Dodge Ram 1500 U joint, diagnosis and replacement
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- Опубліковано 11 тра 2018
- In this video, we discuss how to make the diagnosis of a bad universal axle joint in a 1998 1500 Dodge Ram 4X4, and how to replace it. An alternate method to remove a bearing cap seized in the yoke is shown.
This is an amateur demonstration shown for entertainment purposes and offered for free but with no guarantees as to accuracy or safety. Before doing any DIY home repair you should read widely from many sources, and specifically the dealers repair manual for your vehicle is available online. Any misadventure you encounter if you decide to accept the risk of home repair is your responsibility.
Jingles “Jaracanda”, “First Snowfall”, and “Kids Cheering” was from the royalty free music sold by Apple under license agreement contained in Final Cut Pro X. - Авто та транспорт
One of the truly good visual teachings of how to do this. If you had the opportunity to do it again, but with a bit more direct line of sight on the shots during each step, it would be perfect.
Definitely one of the easiest to follow mechanics on here. Right on, man. “Like your dad always said...”
Big alberta kinda guy
Excellent Video! I will tackle my own 98 with the same issue now!
If I had a shop this would very useful. But If I had a shop I probably wouldn't need a video. Guy definitely knows what hes doing
Thanks, man. I should make more effort to use tools everybody has. Most of the time there is a work around when it comes to extra gear.
Thank you fine Sir!
As a fellow Canadian and former Aircraft Machinist I couldn't, for the life of me, pound them out on a vise as others suggest. Having more time than money I made a very deluxe c-frame press just for this occasion, when I bought the truck.
I watched several video's and knew I must be able to replace them without pulling the axle. And here it is. And properly done with the utmost care for precision. Well done and thanks again.
I dont even own a dodge ram and I watched this whole video. Very informative!
Great video sir!! I tried a while back to do this on my 2001 but couldn't get the hub bolt to break loose and got frustrated so I put the brakes and tires back on and walked away. I'm glad I ran across your video! It gave me the motivation to try it again...a different way. Otherwise I'm going to have to pony up the dough to pay someone else to do it. I can't take the ticky-ticky-ticky-ticky noise anymore
I just got new aftermarket tires and rims on my 01 1500 and now he’s making clicking/popping noises. Thank you for showing and explaining the sounds! A lot of videos don’t show the noise or problem before they start taking it apart. I like to diagnose my truck before asking for help.
Ive watched quite a few videos in preperation for this repair and this video is by far the best one and the one I will be using during the replacement. Thank you for being so thorough.
Agreed amazing lighting
Thanks for including the goof up. It helps me to remember that point in the re-assembly when watching you.
Yes I know what you mean! It's not easy to keep the camera rolling when things start to go wrong, you get frustrated and want to just get finished. But when I watch others, as you say, the key lessons are those where things don't go according to plan. Wisdom is borne of unfortunate experience, hopefully somebody else's, ha ha. Thanks for the feedback.
Great video, thank you for making it!
With the thank you out of the way let me tell you my story. I've owned my 2001 Ram since 07, it had 74,000 miles when I got it. The U-joint on the passenger side, I've had to replace 5 or 6 times, every couple years or so. I quit buying the part from Auto Zone and bought it from Napa. Now it's been on for 3 or 4 years and still hasn't gone bad. Lesson learned there lol. I've never had to do the drivers side one, I now have over 300,000 miles on the old girl. That is one hell of a long time and a lot of miles on that U-joint! Even though I know how to do it, I always watch refresher videos. They help to remind me of things and maybe learn a tip or trick here and there. I watched one where the guy used a slide hammer to get the wheel bearing separated, I'm going to be trying that this time. I did like your trick of leaving the bolts in and hammering on them. The part of getting that separated is always a pain in my ass! Again THANK YOU for the video!
Your videos are always excellent. 've owned the same truck as yours since new in 1998. I've done the wheel bearings twice, the axle joints 3 or 4 times. I forgot the brake dust shield once. But unlike you, I didn't realize it until I was putting the wheel back on. Wont do that again! lol
Yeah, without goofy mistakes life would be much more plain, ha ha. I hope to do more Ram videos in the coming year. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for getting straight to the point. Great video. Much appreciated sir
Very well done - Thank You. I am going to be replacing pretty much everything on my 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 4x4 here shortly. Your video helps give me a bit more confidence to tackle it.
