearing apart or anything. it just fits on the end. if those needles get flat spots on them they chew up the axle shaft.....
its just a standard bearing..... see it? hope this helps.....
thats the one I was thinking you were talking about thanks for the pic reps to you
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 19,055
Likes: 235
From: Saratoga Springs,UT
I think its a balljoint or tierod or even a steering gearbox issue
have you tried a PS fluid flush like rocknut suggested
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 550
Likes: 0
From: Sioux City, IA
I would replace the needle bearing its only 10 bucks and will save a 200 dollar axle.
grease the snot out of it....
I would put the truck on stands turn the wheel left or right.
lock in the hubs manually and put a prybar thru one axle joint. to keep it from moving. then spin the opposite tire. if it is binding on you spinning it by hand then that is the joint that is bad.
to turn right or left it dont matter to the joints both move off of centerline to acomplish the turn.
grease the snot out of it....
I would put the truck on stands turn the wheel left or right.
lock in the hubs manually and put a prybar thru one axle joint. to keep it from moving. then spin the opposite tire. if it is binding on you spinning it by hand then that is the joint that is bad.
to turn right or left it dont matter to the joints both move off of centerline to acomplish the turn.
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 383
Likes: 3
just to be clear....was the prybar on the passenger side? if so yes it will not turn at all...they bar needs to be locking the opposite wheel. and you left the truck in 2wd on the dash. should be able to spin the tires with your hand turning the front driveshaft.
if you didnt then I would say you have a u joint problem.
if you didnt then I would say you have a u joint problem.
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 550
Likes: 0
From: Sioux City, IA
2wd on the dash. hubs manually locked. both tires in the air. passenger wheel wouldn't spin even without the pry bar. i'm going to replace the passenger side u-joint and ball joints for now.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
If you have the truck jacked up the front hubs locked in and in 2wd. If you spin one tire clock wise the other tire should turn counter clockwise if you have an open differential. If you have a locker in the front and it's engaged both tires should turn the same way. If you can't get it to turn make sure your brakes are not dragging. If you pry the calipers apart and it still won't turn you may have a froze up stub shaft bearing or a differential problem. Even if the u-joint is froze up The axle will still turn if your tires are in a straight line. Since the u-joint does not move when in a straight line.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
sounds like u-joints then. At full turn the u-joints are pretty much at there max working angle and work hard to rotate. So if they are froze up it may not want to turn. Most of the u-joints I've had problems with don't freeze up they get dry and rusty then wear the needle bearings down to the point your trunion is against the caps and you have slop in the u-joint itself. But I have seen froze u-joints mainly just from sitting with no grease in them.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
I had to look I use The Valvoline Synpower synthetic power steering fluid.