I was noticed I have lot of play in my drivers side front U-joint. How hard is it to change? Do I need to pull the axle or can I change it while it's in the truck? If I have to pull the axle, is it hard to get it out and back in without screwing something up? I've changed a u-joint before, but it was out of the truck?

I appreciate any tips you might have.

Thanks,
Shelby.

BTW, I have a 1989 F150 4x4 5sp, 302.

 

The axle u-joints are pretty tough to get to. You have to remove the hubs, caliper, rotor, and spindle. Then it will slide right out. Getting the spin off is probably the hardest part.

 

DOing it this weekend on a 89 F250. Never done it but Ill find out how hard it is.

 

It's not that hard actually. pull the caliper and tie it off to the frame so it doesn't just hang there. Then the hub, you will need the special socket to get the bearing locknut off. the rotor will come off when the locknut is removed. There are 6 bolts holding the spindle on. the hardest part for me was removing the joints that had been in place since `89. Assembly is reverse. All told it took me about 1 1/2 hours and most of that was removing the joint.

 

Dont u have to pull the 3rd member to get the left side out???

 

Not for the drivers side.you will need to if you're doing the passenger side inner joint (pass side has 2)

 

Thanks a lot for the insight guys. I think I'll try to tackle it this spring.

 

Make sure to grease that slip joint in the pass side axle. Mine was rusted solid and during the travel of the suspension, broke the c-clip off the axle inside the diff. I needed to pull the the entire thing apart to replace that c-clip. That diff is heavy when you are by yourself, on your back.

 

Jack up the front end, set it on blocks, remove Your'e tire and wheel, remove the two holding pins for the caliper, wire the caliper to the frame so there is no stress on the brake line, and it keeps it out of your'e way, remove the screws holding the locking hub in place, remove the locking hub cap, on manula hubs there will be a large retaining ring holding the inner hub assembly in decompress that and remove it, I like to use 2 small screwdrivers one to create a gap between the housing and the ring and the other to gently pry the ring from the housing, remove the retaining ring that holds the axle in place, pull the hub assembly straight out of the housing, if it's difficult to remove you can start a few of the screws that held the cap on to give you something to get ahold of and pull it out, or you could improvise with a steering wheel or similiar puller,after that's out of the way You should be able to access the wheel bearing lock nut lock washer and adjusting nut, if the lock washer has a tab bend the tab away from the slot in the lock nut, then using a dana 44 wheel bearing socket, remove the lock nut, or if You don't have one I wouldn't reccomend it but it can be taken off carefully with a punch and hammer(last resort like out in the middle of nowhere with no other choice) anyway once the lock nut is out, remove the lockwasher a magnet or a couple of picks with a bend in them helps, next is the adjusting nut remove it using the socket. I like to pull the outer wheel bearing out now, then grasp the hub and rotor assembly and pull it off and set it aside take care not to dump the inner bearing out on the floor all though usualy the grease seal keeps it in place,, next remove the nuts holding the spindle on, if it doesen't want to come loose take a rubber mallet and bump it a few times till it loosens up, be creful not to damge the dust cover they are kind of flimsy, once the spindle is off You should be able to pull the axle through the knuckle, A press with special adapters is nice to use for removing and installing u-joints but not needed they assure that the joints are being pressed in and out properly (straight not damaging the holes in the yoke) or remove it like any other u-joint, I would also inspect the wheel bearings, races, inner spindle bearing races as well. Put it back togehter in reverse of how you pulled it apart, I don't like to reuse seals so I would replace them. Afew tips use a torque wrench and follow reccommended torque specs, and adjustment procedures when putting it all back together make sure that the lockwasher is in it's proper position between the adjusting and locking nut, when You go to put the caliper back on remove the master cylinder cap, use a brake piston compression tool, or a c-clamp with an old pad or piece of steel and compress the pistons so that you have clearnce to slide the caliper over the rotor, don't damge the rubber on the pistons though, I would also reccomend using new keeper pins for the caliper. an ddon't forget to put the cap back on.

Kind of long but hope it helps.

 

Wow, that helps a lot. I love the play by play. I'll certainly give it a try following your instructions.

 

Another thing that might help is, as You remove components lay them out in the order that You took them apart, so when You go to put it back together there is no doubt as to how it came apart. It really isn't that hard, just make sure everything is clean, and properly greased the worse part will likely be removing the old u-joints, defnitely take a good look at the inner spindle bearings where the axle shaft goes through because depending on how bad the u-joint is it could have alot of wear. I had a axle shaft u-joint wear so bad on a buddies pick up that it fell from the yoke, and bound between the opening in the knuckle and the steering locked up.

 

On the pass side, does the inside ujoint fail as often as the outer ones? Just wondering. thanks

 

It shouldn't. There's not much up and down movement that far up the axle. It mostly just rotates.