Passenger front axle

[vbrad511]

I'm needing to change the ujoints in my front shafts. Driver's side comes out clean and easy. Passenger side moves about 1/16" but won't let go. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[88_Eddie]

depending on what you mean by passenger side:

there's a dust boot with 2 keystone clamps holding the middle axle shaft and the passenger side axle shaft

there's also a c-clip inside the differential that you'll need to remove. there's not one on the driver side which is why it came out so easy

 

[vbrad511]

I guess you'd call it the middle shaft....the section of the passenger shaft that inserts into the differential. "C-clip"? Is it something that should force out, or do I really have to disassemble the differential to change one joint?

 

[88_Eddie]

ok, that's what i figured, that it was the middle shaft.

no, you dont have to remove that shaft.....you could change it under the truck without removing it from the diff. but that would be a pain in the ass. probably just as much as dropping the entire diff. and no, dont force it out. i doubt you could, but you dont want to break the c clip inside the diff

 

[vbrad511]

Figures. Looks like I'll be changing it on the truck. Guess I'd better go find a solid c-clamp.
Thanks for the info.

 

[88_Eddie]

go to autozone and you can get a ball joint press. they have them in their loan a tool program. it'll take them right out. it's around $100 to rent it, but you get it all back. it'll make getting the u joints out much easier. they may be seized or rusted in there.

 

[vbrad511]

I've actually got one of those. Bought it when I did my ball joints. Never thought to use it for the ujoints. Is there really room to get the contraption in place under there?

 

[88_Eddie]

there may not be, wouldnt hurt to try though.

i'd say drop the pig, remove the c-clip and do the c-clip eliminator mod from the tech library....that way you can remove the shafts next time without dropping the diff

 

[vbrad511]

That's a nice thought, but probably not feasable for me where I'm living...or my abilities. Plus I can't afford to be out of my truck for any length of time (work). I'll look into the ball joint press. Worst case, it's only one side to change underneath. Leave the yoke in the diff, pull the shaft out, swap the joint, reinstall the other half of the joint back in the yoke.

I may not have the truck long enough to ever need to change them again anyway. It's not like I'm out mudding every weekend.

 

[vbrad511]

...and i'll post up when it's done, let you know how it went.

 

[88_Eddie]

i hear ya, just throwing it out there

 

[legoms013]

Soak the u-joint in PB blaster every waking moment up until the time you need to press it out.

 

[scotts90ranger]

if there's not enough room to get it out, support the truck on jack stands if it isn't already then remove one or both of the pivot bolts (passenger beam one would probably be the most helpful) and drop that beam a little out of the way.