I'm having steering issues with my truck and poking around I see some problems could lie in the front u-joint. I'm assuming they mean the u-joints at the front wheels. Anyway, how can I test if they are good or bad? And by bad I guess that means frozen? My truck is an auto with manual hubs and a manual transfer case.

Here's is what I've done but not sure if they tell me anything. All tests were done with the front wheels on the ground:

-Test 1: This was done with BOTH hubs UNLOCKED. I climbed underneath and turned the front drive shaft where it comes out of the transfer case and goes to the front axle pumpkin. I can see the drivers side axle spinning at the u-joint. The passenger side's axle does not move at all.

-Test 2: This was done with only the DRIVER's side hub LOCKED. I climbed underneath and turned the front drive shaft where it comes out of the transfer case and goes to the front axle pumpkin. This time the drivers side drive shaft does NOT spin but the passengers side does.

Test 3: This was done with only the PASSENGER's side hub LOCKED. I climbed underneath and turned the front drive shaft where it comes out of the transfer case and goes to the front axle pumpkin. This time the drivers side drive shaft turned but the passengers side did NOT.

Test 4: This was done with BOTH hubs LOCKED. I climbed underneath and turned the front drive shaft where it comes out of the transfer case and goes to the front axle pumpkin. This time I couldn't turn the driveshaft because it was engaging both wheels. It looked like both driveshafts were trying to turn and the truck would have rolled had it not been in park.

So after all that does anything seem out of the ordinary? Any other tests I should try. Anything I should try with one or both wheels in the air?

 

repeat those steps with the wheels turned, if you have one binding up you'll feel it, if its too bad you may not even be able to turn the driveshaft.

 

So jack up both front wheels at the same time and run all of those tests?

 

OK, I jacked both front wheels off the ground and did the following:

Test 5: Both wheels in free. Spinning drivers side tire I can see the driveshaft coming from the transfer case to pumpkin spin. Obviously drivers side axle also spinning. Passenger side does nothing.

Test 6: Both wheels in free. Spinning passenger side tire nothing spins. Neither front axle nor the driveshaft running from the transfer case.

Test 7: Only Drivers side locked. Same results as test 5. Drivers side axle and front driveshaft both turn. Passenger side tire and axle do not move.

Test 8: Only Passenger side locked. Passenger side axle spins, driveshaft spins. Also drivers side tire spins in opposite direction of whichever way I spin passenger side tire.

Test 9: BOTH wheels locked. Spinning drivers side. Drivers side axle and drive shaft spin. Passenger side does nothing.

Test 10: BOTH wheels locked. Spinning passenger side: Same results as test 8. Passenger side axle spins, driveshaft spins, and drivers side wheel spins in opposite direction.

Thoughts?

 

OK this is weird. So I just went back out there to spin the wheels to see if I could see any grease fittings on the u-joints. I didn't think there was any but wanted to make sure.

Test 11: Anyway, I'm spinning the drivers side wheel forward (hubs are unlocked) and the axle is turning along with the drive shaft. I then stop the wheel and reverse spinning the wheel and I hear a light click and then the axle stops spinning with the wheel. I try spinning it back forward again to see if the front axle will spin but it does not.

Test 12: I lock the drivers side hub (passenger free) and the front axle does not spin now.

The passenger side is axle spins when the wheel is locked and does not spin with the wheel is free.

Something seems wrong with the drivers side............

 

sounds like your hub came unlocked or broke, they are manual hubs arent thry?

 

yes, manual hubs.

Just went outside to check it out again, Drivers side axle won't spin at all now whether the hub is locked or not. However, when the hub is locked and I spin the wheel I hear a clicking sound on each half revolution of the wheel. So each time I spin the tire it makes a very light clicking noise on a half revolution and the other half it sounds normal.

 

Anyone else with any thoughts? I would think with both wheels jacked up and turning the drivers side wheel when the hub is LOCKED should turn the axle and driveshaft. Because it isn't I would think means the hub is broken. Does this sound correct?

Also, while I'm in there is there anything else I should do or look for? Is there anything I should do to or test the wheel bearings? Also, does a typical set of hubs come with new seals and or all the parts necessary to replace them? Here's what I'm leaning towards buying: Mile Marker 302 - Mile Marker Street Master Locking Hubs - Overview - SummitRacing.com