And all this time I thought that sound was a loose shock mount ,thx bud !
Very well done. Thank you for taking the time to make this video. Very precise and well executed. If you're not a teacher already, you should be. Thank you sir .
Im about to do my first u joint on my ram. Im super glad i found this video! Thanks so much!
Very helpful my friend! Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Have a blessed day! Happy motoring 👍😎🇺🇸🙏☮️
Great video. It never occurred to me to take the bearing assembly and the shaft out as one. I've always taken that 1 3/4 nut off.
Princess Auto?
Canadian Eh?
I love that place. Been buying stuff from them for years....many years
Thanks for the video. Most informative one on youtube.
Good job man. Looks like you have a nice shop and proper tools. One day I will have all this lol.
I like your videos a lot.My problem is I don't and can't have a cutting Torch where I live ,so l was stopped in my tracks at that point ,but I still watched the whole vid.Great narrative. Thanks.
That's the first time I've had to use the torch for a U joint, arguably because I was careless and didn't notice the retained fragment of steel. You could use a Sawzall or hacksaw if heat is unavailable, and in a worst case scenario you could take the axle in to a shop. It does highlight how a wide depth of tools and skills can get one out of a jam. Dealing with misadventure, using what you have on hand, is part of the game. Thanks for your kind feedback.
@@spelunkerd Thanks for the alternative methods.
I like the reference to the Weber Auto U-Joint series. I watched at least a couple episodes more than once . More than you probably want to know about u-joints, "selective fit snap rings ? Indeed." :-)
Yeah, sometimes more detail helps to pull it all together, though concentrating on too much technical distraction can slow you down. Thanks for watching my humble contribution!
Very well done Dave and we all forget things. Those caps were in there pretty tight and looked like the worst part of the job. But as always, you made it look simple. 😀👍
Thank you sir! Have to to get’er done on my 2500 soon
Great great repair video 👍 thank you so much.
Very helpful and easy to understand! Thanx!
Bro! You solved my mystery. Thanks. NEW SUB.
I subbed. Love the video. Helped me a lot. Thanks from Canada
Great instructions and explanations. A shot of grease every now and then will flush any water and grime out of the joint plus relube the seals, keeping them clean. I believe the sealed for life joints do have tight fitting seals but the seals wear out from road grime etc. Then water and whatever gets into the joint, the grease turns into the consistency of valve grinding compound and the joint fails. Thanks again and take care.
Excellent point, Bill. When you know how these go together you gain respect for why it's important to pull out the grease gun. Unfortunately the style means I need to swap gun fittings every time.
I know what you mean about the aggravation of changing grease gun tips. At least those aren't the press in fittings that either pop out when you apply gun pressure or come out when you pull the gun away
Awesome tutorial!
Really like your videos!
Thanks!
My Dodge Ram. v-10 2500 has the factory u joints in her still good with over 300,000 miles on no grease zerks on them,when I bought it with 7 miles on I was not impressed,but now I can’t argue with none zerks in the drive line,just swamped my first ball joint,did all of them,even though only 1 was loose, love Dodge factory parts
Nice job with the repair!
Thanks, man. Not the cool wheels that you drive and work on, but the Dodge gets me into and out of the ditch, ha ha.
A very informational and well done video. I did a wheel bearing and ball joints on my 3/4 ton ram. The brake backing plate that you forgot was so rotten I didn't bother putting it back on lol. And I couldn't find reasonably priced replacement. So, I decided that backing plate was "extra" lol.
Looks great man , Good for many more miles !!
Thanks, Shawn. Regular maintenance of the engine has kept this truck going into its third decade already. Gotta get at that door rust so I can keep it going a little longer, ha ha.
You make some awesome videos!
Thanks, man.
great video im going to chain my 2001 1500 ram the same way look ease the way you did it
Great video
Thank you for the great help! I was wondering if there is a pecial adapter to grease the u joints seeing that they are a low profile fitting. Thanks again
Yeah, various adapters for different situations. I had one already from my chainsaw kit, used to lubricate the sproket at the end of the bar.
Wow this guy's a genius damn
Nice job
Thank you, Richard.
Dave
Well Done!!!!!
