front driverside axle shaft goes boom in the night

[NJGearhead666]

Last weeks snow storm was a bad one here in Jersey, the next day since I didn't feel digging my gf's car out of its parking spot i just decided i will drive her to work. the roads were still real bad in town so I kept the hubs locked on my truck and would just shift into 4wd when needed. well after we got off the highway exit to my gf's job the front end locked up! looked under the truck and could see the u-joint on the axle shaft had snaped. I don't have a garage big enough to fit my truck so how bad of a job is it to fix this?

 

[franklin2]

Bad enough. You have to start out at the hub, and work your way in. The hardest part can be getting the spindle stub out of the knuckle if it decides to be stubborn.

 

[franklin2]

Here's a picture.

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[Exekiel69]

As far as I remember the got a lock washer/ring inside the pumpkin so it has to come apart to get the axle shaft out. This reminds Me I have to unlock the hubs.

 

[GOOSE]

This isnt too bad a job, a concrete pad and jack stands would be a plus but a few sheets of plywood could suffice. I have seen spindle pullers at the parts store but always managed to complete this job without them. Feel free to PM me if you are relatively close to Mays Landing and need tools or a hand.

 

[JPdrvinmylfawy]

Its really not that tough of a job. I can do it in my mud/pull truck in less than an hour.

 

[rjjp]

As far as I remember the got a lock washer/ring inside the pumpkin so it has to come apart to get the axle shaft out. This reminds Me I have to unlock the hubs.

Lock ring is only on the passenger side, drivers side will slide out.

 

[Exekiel69]

Lock ring is only on the passenger side, drivers side will slide out.

Thank You, I didn't remember that part I had to do both so that is why I thought about the lock ring.

As said, not too hard if it is the drivers, get the greasable U joints.

 

[NJGearhead666]

thanks guys, Im just glad the shaft that slides out easy is the one that broke. I guess I'll just give it a shot this week. I was able to just unlock the hubs and drive her home so I didnt have to wait for a hook in a blizzard.

 

[Goofyexponent]

You are going to have fun getting that old axle joint out of there. The thing will be welded in there for the rust. Start soaking the caps and shafts with PB blaster NOW. spray it once or twice a day and let the stuff soak in.

It's not too bad if you got the tools. I suggest you either buy or rent a combination wheel bearing socket and spindle puller. I bought one for $120 and it has saved my @$$ more than once.

 

[82F100SWB]

From the picture, your inner shaft is obviously fragged, and it looks like the outer has taken some damage on the yoke, I'd be replacing both.
A ball joint/u-joint press is your friend for this job, it makes changing axle joints a bearable job.
With said press, the pass inner is doable in the truck, you still have to pull the outer, but, you don't have to yank the diff. Just did it in my 96.

 

[RLDSL]

Not to be the guy to bring this up, but you can keep this from happening next time with greasable joints and by remembering to stick it in 4wd out in the dirt once a month with the hubs locked . Really need to move those fluids and greasaes around once in a while or rust will find a way

 

[BigRigTech]

Not to be the guy to bring this up, but you can keep this from happening next time with greasable joints and by remembering to stick it in 4wd out in the dirt once a month with the hubs locked . Really need to move those fluids and greasaes around once in a while or rust will find a way

X2, this is a good idea. I try to do this often all year round.

 

[Compu Doc]

Call these guys and they can get it back together for you.

http://www.mrdriveshaft.com/index.htm

I had the drive shaft redone on my truck by them. The front yoke broke so I had them replace the yoke, the carrier bearing and the U-joints. When I paid in cash they even gave me a discount. It's where everyone goes when the need drive shaft work done and being in New Jersey you can go there in person.

I also had them rebuild a drive shaft for me on another car I had before and it had no problems after they rebuilt it. When the yoke broke on the drive shaft I called one place because these guys were on vacation and they said they could fix it but I opted to wait till these guys in the link came back from vacation.

 

[franklin2]

Call these guys and they can get it back together for you.

http://www.mrdriveshaft.com/index.htm

I had the drive shaft redone on my truck by them. The front yoke broke so I had them replace the yoke, the carrier bearing and the U-joints. When I paid in cash they even gave me a discount. It's where everyone goes when the need drive shaft work done and being in New Jersey you can go there in person.

This is a axle not a driveshaft. Sorry to say if the yoke is messed up on the shaft, you will have to buy a new shaft or get one from the junkyard, there is no welding a new one on like a driveshaft(been there done that on the passenger side when I had to buy a new axle).