How does that happen? I figured maybe just the passenger side was bad and I would just have to do pads and rotors on the driver side. Well I checked the driver side axle u-joint and it was shot as well. I pulled it out and put it in the vise. The other end wouldn't budge at the joint, even with a blow from a hammer. Is it possible that one was bad but when the other one also froze up it was too much for the steering box and that's why I started to get the steering issues all of a sudden?? The axle u-joints wouldn't be nearly that bad if they had the interior clips on the joint but this axle has them on the outside. They barely fit. A couple I don't think ever even seated the whole way. I tried knocking them in with a socket about the same diameter but that didn't do much either. Is it common for both axle u-joints to completely lock up like that together??

 

Lack of use and lack of grease

 

Yep, dried up U-joints in the front axle is normal for these trucks, I have had to replaced all of them in every single TTB truck I have owned.

 

I guess lack of use makes sense. The guy I bought it from only put about 5k on it in about 2 years.
Did you always struggle with the outer retaining clips too?

 

Regular greasing and use it once every month will end the front joint problems.

 

Did you clean the groove the snap ring goes in really well? The old snap ring tends to be rusty and when removed the rust stays in the groove so there's not enough room for the new snap ring to fit.
I like to use a good vise when changing u-joints so I can feel exactly what I'm doing. I push both opposite caps in and then after pushing one slightly past install the outer snap ring then push everything from the other direction and try to install the other snap ring, if it won't quite go in I'll put it back in the vice and give the knuckle i'm trying to push the cap into a good whack out and I almost always have room for the clip after that.

 

Honestly it's normal on most trucks. Just the nature of the beast. U joints only last so long.

Do yourself a favor and go buy the balljoint press from Harbor freight. I got mine for $40 and makes changing u joints trivial.