Awesome work my friend. How did you secure camera under your truck ? That was great shot of U joint. Well done. Cheers👍👍
Thank you, Ramon. We don't do those kind of shots often enough, I wish guys would use them more to show us diagnostics. This one was with a GoPro Hero2 camera we've had for a few years, with a velcro strap and gaffer tape holding it to the lower suspension arm. GoPro kits have a huge number of interchangeable fasteners to mount a camera just about anywhere. You don't get to see what you've got until you take the camera home and look at the files, and there are very few options for in camera adjustments, including focus. But with the wide angle and tiny lens, focus is clear through a huge range, and you can always crop later.
Thank you so much for providing the part number for those u joints. I'm currently replacing the wheel bearings and u joints on my 98 ram 1500 4x4 and twice now AutoZone gave the wrong part. Went to reinstall today and the diameters for the new u-joint cups were to small for my knuckles. They are Moog part number 248. If you have this same year and model, don't get those.
The great thing about the UA-cam is the remarks section, where outsiders contribute to the thread to make it worth reading. Thanks for your feedback!
when people ask what "that noise" is ( my u joints banging around) . i just tell its the all the ponies cloppin under the hood cause my 5.9 magnum has so much horse power hahahaha
Ada boy you da man🖐🏿💯
Hi, nice video thank you. Will you tell me if the 2500 three-quarter ton is the same process?
I don't know. You may need to remove that axle nut to get the shaft out. The basics of U joints are all the same once you get the shaft off the vehicle.
Very nice video. I will post a link to your video on mine. I will also give you a shout-out Dave. Good job!
You've got some quality video skill. Mechanical savvy and good video editing are rarely seen in the same place. Good luck with your new channel!
@@spelunkerd man I must say. You make it look so simple lol 😂. I finally took those out. Probably the original one. Broke two caps but managed to take the part from the inside.
Thanks for the video again and I'll give you a shout-out. Thanks for the sub by the way.
Cheers my friend.
Good job! Here i go!
Got one side off the truck yesterday. I accodentally left one off the spindle bolts sticking out and turned the wheel to access other one and bent one off the bolts, smashed the threads, 52 dollor bolt yall!
Gotta love the music lol
Smashing repair :-D
I didn't see any mistake, you were teaching us how not to do it :)
We all make mistakes :-)
Not having to remove the wheel bearing is a big plus, damage is so easy to create.
How long did the old needle bearings/cross/caps last?
More than a year i hope ha ha :-D
I've owned the vehicle for 20 years and I've replaced the right once and the left twice, the last time in about 1999. When I pulled to a stop in a parking lot, a stranger let me know about the sound, which wasn't really audible from the cab. That's a good point, a short time to next repair points to something more serious, perhaps bad alignment of the supporting ears, or internal tension inside the joint that wasn't relieved.
Hi ,can you make a episode how to adjust a handbrake ,thanks
Great video. It proved to me this is not a job for the average DIY mechanic. LOL
It's not so bad, Tom, I just made it look hard by not paying attention to that little fragment of clip. It does highlight the fact that good technique keeps one out of trouble, which makes professional effort sometimes look easier than it might be on a driveway. Wisdom comes from experience, usually unfortunate experience, and I have a lot of that, ha ha ha.
Number one
What kind of camera and camera mount did you use for this video?
The shot inside the wheel well when moving was done with a GoPro2, all else with an old Canon Vixia.
Do you know if the new front axle shaft assembly with tone ring will fit on a ram 1500 that does not have abs? Or will something get in the way?
Sorry, no idea. Maybe a parts guy would help.
@@spelunkerd Ok, I understand. I will keep at it. I have not done enough research, but read some comments on Amazon that it would work on a non ABS(it did on theirs), but those comments were not from a Pro...or parts guy...
11:45 had me rolling
Finally ,something with a dodge :-),whats your condition of a front driveshaft ,can you hear a clunking noise too??
The front propshaft spins faster so I would expect it to have a higher frequency, though other qualities would be similar. The front propshaft also spins passively even when in 2 wheel drive, although higher resistance like a bad joint may reduce that. Thanks for sticking around, I should have a few more of the Ram in the next year.
