Does the U joint appear stable(in other words is it tight or sloppy loose) Could be that its so wore when you turn it does the weird stuff like hitting the grease fitting. You could also try getting us some pictures in the turned position when it wants to hit the zerk fitting.

 

It actually was always hitting the fitting on every rotation - the bottom of the zerk and the top of outer part of u-joint had wear marks. Don't know how long that has been happening but never seemed to be a problem before. Zerk is now off so no hitting now. As I watched the u-joint rotate, there didn't appear to be any obvious sloppy movement but I might be missing it compared to someone with a trained eye for these things.

What is really weird is that if I lock the hub manually, as I turn the tire, the u-joint on the other side is turning AND the steering drag-link is moving back and forth so the tires are wobbling.

I only had the right side up and the left side was on the ground. This doesn't seem normal. I should also note that I had taken off the steering stabilizers already which seemed to have been masking this problem until now.

The other strange thing is that if the wheels were turned to the right (only tried right and not left - don't know why I didn't do both directions), I could not rotate the tire in either AUTO or LOCK mode on the hub. It tried to turn the other tire which was on the ground so it wasn't going anywhere.

Could this be caused by damage in the differential? Also, the hub lock somehow doesn't seem right as I rotate from LOCK to AUTO or vice versa. I had this particular hub replaced a while ago and the one they took out rotated very roughly - I asked for it back and if spun by hand it wasn't smooth at all.

I need to lift up the left side now and see if something is happening there too. I am trying to understand how this is affecting my steering. If the upper ball joints (which are not the originals) were very badly worn, would they actually drop down causing the zerk to now interfere with the u-joint?

 

It sounds like you have a seized u-joint.

Unlock both hubs, turn wheels to the right or left, it doesn't matter and reach in and try to turn each axle shaft by hand.
I was having some weird steering troubles and that's what it was. With the tires straight I could turn the axles obviously, but when turned my drivers axle was seized.
The u-joint not wanting to turn also took out the plastic pieces in my 4x4 hub.

 

@Jello: my situation is sounding a lot like yours. While I had her up, could not rotate the tire while the wheel was turned.

I'm also starting to get that feeling of lots of money going to be coming out of my pocket...any idea how much new joints at both ends run for and how hard is it to replace these - or is this something best left to a shop? Thanks for your help.

 

Froze joints can destroy all kinds of stuff in the hubs, there is a complete step by step guide, I think it is in guzzels something or other, I couldn't find the site but I know someone here will know. Gives directions part numbers, everything you will need.

 

http://www.guzzle7pt3.com/nblube.php

You can follow these instructions for servicing the needle bearings.(up untill the cleanup section).

Then you have to pry the axle shaft out from behind the knuckle. You will need two new seals, the large one in the knuckle and the small one at the outside of the axle tube (both will come out with the axle).

Try to support the inside end of the axle shaft when pulling it out gently (there is an axle seal inside the center section of the diff so gear oil doesn't come out).

Pound the seals off the axle, remove clips from u-joint cups and pound out u-joint. Put new u-joint in, install new seals,put axle back in.

There is a tool for installing the big seal on the axle. I went to the dealer and they put it on for me. The same tool is used for installing the axle back in the knuckle for proper seal depth but they told me I didn't need to use it. I just lubed the seal a little and used a pry bar to pull the axle in as far as it would go. You may be able to rent this tool somewhere.

Then follow the rest of the instructions on that link.

 

so long since this issue happened but here it is: passenger side, one side of U-joint siezed. I've broken it down down now and trying to remove the siezed u-joint, have the shaft on the bench and popped out the siezed side BUT the cap doesn't want to come out. I just used a ball-joint press started by hand then assisted with air gun - still tough but slowly worked.

The other cap on the opposite side can be turned easily by hand, but here because it's siezed I'm in trouble. Any ideas on how to get this cap out. As per above, the thing is out of the hole waiting to be removed.

It looked like the plastic/rubber bushing at the end had been caught up on the way out so I pushed the siezed joint back in, broke out the gasket, and then popped it out again but it's still hangin on for life.

I don't have a torch (I know, I know...) so I can't cut it out. Thanks.

 

Can you simplify what needs to be done still?

 

I've used a rubber wheel(cut off wheel) and my die grinder for that a few times, at times it's easier that getting the torch out.

 

Thanks for the replies - the ujoint cap's bearings were seized/welded onto the ujoint cross. I was able to get the cap off one end then used the bench grinder on it (relatively soft metal) then pushed through the seized cap through the yoke and again took it to the bench grinder to shorten it enough that I was able to slip the cross out of the yoke entirely.

The cap was much harder to grind than the cross but it worked out. Now to finish the task.

 

hey, in the beginning of this post didn't somebody say it was no way the U joints, well I probably should hold off on the teasing until johnbox gives us the finished product, but it sounds promising.

 

I'm with Krewat, I don't think it is the U-joint

 

Well, I'm not sure what else I'm going to find once I put everything back together but I definitely did find one ujoint cap completely seized onto the cross and the ujoint couldn't rotate along that axis.

I'm also replacing the balljoints, bearing on the hub, brakes/rotors, tie rods and drag-link while I'm in this deep. I'll let you know how it goes. I had given myself 4days to do this on both sides, I'm into day3 and just started to stitch together one. HA, I'd never make any money as a mechanic.

 

No but the u-joint could rise up due to a bad wheel hub

 

If you are doing all that we may never find out what the problem was but the goal is to fix it. Glad to see you are doing it yourself. ........I think the problem is both the U-joint and a hub but let's hope the PS box is OK.