Need to replace a front axle ujoint on my rig... (79 PW - 203 TC - Full time 4x4 - Dana 44 ) ....
Anyway, anyone know what size spanner socket I'm gonna need? I've got a couple in the tool chest, but I don't want to start tearing everything apart, find out I don't have the right size, run to the parts store 25 miles away, find out they don't have what I want, 'Yeah, we can have one here by Thursday and it's gonna cost 3 times what it's worth' yadda-yadda-yadda.... You know what I mean ;)
Designed for removal and installation of ball joint adjusting sleeves on ½-, ¾-, and 1-ton Dana 44 open yoke front axles found on Chrysler, Ford, GM , International, and Jeep 4WD vehicles.
Permits easy torquing with 1" socket for correct upper ball-joint preload.
If so heres a link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&viewitem=&item=120064525338#ebayphotohosting
B-300
01-06-2007, 07:51 PM
What nut are are looking to remove. The hub nut that is similar to a front-drive car or something else.
--B-300--
bherder
01-06-2007, 09:08 PM
Does it look like this????
Yup...(Or real close...) Need to know what size, so I can make sure I have it on hand....
bherder
01-06-2007, 09:12 PM
What nut are are looking to remove. The hub nut that is similar to a front-drive car or something else.
--B-300--
Pretty much...After you pop the dust cover off the front axle, you need a spanner socket/wrench to take eveything apart (Typical of most any 4x4)....
I just thought somebody would know what size offhand, so I can make sure I got it before starting to take stuff apart....
mlauk
01-08-2007, 01:54 PM
It's been a while, but I think there is a hex nut somewhere between 1 inch to 1 1/4 inch socket required.
B-300
01-08-2007, 03:31 PM
You can measure the axle shaft nut to be sure of size. In addition to U-joints, you will need inner grease seals and outters if they need replacement. Also bearings, ball joints, inner axle seals (at differential) and brake rotors if they need replacement.
You will also need a 12-point, 3/8" socket to remove the 6 bearing retainer bolts, thru the hub assembly and a slide-hammer to pull the hub, bearing and axle out of the spindle.
I am unsure on ball joint spanner size, as the new and old differed in size on my brother's van so we used the handy flame-wrench to remove the old, along with small sledgomatic.
The new ball joint nuts are 1-1/8", lower and 1-3/8" upper.
Note. I mentioned all of the other parts as they are easiast to replace when the axle-shafts are removed.
--B-300--
bherder
01-08-2007, 06:49 PM
You can measure the axle shaft nut to be sure of size. In addition to U-joints, you will need inner grease seals and outters if they need replacement. Also bearings, ball joints, inner axle seals (at differential) and brake rotors if they need replacement.
Yikes!!! I was just planning on replacing the ujoint(s) ... (I figure if one is going bad, the other probably isn't too far behind..) ... Not rebuilding the whole front end... :D :D :D I've got the ujoints and seals coming UPS...
You will also need a 12-point, 3/8" socket to remove the 6 bearing retainer bolts, thru the hub assembly and a slide-hammer to pull the hub, bearing and axle out of the spindle.
I am unsure on ball joint spanner size, as the new and old differed in size on my brother's van so we used the handy flame-wrench to remove the old, along with small sledgomatic.
If need be, I'm sure the tried and true method of a hammer/punch should work, but I'd rather not have to go that route... I'm really hoping that the ball joints are all OK... But you know how that goes, eh? Even the cheap-o 4x4 ball joint removal/installation tool set at Harbor Freight is still $60.00....
The new ball joint nuts are 1-1/8", lower and 1-3/8" upper.
Note. I mentioned all of the other parts as they are easiast to replace when the axle-shafts are removed.
Yeah..... **sigh** ..... You're right, and I know I oughta' do it all at once. After all, none of that stuff is new any more. I guess maybe I oughta' just bite the bullet and replace everything while I got it apart... Damn ujoint..... ;) ...
--B-300--
B-300
01-09-2007, 08:37 PM
Didn't mean to frighten you as to the difficulty/rebuild. It was about 5 years back when my brother converted his A-100 van to full-time 4wd and we replaced everything but the differential, R&P, axles and housing. It was a full rebuild, including the brakes.
If your bearings, ball-joints and brakes are good just do the U-joints and seals.
--B-300--
mlauk
01-10-2007, 01:18 PM
B-300 has some good info. It's been about ten years since I've replaced my u-joint and about 5 since I replaced the rotors. Instead of a slide hammer, I used a cheap, 2 prong gear puller placed on the rotor to remove the hub. The only problem I had was getting the right inner seal, seemed the part number was incorrect on their catalog, until I found a auto parts store that new what they were doing.
I replaced the rotors which required a very good (borrowed from work) gear puller to get it all apart without destroying the bearings.
