# Ram 2500 Cummins U-Joints?



## PlowsontheRun (Dec 16, 2009)

Took my truck to my mechanic, and he coudn't change out U-joints. Claims the bolts aren't standard size? Got to bring back to him on 12/21. The backs are OK. It's the fronts. Any Idea's would Help. He also claims he can't get to them? HELP! I don't want to get Ripped off! Dave POTR


----------



## JohnnyU (Nov 21, 2002)

Find a new mechanic.


----------



## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

JohnnyU;911154 said:


> Find a new mechanic.


Ahh, yeah. soon!


----------



## RacingZR (Nov 14, 2009)

JohnnyU;911154 said:


> Find a new mechanic.


Like yesterday


----------



## Cover Guy (Sep 30, 2009)

I do all my own there not that hard I did
have to hire someone to do the outer on 
the front axle they suck there's nothing special about them


----------



## sno commander (Oct 16, 2007)

snap on makes a tool to help get the hub off. i got mine for about 40 bucks. the hardest part is the hub just make sure you dont destroy it there big coin.


----------



## WilliamOak (Feb 11, 2008)

front and rear driveshafts arent too bad at all. Its the front axle I won't mess with lol. Just too much stuff for me to pull / put back on and w/o a heated place to do it it gets old quick.


----------



## AiRhed (Dec 27, 2007)

Take your truck somewhere else. Find a 4WD or Offroad shop. These guys do u-joints everyday and will do it right. Don't take it to someone who primarily works on light duty applications like cars, vans, IFS trucks etc. Totally different tools and process. 

I've done my own on my dually 3 times now. Yea there's even more to pull off with the dually and I didn't have a heated place either. This is a very simple job and if he thinks for some crazy reason he cant do it you need to go somewhere else FAST.


----------



## WilliamOak (Feb 11, 2008)

And speaking of the devil, I'm currently waiting to get my truck back from getting the U joints done. Cant Imagine a shop saying they can't do it!


----------



## RacingZR (Nov 14, 2009)

WilliamOak;911505 said:


> And speaking of the devil, I'm currently waiting to get my truck back from getting the U joints done. Cant Imagine a shop saying they can't do it!


Exactly.........for XX.XX per hour  Good advice on here too. You don't want to go to a heavy truck mechanic but someone who does more than oil changes is a must for a heavy duty truck. Will save you big money in the long run because they know what they are doing.


----------



## skidooer (Feb 22, 2008)

check on here( http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/) for someone in your area that will send you in the right direction, by the sounds of it I wouldn't send a power wheels to your so called mechanic, don't walk away run.


----------



## prostk2 (Oct 18, 2009)

When you decide who will do it tell them to antisieze the crap out of where the hub assy contacts the knuckle. If you have to do them again later on this will help you more than you know. Good luck in finding someone to fix your truck for an honest price!!!


----------



## U1200 (Apr 20, 2009)

Can you tell us what year dodge we're talking about? If it's an 03+ the only weird thing about that is the front driveshaft uses some PITA torx head bolts. I bought a special long shank torx socket just to be able to do it. The other thing is they usually have a plastic injected in to retain the caps. You have to take a torch and melt all that crap out of there before you can remove them.

I thought a 5/16" hex size held the fronts on the 02 and earlier but I haven't paid attention to the front of my 95 yet.

If youre talking about the front axle u-joints, getting the unit bearings off is the biggest pain. The 01 and earlier axles with the axle disconnect is one of the biggest ****bag designs I've ever seen. Changing the axle seals is a major job, you have to pull both axles, pull the carrier and ring gear assembly, take the axle disconnect fork out and replacing the seal at the axle disconnect is an unbelievable task. The bolts holding the unit bearings in are 12 point, 9/16" Once you get them out, thread in longer ones and use an air hammer on them to drive the rusted assembly out. When you reassemble use plenty of antisieze.

I found it all to be no fun and that was in my heated shop, truck on the lift, all snap on tools and beer!


----------



## JDiepstra (Sep 15, 2008)

Ask your mechanic if he has ever heard of Auto Zone, Pep Boys, NAPA, or any place like that.

And them tell him you won't be back.


----------



## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

JDiepstra;913204 said:


> Ask your mechanic if he has ever heard of Auto Zone, Pep Boys, NAPA, or any place like that.
> 
> And them tell him you won't be back.


:laughing::laughing:


----------



## AiRhed (Dec 27, 2007)

I know exactly what he's talking about when he says, "wierd bolt pattern" But he's an absolute idiot for saying it. The hub bolts on the back of the outer knuckle that hold the unit bearing only accept 15mm 16 point sockets. Anyone with more than a 16 dollar Walmart Stanley tool set should have one of these, "strange" tools. You should especially have a set if you're a Chrysler or Jeep owner. You cant get far without 16 point sockets, allen wrenches, or Torx bits. 

BTW, Those bolts should be checked for torque often after doing the u-joints. I used red locktite on all my hub bolts and somehow one rattled its way out of my drivers side.


----------



## JohnnyU (Nov 21, 2002)

AiRhed;913519 said:


> I know exactly what he's talking about when he says, "wierd bolt pattern" But he's an absolute idiot for saying it. The hub bolts on the back of the outer knuckle that hold the unit bearing only accept 15mm 16 point sockets. Anyone with more than a 16 dollar Walmart Stanley tool set should have one of these, "strange" tools. You should especially have a set if you're a Chrysler or Jeep owner. You cant get far without 16 point sockets, allen wrenches, or Torx bits.


Mine are 6-point flange-head cap screws.


----------

