U-Joints, '03 2500 CTD 4WD
From : fmb
Q: i have a new sound coming from up front as i drive. it sounds like clunk...clunk...clunk...clunk when i drive real slow. when i drive a bit faster it sounds like read this part a bit faster clunk...clunk...clunk...clunk. o i havent lifted the front end to shake anything and dont plan on it cause i dont have the tools to pull and press u-joints and that is what im suspecting. im looking for advise from you guys on what brand of u-joint i should be asking for if that is indeed the problem what do you think. oem greasable spicers precision im guessing if one is going bad i may have them all replaced. is this right thinkin fmb .
Replies:
From : tom lawrence
pull the front driveshaft need a 16mm socket/wrench for the four bolts on the transfer case side and a t40 torx for the axle side and see if the noise goes away. if it does you have your problem half-solved. if not put the front axle on jackstands i know i know... but you wont know for sure until you do this and spin each wheel by hand. then turn the steering all the way to one side and spin each wheel again - forwards and backwards. if you feel any clunking youve definately got a u-joint thats shot. .
From : marsh monster
.. .. ======= ======= fmb wrote i have a new sound coming from up front as i drive. it sounds like clunk...clunk...clunk...clunk when i drive real slow. when i drive a bit faster it sounds like read this part a bit faster clunk...clunk...clunk...clunk. o i havent lifted the front end to shake anything and dont plan on it cause i dont have the tools to pull and press u-joints and that is what im suspecting. im looking for advise from you guys on what brand of u-joint i should be asking for if that is indeed the problem what do you think. oem greasable spicers precision im guessing if one is going bad i may have them all replaced. is this right thinkin fmb ========== ========== fmb i kinda got the slow sound........ i think i got the quicker sound...... and.....im leaning toward a speed related rotational driven diagnosis. but.... before i make my final diagnosis think maybe you could git that sucker up to bout 85wpm sos i can be sure. any whoooo....... i prefer spicer. i always replace all joints on the affected shaft. ive replaced several hundred and the above has worked out well for me. marsh sips his coffee .
From : snoman
on thu 02 mar 2006 041349 gmt fmb fmbb@sbcglobal.net wrote i have a new sound coming from up front as i drive. it sounds like clunk...clunk...clunk...clunk when i drive real slow. when i drive a bit faster it sounds like read this part a bit faster clunk...clunk...clunk...clunk. o i havent lifted the front end to shake anything and dont plan on it cause i dont have the tools to pull and press u-joints and that is what im suspecting. im looking for advise from you guys on what brand of u-joint i should be asking for if that is indeed the problem what do you think. oem greasable spicers precision im guessing if one is going bad i may have them all replaced. is this right thinkin fmb starting in 03 there is no front axle disconnect on those trucks and the front drive shaft and axles are aways turning even in 2wd 4wd only applies power to front shaft that is always turning anyway because of this they can wear out a bit sooner and use a bit more fuel too. my first guess would be the drive shaft joints. the way i check them is to look at them first for signs of dried grease and grit coming past seals which is a tell tale sign of joint failure and if it looks okay then place your finger tightly between the yokes of joint and twist drive shaft back and forth a bit to check for play without having to remove it. if you can feel it it is time to replace them. you can do the same with front axle joints too. some neglete to keep front shaft properly lubed which can shorten its life since it is always spinning unlike some other model 4x4s and front drive shafts usually run at a bit steeper joint angles by design which adds to wear potenail over time when it is constantly turning. ujoint are not constant velocity and when bent past about 3 degrees the joint actually vary the speed across the joint twice per revolution the steeper the angle the more the variance and this cause more wear in time and can aggrevate the sloppiness in the joint when it wears and make it more prone to get noisy as the varing torque loads are carried across the joint as it flexs and cycles the speed variances across the joint. .
From : fmb
pull the front driveshaft need a 16mm socket/wrench for the four bolts on the transfer case side and a t40 torx for the axle side and see if the noise goes away. if it does you have your problem half-solved. if not put the front axle on jackstands i know i know... but you wont know for sure until you do this and spin each wheel by hand. then turn the steering all the way to one side and spin each wheel again - forwards and backwards. if you feel any clunking youve definately got a u-joint thats shot. i put it in neutral crawled underneath grabbed the front drive shaft and gave it a turn in both directions. i get a clunk...clunk...clunk coming from the lf u-joint. to be more specific when i turn the front drive shaft back and forth one hand on the drive shaft and one on the lf u-joint the lf axle yoke wiggles but the corresponding yoke on the wheel does not. no movement or noise from the rf. i just went down to a trusted shop and they cant take it for over a week. im awaiting a call back from a 2nd shop. if nobody can repair this soon just how tough a job is it to r/r a u-joint on this fmb .
From : fmb
pull the front driveshaft need a 16mm socket/wrench for the four bolts on the transfer case side and a t40 torx for the axle side and see if the noise goes away. if it does you have your problem half-solved. if not put the front axle on jackstands i know i know... but you wont know for sure until you do this and spin each wheel by hand. then turn the steering all the way to one side and spin each wheel again - forwards and backwards. if you feel any clunking youve definately got a u-joint thats shot. i put it in neutral crawled underneath grabbed the front drive shaft and gave it a turn in both directions. i get a clunk...clunk...clunk coming from the lf u-joint. to be more specific when i turn the front drive shaft back and forth one hand on the drive shaft and one on the lf u-joint the lf axle yoke wiggles but the corresponding yoke on the wheel does not. no movement or noise from the rf. i just went down to a trusted shop and they cant take it for over a week. im awaiting a call back from a 2nd shop. if nobody can repair this soon just how tough a job is it to r/r a u-joint on this fmb two spicer u-joints 2 hours per side will charge 345 as it is already on the lift 420 + tax. hmmmm..... fmb .
