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u joint trouble

K

kmagnuss_2000

NAXJA Forum User
Location
North Port, FL
Hi all...I've been doing alot of routine maintenance lately...and one thing after another...now I have a crazy clunk in the front end. Well I looked under there and there are a couple gashes on the bolts that hold the axle hub on (I just changed both sides this past weekend). So I tightened them all down...one did come loose somehow...and there's still a clunk. Upon further inspection part of my u joint on the axle is coming loose and hitting the bolt(s) on occasion. Well I managed to get the little quarter sized metal cap thingy to go back in with a little assistance from a hammer...and now I'm just wondering if I need to replace the whole thing...or if it will hold? Any ideas..suggestions? If I do need to replace these ujoints...can I do just the joints or do I have to replace the axle? Is this a in my garage type of fix, or do I need a press or something special? And most important...how much change to fix this? Thanks guys.

-Keith
 
kmagnuss_2000 said:
Hi all...I've been doing alot of routine maintenance lately...and one thing after another...now I have a crazy clunk in the front end. Well I looked under there and there are a couple gashes on the bolts that hold the axle hub on (I just changed both sides this past weekend). So I tightened them all down...one did come loose somehow...and there's still a clunk. Upon further inspection part of my u joint on the axle is coming loose and hitting the bolt(s) on occasion. Well I managed to get the little quarter sized metal cap thingy to go back in with a little assistance from a hammer...and now I'm just wondering if I need to replace the whole thing...or if it will hold? Any ideas..suggestions? If I do need to replace these ujoints...can I do just the joints or do I have to replace the axle? Is this a in my garage type of fix, or do I need a press or something special? And most important...how much change to fix this? Thanks guys.

-Keith
Click to expand...

Help me out here so I can figure out what your talking about:) The ujoint cap is hitting the strap bolt? Exactly what bolt is getting hit by what? and what ujoint is involved?

FUNKYTEE5
 
This is on the front driver's side...There is a big 'pin' that goes through the ujoint allowing it to move. On the end of this 'pin' there's a 'cap' I guess...about the size of a quarter. This 'cap' somehow got loose and it would start to come out of the 'pin' and while the axle was turning it would hit two of the 13mm 12 point bolts that hold the axle hub in place. (there are three total of these 13mm 12point bolts) There are actually 4 'caps'...but only one is coming loose. Any ideas?
 
you need to replace the axle joint(u-joint).you just putting it back does nothing it will come right back out.there are clips that hold it in and you lost one causing the cap to come out.

now question

do you wheel this thing on a regular basis.and how hard.have you done any hard wheeling in the last few weeks.the usual cause to this problem is the yoke (what the joint sits in) is stretching or ob-longing.


3488-28-04_04-med.jpg


this is what will happen .if you look close it's missing.
you can do this in your garage but if your asking what to do i would say bring it some where to have it done
 
Wil Badger said:
you can do this in your garage but if your asking what to do i would say bring it some where to have it done
Click to expand...


Why is that so? I didn't know how to do it or what to do before I did it. I had never done it before nor seen it done. I just took it apart and did it. Everybody has to start somewhere.
 
i wasn't trying to be a smart-4$$.i just know it can be a pain when those yokes stretch.he should be able to do it and i said that .if he has the proper tools it's not hard.like it was stated need a vise or a large C-clamp to help push the joint thru.just the wording of the post has me thinking it is better to have it done by sombody thats all .i didn't mean to make it seem that he is incapable of doing it
 
Last edited:
well...the cap stayed on today on the way to work...but Im still going to go buy some new u joints today...I'll take a crack at it. I don't let other people work on my car/jeep. Thanks guys.
 
Okay...I bought the u-joint...seems like a pretty straightforward job. BUT...don't I need to get a new bearing cap and clip? Where do I find one of those bad boys? I hope you don't say stealership...cause my local one sucks monkey butt. I haven't lost one (yet), but from my reading it seems that once one comes loose you need to replace it.
 
open the box dude.there are 4 new ones with each joint .there are 4 new clips as well they look like a "C".

they are located on the inside of the yoke under the cap so to speak.take a small punch or flat tip screwdriver and a hammer .tap them off and you are ready top press them out.

have you ever replaced a driveshaft u-joint?do you know the process for them?well same thing only smaller.when you replace them the movement should be free not stiff.after all the clips are in you'll want to kinda spread the joint as to put pressure on the clips and to free up the joint side to side all the way around.

you never did answer my questions above.do you wheel it hard?or have you in the past few weeks? cause if those yokes are stretching this is going to be pointless .
 
heheheh is this jeep above a 95 .if so the joint is a 279 ,i think that is the number size...

you had a locker and it's a mudder huh.you might want to start looking around in the local u-pull it yards for some spare axle shafts.they are most likely starting to stretch .
 
ah from a u-pull it yard the most i have seen is like $50 a side.it's better to have spares on you any how incase you snap one on the trail.

a bit ago i had the same problem .i was spitting out a cup about every other run i went on before i figured out they were stretching and causing the clip to come off and spit the cup out.wait till that thing comes out at speed.sounds like a shot gun blast going off in you fender well
 
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