i have a 77 4x4 i need to change my front ujoints and have never done it before is it hard to do or is it very time consuming

 

Depending on how rusty they are it can be time consuming.
Things to buy ahead of time: Hub seal, U-joint, wheel bearing grease, 4wd bearing socket (2", with 4 prong). If you want to replace the bearings while you're in there, go for it.

I would highly recommend getting a 4wd spindle puller from autozone with the slide hammer and a u-joint/ball joint press. You can rent them there.

Here's what you do, after jacking it up:
-Drain the differential
-Remove wheel/tire
-Remove caliper key locknut (on the bottom of the caliper bracket)
-Grab some wire. Remove caliper key using a punch. Be careful because your caliper will fall DO NOT LET IT HANG BY THE HOSE.
-Use the wire to tie your caliper to the frame out of the way
-If you have internal locking hubs, lock them, if you have external I believe you unlock them?
-Remove the 6 hex head capscrews from the locking hub and remove the chrome part, the locking handle and the o ring
-Remove the axle snapring
-Remove the outer snapring
-Remove the cam and retainer
-Remove the sleeve and most of the time the ring will come out with it because of the spring behind it.
-Remove the spring and the cup it sits on
-Remove bearing locknut
-Remove bearing retainer doohickey. Helps if you've got picks to pull it out
-Remove bearing preload locknut
-The hub/rotor will come off as one assembly
-Remove spindle nuts
-Soak the spindle from the front and back with the penetrating oil of your choice
-Attach the spindle puller and yank away. Have fun.
-Once you have the spindle off, you can take off the dust shield and caliper bracket
-Slide the axleshaft out.
-Use the u-joint press to pop out the old ujoint and cups. If you're going to heat it up use propane, MAPP at the most. Using a real torch will heat the ears up to much and weaken them.
-If you're replacing the bearings and races, use a chisel to knock the old hub seal off. You can also use a self tapping screw in it, don't mess up the hub though.
-Pound the old races out. You can use a punch here, don't knick the inner part of the hub.
-Put the new races in using a press or BRASS DRIFT.
-Pack the bearings
-Put the new seal in using a seal installer or nylon hammer

Installation is the reverse of assembly. Put the proper torque on everything and your home trees, boys.

 

It's not hard at all if you have the proper tools, it's really a great time to inspect your front axle. You get to remove inspect and repack your wheel bearings, get new seals. Other than a socket to fit your spindle nuts the rest just requires basic tool that you should have. Doing this job yourself is a great money saver. Very important and i'm assuming you have a dana44, use DanaSpicer u-joints part# 5-760X you may want to look close at your spindle bearings as they suffer when u-joint fail the kit that includes the spindle bearings and seal should be on your parts list along with u-joints,inner wheel bearing seals a tub of quality grease and lots of shop rags. Sometimes the spindles can be a bear to get off but i would not worry about that at this point. Pick a stable area and always use jackstands! I'd be happy to help along the way if needed. Have Fun

 

No need to Drain the differential if you have your axle level.

 

to me it looks like it can be done without pulling all of that apart.

 

Explain, or better take photos it will be interesting to see. Good Luck

 

If you are referring to the front driveshaft's universal joints. Then all you have to do is unbolt it to replace them.

If you are talking about the axle joints, aka the steering joints, you will have to what wyked outlined.

 

Good catch! I just assumed he meant axle

 

I did mean axle I just glanced at them it looked like it was close but might be possible

 

It's in the thread title lol

 

Not many adhere to 'proper nomenclature so I figured I would check.

 

im just trying to get this axle by for now since its winter here and my truck is crap to drive in the snow. pry just tires this spring im going to rebuild one and gear it out of a donor that i picked up for a couple hundred. the reason i need to replace the knuckles are because when i changed the tranny i noticed a cap had come out on one side and both are shot

 

I assume you meant u-joint not knuckles, you got the best advice in this thread, the rest is up to you just make sure you don't use 4wd or you may be replacing knuckles and more.