# Dodge Ram front axle joint



## performanceplus (Dec 7, 2009)

Anyone have any problems with u-joints in the front wheels of Dodge Ram 2500 diesel? Mine are clicking bad.


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## stonewellmark (Feb 1, 2009)

Very common to go bad about $55 at Napa.


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

mopar i love them. 

we make lots of money on the front ends of them. lack of locking hubs. 

read up thay can be fun when wheel bearing hub unit is rusted in the knuckle. 

and the axle hub nut is a big sucker. not a comon size in most guys tool boxes. 12 point sockets for the hub to knuckle bolts american 9/16 if i recall correct.


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## nozzlehead (Jan 18, 2009)

problems! Let me count! Na, it'd take too long. Quote from my good ol' Dodge garage; "Chrysler knows the u-joints in the 2500's are under sized but to fix it would cost them too much! I don't care what anybody says, if you can't grease them with every oil change, they ain't gonna last. So if you change them get the ones with grease fittings. If your truck is still under warrenty, dodge WILL NOT replace them with greaseable units; UNLESS, you provide them. So go to NAPA & get good units and have them do it. Good luck boss. Wait till your hubs start going. I'm losing a 2nd one right now. Another $471.00...for the hub only. Yahoo!


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

fyi napa stuff is china joints.

get dana spicer or aam axle oem joints if you ask me.

or if money is no object then get a live spindle conversion kit with lock out hubs.

like this others out there. but this one for pic refrence use. http://www.dynatrac.com/products_freespin_dodge.html

like he said 471.?? for ( 1 ) hub / bearing unit. then ujoint and time and labor.

then add this up x2 and you will pay for the live spindle kit in the end vary fast and get lock out hubs up front also as a bonus.


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## sno commander (Oct 16, 2007)

aam joints? those are the ones that are junk. they barely put any grease in them thats the problem. 30k miles and there dry. the u-joints are plenty big. i think the spicers are great my 01 had 140k on stock joints. im going to try greasable precisions when mine go. the hub assemblies are $371 from www.quad4x4.com aam ball joints suck too dana makes good greasables so does xrf.


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## KSikkema (Oct 7, 2008)

loads of fun to do! especially when the bearing assembly is seized into the hub as already mentioned. Better to have a u-joint sitting on the bench with a bearing assembly and probably 2 ball joints as that will likely be next week-ends project anyway! good luck!


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## KSikkema (Oct 7, 2008)

while you're laying on your back under the truck anyway, you might want to throw a new track bar in too. That way you won't have to constantly turn the steering wheel from 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock just to keep the truck driving straight down the road. Sorry for the rant, I really don't hate Dodges. In fact I really like them - they feed my family and pay my mortgage!


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

all good points. 

and i dont lay on my back. :realmad:

i lift them on a 12k 2 post lift. wesport


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## KSikkema (Oct 7, 2008)

I hear you. I don't even have any tools at home. They are all here at the shop. Anything gets done, it gets done here. Hoists, air, inventory... oh where do I stop? Too much trouble at home or someone else's. Too used to the convenience, I guess


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## TGM (Feb 26, 2007)

did the right front one in sept. just did the left front one 3 weeks ago. pita, but i had already separated the hub assemblies from doing ball joints in the spring so that part wasn't too bad really.


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## sno commander (Oct 16, 2007)

KSikkema;977389 said:


> while you're laying on your back under the truck anyway, you might want to throw a new track bar in too. That way you won't have to constantly turn the steering wheel from 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock just to keep the truck driving straight down the road. Sorry for the rant, I really don't hate Dodges. In fact I really like them - they feed my family and pay my mortgage!


you must be reffering to the 2nd gen track bar, the3rd gens are alot better, they make a kit to convert the 2n gen to the 3rd. aslo bd makes a nice steering box brace thats supposed to help too.


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