From : marsh monster
fmb wrote two spicer u-joints 2 hours per side will charge 345 as it is already on the lift 420 + tax. hmmmm..... fmb ============== ============== you oughta ask em to not worry bout the warranty on the parts and labor. tell em they dont have to worry bout doing a clean job... youll live with the grease on yer rotors. tell em you know they got tool payments..... but itd be okay with you if they didnt use any. tell em theyre only grease monkeys and shouldnt expect for their families to live as well as yers does. tell em you understand overhead..... but yer willing to let them do it outside under an oak tree sos they can save on the rent. tell em you dont appreciate them using you to pay their utility bills. tell em you think workmans comp is a load of crap...... and could they please knock that little extry off the ticket for you. tell em you understand the laws of supply and demand.... and if they want yer buisness you demand they supply theirs for a little less. tell em yer fixn to sell it....... personally.....i never git tired of hearn that one tell em some smart-arse on the internet led you to believe that perhaps maybe possibly there wuz a way to git the price down a bit by going to a dirtier greasier less professional shifty actn shop........but youde rather they do it for you cuz theys pros......and you can tell.......but only if they meet that other dudes price. this is the time to make up a price in yer head and jest chunk it at em ...trust me....theyll fall for it everytime if theys pros then...... offer them cash under the table cuz uncle sams pulln the same con on you im thinking that if you do all of the above...... maybe you can git em down to about 50 bucks. or........ you go get the u-joints...... give me a buz..... and ill do it in the ditch next to my house on some cinder blocks. jest bring a bottle of wine over and well gitr done... no charge... im fond of anything peach flavored....in gallon jugs warranty.......sure......hehe.... no problem...... mmm....... wheres the 50 bucks... i likes getn paid up front. respectfully submitted in code to support popular thought marshmonster hopes you ask me if im a tech... .
From : tom lawrence
two spicer u-joints 2 hours per side will charge 345 as it is already on the lift 420 + tax. hmmmm..... its not a terribly hard job but you do have to remove the hubs pull the shafts and press out the joints. if it were me id do it myself - but i have the tools hub puller u-joint press etc. to make it fairly easy. i guess it depends on how attached you are to that extra $380 or so .
From : fmb
snip marshmonster hopes you ask me if im a tech... who said anything about asking for a discount that was the quote i received. i did not ask for any discount. if i decide to have the work done in a shop i expect to pay the man. the hmmmm.... relates to my previous posting where i said if nobody can repair this soon just how tough a job is it to r/r a u-joint on this this is a decision i will make with the intelligent input i get from respected posters. the decision is based upon if i have the skill set and tools to do the job myself in a reasonable time without injuring myself or the truck. i also decide when to spend my money and on what. there are lots of landscapers around here that would love to take on the job of mowing my lawn for $100/month. if choose to mow my own lawn with my own mower im not taking food out of his mouth im keeping food for mine. if i decide to do the u-joints myself im not taking anything away from the shop. thanks for your spicer input but your discount rant was uncalled for. fmb .
From : tom lawrence
had a u-joint press years ago. i sold it because my giant rigid vice works as good if not better. i tried the vise method... my 6 bench vise is just barely adequate to fit a big u-joint and i couldnt generate nearly as much pressure as i can with my press. anyone here have a ball joint press the ones that look like a super heavy duty c clamp. how do they work thats actually what i use... i mount the frame in the vise mount the piece into the press and drive the forcing screw with an impact gun. to give you an idea of the amount of force that can be generated i once didnt have the u-joint lined up properly in the press... the frame was just barely blocking the bearing cup from passing by. i didnt realize this until i had driven the cross through the bearing cup shooting the back of the cup clear across the shop with a report that sounded like a gunshot and leaving a nice dent in the wall. oops .
From : big al
two spicer u-joints 2 hours per side will charge 345 as it is already on the lift 420 + tax. hmmmm..... its not a terribly hard job but you do have to remove the hubs pull the shafts and press out the joints. if it were me id do it myself - but i have the tools hub puller u-joint press etc. to make it fairly easy. i guess it depends on how attached you are to that extra $380 or so had a u-joint press years ago. i sold it because my giant rigid vice works as good if not better. i put some nails in the rafter above the vice and use a rope to tie whatever to hold it in position. i use sockets and short bars to get u-joints apart. and my bfh sometimes helps. anyone here have a ball joint press the ones that look like a super heavy duty c clamp. how do they work al .
From : jay
had a u-joint press years ago. i sold it because my giant rigid vice works as good if not better. i tried the vise method... my 6 bench vise is just barely adequate to fit a big u-joint and i couldnt generate nearly as much pressure as i can with my press. anyone here have a ball joint press the ones that look like a super heavy duty c clamp. how do they work thats actually what i use... i mount the frame in the vise mount the piece into the press and drive the forcing screw with an impact gun. to give you an idea of the amount of force that can be generated i once didnt have the u-joint lined up properly in the press... the frame was just barely blocking the bearing cup from passing by. i didnt realize this until i had driven the cross through the bearing cup shooting the back of the cup clear across the shop with a report that sounded like a gunshot and leaving a nice dent in the wall. oops i have one it works great cost around $150 at napa you can get just the clamp and forcing screw without the ball joint tools part number spx 7248 also never need an impact gun to do u-joints. also renting it to my friends paid for its self in just over a year. .
From : tom lawrence
i have one it works great cost around $150 at napa you can get just the clamp and forcing screw without the ball joint tools part number spx 7248 yep... ive got the harbor freight version of that one - paid $20 for it 4 years ago. it paid for itself the first time i used it .