Also I’m wondering can you use a slide hammer to pull out the assembly to
Sure, a slide hammer would work. There are many ways to remove this hub, though if it is really stuck you could damage the bearing or the bolt threads while removing it. Even so it would be easy to replace the bearing if needed. It is much easier than the old style pressed-on bearings. If you're having difficulty, you could try rotating the bearing flange with an air hammer from the side to try and break free a layer of rust. Spray down with penetrating oil, preferably waiting a while for it to creep along contact lines. Once is starts to move the oil will do its job. Even a hub buster will work with these, though that level of force would be hard on the bearing.
Thanks for that piece of advice i’m going to be checking out your channel regularly now
I have a question about what exactly did you use to punch out the u-joint cap when it was in the hydraulic press?
Probably a socket or a short section of pipe, I don't remember. Below the press I keep a collection of various sizes of pipe and rod to fit the situation. The ear was supported by a 1" thick plate with a V shaped notch to allow the bad part to slide through. This was the first time I've ever had to go that far with a U joint, most are much easier. It might have been avoidable if I paid a little more attention when looking for retained fragments of C clip before trying to press it out the usual way.
@@spelunkerd I went to harbor freight and found a bearing punch kit. It's made of carbon steel with a black oxide finish and it had a die that was the perfect size. I put it in my 20 ton press and supported the ears but they ended up bending inward and now I can't fit the new u joints bearings in them. Is there anyway to fix this issue at home. I am thinking about using a propane torch to get it hot and puting it back in the press to slightly bend it back with a peice of galvanized pipe pressed on circumference. Not sure if that's a good idea or not and wondering your thoughts. I have a 98 Dodge ram 1500 5.2l 4wd.
It's a large pipe probably 3 or four inches and I would press on curve not edge so it could more evenly disperse.
I ended up going to the junkyard and getting anotheru joint Axel for very cheap because the u joint was bad. . Did it the same way in the press this time it didn't bend and I'm happy with that thanks for the help. Super easy fix. Afterall
Dumb question here but would that still go out and make noise if I don't use 4wd in my truck?
Same noise, 2wd or 4wd. The wheel axles are locked to the wheels.
This is gonna sound stupid but where did you place the floor jack at to jack it up and put it on the jack stands
All vehicles these days have pinch points behind the front wheels that are designed for the universal hoists used in repair facilities, so I jack there. That allows me to choose a beefy spot for the jack stands. In my Dodge, the steel frame where it ties into the inboard control arm is perfect. These old vehicles have a classic frame so there are many options. Newer vehicles saved hundreds of pounds of weight and have better defined jack points. The dealer service manual for those vehicles is the best resource.
جيد احسنت
Thanks, man! I did a couple of years of EE, it was a great experience but I shifted gears and went in a different direction.
Cool...So there's no way to do this at home without a cutting torch. That is the only way to get it out? Would a cutting wheel angle grinder or something work?
You definitely do not need oxyacetylene to do this job, I only reached for it because I was stupid, not noticing the small fragment of retained C clip. Then the cap broke and I had to get it out. Even then I could have managed this in other ways, like your thought of an angle grinder or cutting wheel. This is the first time I've ever used oxyactylene to swap a U joint! It does raise the interesting issue of coping with unexpected complications. I have made hundreds of stupid mistakes through the decades, and have built up a skill set and war chest to deal with those problems. Heat is sometimes an amazing help, Propane is OK, MAP gas is better, and Ocyacetylene is excellent. Thank you for stopping by.
@@spelunkerd Awesome! Thank you for your response! You are awesome! My wheel hub went bad and started making a terrible racket so I figured I'd replace the U joint as well while it's off.
You definitely do not need a torch. I did this a few days ago. I just used the u joint press from parts store leaner tool, and a socket. And pressed out the broken cap.
I am subscribed and enjoy watching your channel, specifically the 2nd generation Dodge repairs. Is there a way I can message you for private dialogue as I attempt to chase a cylinder 6 misfire on my 2000 5.9 360? The miss is at idle only, intermittent and not discernible when just listening at idle. Replaced all plugs, ohmed spark plug wire, inspected cap and rotor. Nothing remarkable noted to cyl 6 or the corresponding components relating to ignition for that cylinder. Plan to move the injector to an adjacent cylinder to see if the misfire follows the injector. Will replace the cap, rotor and wires......just because I might as well given its cheap and if I am reaching back there to install it I just assume it be a new cap and rotor! If the aforementioned steps fail to yield resolution, my next step would be a leak down as the cylinder head and valves would become suspect. Thanks for your content and I look forward to hearing some suggestions!
