Dealership service quote, advice needed!

[Eddo Rogue]

Ugh mine are I think original. Luckily the truck has only 89k original miles, shes a gem. Lots of slop in them, its due. I already did the wheel bearings, they are nice. I cleaned up and repacked the originals, which were in good shape.

Good call on all that, I'd like to fix whatever else I can reach along the way, and not take it apart again for a long time.

I need to order axle u joints and a good die grinder bit.

 

[Kegworth]

Well while we on the U-Joint convo... I've got the truck back from dealer and got a boat load of parts on order. Last thing i'd been waiting to order is all the U-Joints. I was looking at Moog's website, and they have a kit. Its 8 U-Joints! Sounds like a gigantic headache. But I'm also assuming that if multiple are shot, than its safe to assume they all are.

My question is, what's the practicality / feasibility of changing them all. Is it necessary? Or are there any that are just impossible to get to without dropping tranny or something weird like that. Don't wanna be over ambitious here.

Edit: Added pic from Moog

 

[Curious Hound]

1, 3, and 9 may have very little use on them and therefore no wear. But its worth checking them. Don’t just assume.

 

[franklin2]

I would not change the 3 #9's unless they check bad. If you are in there doing something else, then that is the time to really consider changing any of the #9's unless they are perfect. It's a lot of work to get to them to change them.

All the others are easy to get to. If the check ok, then leave them. Later on if one fails they are easy to get to and change.

 

[adsm08]

I did an entire frame-off overhaul of my Ranger, including rebuild the trans and I did not have anywhere close to that amount in the job.

 

[ford4wd08]

@Kegworth

Where are you in TN, what dealership??

 

[dccarpenter]

Another option if you don't have a setup for pressing the u-joints yourself is to pull the driveshafts and take them to a garage with a press. I took three with me one day and they pressed in 6 of my new joints for $50 and I took the driveshafts home and re-installed.

I've had mixed luck with the c-clamp and sledge method in my driveway. I didn't have a good bench vise at the time I could use.

 

[racsan]

I may do that with ball joints myself, I bought a tool kit for that but no longer have access to a torch, If I cant get it done without a torch I’ll just drop off the knuckles & new ball joints.

 

[franklin2]

Another option if you don't have a setup for pressing the u-joints yourself is to pull the driveshafts and take them to a garage with a press. I took three with me one day and they pressed in 6 of my new joints for $50 and I took the driveshafts home and re-installed.

I've had mixed luck with the c-clamp and sledge method in my driveway. I didn't have a good bench vise at the time I could use.

The bench vise method is not that great either. It works if everything is nice and clean. Where I live everything is rusty and stuck. Those front axle joints can get really stuck. I remember years ago I was doing a f150 axle and I had it in the big press at work and it cut loose with a bang and everyone in the shop jumped on that one. I just did the ones in my BII and they were stuck also. They came loose with a bang also. And sometimes the yoke that holds the joint will get bent during the removal process. You have to eyeball it and try to bend it back in shape or your clip will not fit in the groove.