Dealership service quote, advice needed!

[Kegworth]

The above is only to press them out of the knuckle. The other tool will help bust them apart initially to be able to use the press above. Doing ball joints on one of these trucks is pretty involved and may be a little bit much for a beginner unless they watch a lot of you tube videos on it.

ive def spent hours on hours researching less than satisfactory but better than nothing DIY videos on YouTube. If you watch enough of them you tend to get a broad scope on the process and can approach the job fairly informed.

So I’m getting a laundry list of parts in a cart on various sites to knock some of this out. One of the big questions is knowing the OD of the driveshafts and wheel span for the u-joint orders. Was looking at the moog ones. Is there a simple way to know this or should i just wrap a tape measure around it?

 

[MikeG]

I'd be astonished if there was more than one size of u-joint.... but I suppose it could happen. Where are you looking for parts? Are you seeing more than one size of u-joint listed on Rock Auto?

 

[Shran]

Dana/Spicer 15153X u-joints for the front shaft

Dana/Spicer 25443X u-joints for the rear shaft

I don't run anything less than Dana/Spicer u-joints these days... every other brand is just "OK."

I'd be astonished if there was more than one size of u-joint.... but I suppose it could happen. Where are you looking for parts? Are you seeing more than one size of u-joint listed on Rock Auto?

There are a bunch of different sizes and styles of U-joints used in our trucks... first gens are the worst, could be any of four types. Wheel joints, front shaft, rear shaft, 2wd, 4x4, etc

 

[MikeG]

I meant "per location" (ie. front drive shaft, front axleshaft, rear driveshaft). Sorry that wasn't clear!

Sounds like replacing ALL of the u-joints is the way to go at this point.

 

[Shran]

I would. Rarely have I torn into a driveshaft and found only one bad joint... usually they've all got at least one bad cap.

U-joints are super easy to do in a bench vise, no special tools required, just a hammer, a socket, and a pair of pliers for the clip.

 

[Dirtman]

If the truck is lifted you can run into a single u-joint going bad because of improper pinion alignment. U-joints need to be on a matched alignment angle. Usually when lifted the pinion angle ends up almost zero and it burns up the rear u-joint 10 times faster than the front. But normally yea, replace both.

 

[Kegworth]

Yes, it IS lifted. About 4" i'd guess. Its on blocks, from previous owner. And yes, Rockauto has bout a billion options for u-joints lol. Its a little overwhelming. Truck IS 4WD. If anyone feels like telling exactly what to order, i wouldn't be mad about it.

Unless of course it truly is a "go measure that sushi roll" situation...

Also - I'd been just setting up orders from Advance. I am looking at Rock Auto now, but the site is just so hard to look at it makes me want to run in any other direction.

 

[Dirtman]

Yes, it IS lifted. About 4" i'd guess. Its on blocks, from previous owner. And yes, Rockauto has bout a billion options for u-joints lol. Its a little overwhelming. Truck IS 4WD. If anyone feels like telling exactly what to order, i wouldn't be mad about it.

Unless of course it truly is a "go measure that sushi roll" situation...

Also - I'd been just setting up orders from Advance. I am looking at Rock Auto now, but the site is just so hard to look at it makes me want to run in any other direction.

I have no helpful advice on the exact u-joint you need but felt it necessary to say that I too wish I could find the designer of Rock Autos website and shove a live armadillo up their.... well I digress...

 

[SenorNoob]

Get yourself one of these. It will pay for itself the first time you use it. Make those u-joint sizes pretty easy to figure out.

 

[racsan]

rock auto isnt always the easiest to look at when you need a few parts in the same area, I needed all the steering linkage, tie rod ends and adjuster sleeves. It was too confusing as to what I really needed. I ended up going with O’reillys just because I was able to see what I really needed.
Other things Ive had no issues with on the rockauto site.

 

[franklin2]

I guess I am different. I like the rockauto website. No ads for oil and other junk that has to load in. It's gets down to business with the vehicle look-up guide right away. No clicking on different boxes for year, make , model, engine and waiting for them to load, it's just click down the menu and go.

You do have to know what you need. There are some instances where I will not order from rockauto. Sometimes I don't know what certain balljoint or u-joint I need, so I have to buy locally. You can't even use the advance auto thing and order it online and pick it up in the store with a 20% off coupon, because if you order the wrong thing, they will not swap it out, you ordered it online, your refund has to come from online (from some people in Texas) They can find you the right thing in the store, but you have to pay full price and then your online refund will come a couple days later.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

While I'm here, do the axle shafts have to be removed to do the ball joints on a ttb? I gotta do mine soon, dreading it.

 

[racsan]

Yes. Im not sure how youd do them without removing the shafts. Getting the spindle out of the knuckle can be tough. Big shot-filled hammer, and anti-sieze the damn thing on reassembly.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Thanks rac...I've noticed removal and installation devices have been a recurring topic. I have so pickle forks, an air chisel gun, various clamps and bearing removers, and hammers. I think I would go with a 4lb mini sledge to get in there.

Would it be a good idea while its apart to do the grind job so they dont bind when steering in 4 low? it would be nice to fix that too.

 

[racsan]

well, while your in there would be the time to do it, check those axle u-joints too. And like I said-antiseize the spindle where it seats into the spindle, will make it much easier the next time your in there. The axle u-joints on my 93 lasted about 7 years before needing changed again.