Dummied my u-joint yokes

bblaweless · Feb 21, 2016

Yesterday I was out shooting with some friends and we were climbing up a mountain and I got out to lock my hubs, put the truck in 4wheel....as i started creeping up the trail, I heard a huge clunk come from the front left of the truck.
Stopped immediately and rolled the truck back, heard a few more clunks then got out to see what had happened.

Turns out that the u joint yoke on the driver side had completely snapped and sheared off, while doing some shear damage to the front diff yoke.

I'm wondering what replacing these parts entails, I would assume that the hub side yoke is easy, but I'm not sure about the front diff...
Any input would be greatly appreciated. I can post pics if needed
Cheers
Benny

gandalf · Feb 21, 2016

Pictures always help. Many of us here are visually oriented. Also, give us a hint as to the truck, year, model, and such. From what you've said, we can assume it's a 4X4, but nothing more.

dunk · Feb 21, 2016

From your terminology it sounds like front driveshaft at the diff. If so just find a local driveshaft short to weld a new yoke onto your driveshaft if the tube is undamaged.

From your description it sounds more like you broke an axle shaft. If so, source a new shaft from a junkyard or online and replace. You didn't mention what axle you have. If D60, pull the knuckle apart until you get the spindle off and slide old shaft out, new shaft in. If D50, same for drivers side. Pass side has a C clip inside the diff and requires disassembly of the diff to pull the shaft.

bblaweless · Feb 22, 2016

Thanks for the quick replies- I'll post photos tomorrow.

Don't know how I forgot to post details about the truck...mind must have been elsewhere.

The truck is a 92 f250
Dana 50 front end
Driver side damage
7.3 IDI NA

mblaney · Feb 22, 2016

Checkout Bronco Graveyard for parts; I bought some D60 axle parts from them and was happy with price, etc.

laserjock · Feb 22, 2016

If all else fails, put up a WTB here in the market place. Most guys who D60 swap junk the 50 because nobody wants them. I sold both axles and stubs out of mine before fixing it up to scrap.

riotwarrior · Feb 22, 2016

I have used D50 ttb axles in stock.

Shipping was about near 50 bucks for pass side to texas

Axle was 50 bucks...

Let me know I can pull one wed.

Btw I remove U joint prior to shipping...why...it makes you install a new one...I wont sell an axle with u joint used...cannt ensure ujoint is good....plus packaging axle is smaller.

Someone installed an axle w used ujoint...blows up first use...my fault...nope...used...so I sell shafts now no ujoints now from that point forward....same with drive shafts!

bblaweless · Mar 14, 2016

got er done....

hey everyone, so thanks to riotwarrior's prompt shipping and the time he took to coach me over the phone i got the sucker replaced.....
she didnt go easy though

now i wasnt lucky enough to gave the special spindle pulling socket, or s slide hammer, so removing the actual spindle from the hub proved to be a lot harder than expected....

i tried everything from smashing it with a 4 pound mallet, to jacking on it, heating it...soaking it....to no avail.

from all the research i did regarding removing this piece it seemed like no one had actually tried the method that worked for me....

there is a small gap in between the spindle plate and the dust cover...just big enough so fit a flat head into. i started there and hammer'd a dmall flathead in until i had enough space to fit a bigger one in. once i got the bigger one in, i simply worked my way around the edge of the spindle plate with a short flathead (short enough to clear the dust shield) until the spindle came loose.....took about 15 minutes after hammering on the f**ker for 4 hours