You seem to be on the right track. For an interesting similar diagnosis, watch the Picoscope video I did of secondary waveforms on the Dodge Ram. That diagnosis was very tricky to make....
@@spelunkerd Well, new plugs, wires, cap and rotor yielded same results. Compression testing was inconclusive......need a few more hands and perhaps a "decarb" for more accurate results. I believe cylinder 8 is high because of buildup on the piston crown due oil ingestion from a blown plenum a few years back. The injectors ohmed out within spec. Will pull injectors and inspect to rule out contamination or blockage as a potential contributor, as well as move the cyl. 6 injector around to see if misfire follows.
Why did you have to put it in 4 wheel drive when you started the repairs
You don't have to do that. If you need to hold one wheel stationary while you spin off a nut, it helps to tie the two axles together and keep one wheel on the ground.
How long can you drive around like that?
It depends on the vehicle but in a regular car the joint has a lot of grease behind a rubber seal. When the seal tears because of excessive play, grease is slung everywhere making a big mess. There is a safety issue as well. If the joint is a driveshaft joint, the whole thing could blow apart on the road, making a bang and possibly putting the vehicle in to skid. Most people don't notice it unless they drive beside a wall where the sound is reflected back, and I'll guess most have a bad joint for a few months before they notice and get it fixed.
what model is this crosshead? gasser 1500 4x4 1999
Mine's a '98, 5.9L gasoline 4X4 with LSD, no ABS in front, likely very similar.
Can these cause vibration?
Oh yes. Remember to have a look at everything else there, the sway bar links and bushings, ball joints, wheel bearing, track bar, tie rod ends, and the wheels. That said, wheels and unbalanced tires are the most common cause of vibration that gets worse as you drive faster.
I needed this for my 16 ram 1500 4x4 and the dealership is asking 900 for this repair.
That sounds a little high, I would try an independent shop, or do it yourself. Not usually a difficult procedure, and you don't need fancy scan tools that only the dealer will have.
@@spelunkerd I will do that thanks a lot! I subbed
Any idea of cost at a dealership?
As a guess I'd say a few hundred dollars. Pretty easy, even with a rare complication as shown.
The axle nut is actually 1-11/16 or 43 mm.
Interesting to hear you say that! When I look for parts on these vehicles, it is surprising to see how many iterations there are. The common front axles in the Ram are the Dana 44 and larger Dana 60. My front axle is the Dana 44, I'll have to measure the axle nut the next time I take the wheel off. As you saw, one doesn't need to remove that nut to replace the U joint. It's a good lesson for anybody who follows along, don't assume your vehicle is identical. Thanks for your contribution!
Mine is hitting the grease fitting
Hafa Adai Sir, would you happen to have an email I can contact you at. I'm hearing a similar noise in my ram and can't figure it out.
U joint problems are very common in these trucks, few other things will make a rhythmic snapping sound that is worse when steering to one side. It's an easy and relatively inexpensive fix for most pros, so I wouldn't hesitate to get a pro involved. Aloha!
@spelunkerd thank you, happy Thanksgiving giving and hafa adai🤙🏾
take it back out need to put the dust covers on
Can I just replace the whole unit
No, in the Ram it would not be practical to replace the whole axle on these trucks because of the extra cost. This is an easy procedure that any general mechanic has done thousands of times, it's not normally difficult or expensive. On the other hand, CV axles in cars are more complex and aftermarket replacements (or even OEM replacements) are the usual approach.
@@spelunkerd thank you
Yeah I ain't got all those damn tools to do this
Forgot dust cover lol
Fyi he top of cap came off because of the way you used the ball joint press your mistake!!! I've changed out at least 50 pairs over the years so rusted in place ring clips rusted in place and never ever had to use a ball joint press my friend !!!! All I've ever used is wd 40 a 7/8 or 1 inch shallow preferably the larger socket and hit it unsupported with 16 ounce hammer never bent of course dont miss align socket and whack it they come out very easy every time that cast u joint is very very hard almost like ballistic steel very difficult to bend hitting it with a 16 ounce hammer that's all you need no larger Btw if u want to bend that u joint keep using that ball joint press lol
will you fix my 08 dodge!! ? lol
Never forget the condom
That’s what your dad always said? Dude that was super cringe. Stick to mechanics not creepy sayings.
Great video
Thanks!