In some ways the non greasable joints are better, b/c when a greasble joints zerk gets dirty, and you just push the greeze in with all the dirt and grim, causeing the u joint to wear out faster than normal with all the crude in there. You can wipe off the top of the zerk the clean it as best as possible, but that little ball in the zerk is still dirty on the bottom and that dirt is very hard to clean off.

 

He quoted me $150 including parts and labor to replace both u joints on the front drive shaft. Seems high to me what do you all think? I think his labor rate is $55 an hour and the u joints should only be 20 bucks a piece. Does it take 2 hours for a mechanic to do it?

 

I think thats a very good price considering that he has to take each side down to the spindles and take them off as well. And to do it in two hours is under flat rate I think. I've done it in that time but only under perfect conditions. I think he is giving you a heck of a deal.

 

Thats a good price. The mechanics/shops get $80.00 an hour and double the cost of parts ( up to a certain %) here on the east coast.You learn to do-it yourself with those prices

 

OK now I'm confused. Why does he have to take each side down to the spindles? I thought he would just have to drop the drive shaft. Hes just replacing the 2 ujoint on the front drive shaft.

 

Sorry I thought ya said axles. And that is a fair price for that as the joints are $44.00 each here.

 

I'd try another shop just for comparision.
There are small shops around my area that charge $20 and hour, and if they charge you for 3 hours that's only $60 labor instead of $110.

 

i'd do it...i rebuilt and replaced all of the parts in my front driveshaft besides the shaft/yoke and it still cost me over $80 for parts alone...i had probably a couple of hours tearing it apart, cleaning everthing and putting it back together(not to mention the trips back and forth to the parts store to take back the wrong stuff they give you).

 

That's a lot of money for replacing 2 u-joints, but if I owned the shop, I wouldn't do it for less than that. Shop labor is expensive and they have bills to pay, so I can't blame them. I don't know how mechanically inclined you are, but this is a pretty simple repair for the do-it-yourselfer (is that a word???). You can pull the front driveshaft out in five minutes with just a wrench, and still drive the truck. If you have a 1/2" wrench, a BFH (big F'n hammer), a vise or large c-clamp, some type of plier to remove the retaining clip, it can be done in an hour for less than $50. If you're very careful, you can do it with just the hammer, plier and wrench. If you do much 4 wheeling, you probably need to learn this.

 

Well I got the front drive shaft out that wasnt too bad. But I did encounter one problem. Theres actually 3 u joints between the tcase and the front diff. 2 of em just past the tcase and the other one at the front diff. The front came off real easy there was 2 ubolts?? that came off easily then when I got 2 the back they dont look like ubolts just a retainer but the 4 bolts are bigger than 5/16 but smaller than 11/32 i dont have a wrench that fits em. I tried just using pliers but couldnt get a grip. Does any one know what I'm talking about. I'll post a pic of the bolts asap 2night.

 

Heres a pic of the bolt in question my fingers pointing at it. Theres 4 of em just like the 4 that held the ubolts in on the front of the drive shaft. Like I said 5/16 is to small but 11/32 is to big how the hell do I get these out??

 

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i2...ck_u_joint.jpg

 

It's a 5/16, but you have to have a 12 point wrench to take it off.

Also, the 2 u joints at the transfer case are in a CV joint. It is made for a better angle of the driveshaft so it won't get into a bind.

 

OK thanks alot.... a CV joint... I'm new to doing my own mech work so i am trying to learn all I can. The CV joint is just the steel piece that holds the 2 u joints and connects the driveshaft to the tcase right? Can that ever need replacing? Mine sure looks beat up.

Glad to know a 12 point 5/16 will work on that i was wondering wtf surely not metric lol. After I get those 4 bolts out tomorrow, then i'll go buy 3 new u joints and assemble the whole thing OUT of the truck that'll make it alot easier. Then I just bolt it back in and its done hopefully no more squeaking! If there is, then next i'll replace the ujoints at the wheels next.

 

Be sure not to loose the spring and little ball bearing out of the CV joint.