Hey, so both my front axle u-joints are shot. Im going up this weekend to a friends garage to replace them. I was going to do it a few weeks ago, but the bolts were rusted too bad to get off. I bought a smaller size hex socket and had to hammer it on to some of the bolts but i got all the bolts off that hold it together. My question is just that I've heard rumors that when i try and take it apart to get art the u-joint i will ruin the wheel bearing in the process. I just called the local pars store and they want 150+ each for them, and...well i don't want to buy them if i don't have to.

has anyone had a similar dilemmas or have any words of wisdom?

thanks, Jordan

 

You'll need new bolts, but I don't see that your hubs will need changing. There's a trick to popping off the hub, once the 3 bolts are loose.

Rob

 

yeah, i got 6 new bolts, and i sprayed some lubricant ont here whn i put them back in. I also got two new lifetime warrenty axle ujoints. I just don't want to get in the middle of rearing my jeep apart on a sunday and ruin a bearing while being 3h from home.

 

To get your hub off, put your 3 old bolts back on the hub, but leave them about 1/8" undone. Then put a socket and short bar on the rear bolt and wedge it against the axle, turn the engine on and turn the steering wheel to put pressure on the bolt. It worked a charm when I changed my UJ's recently.

Rob

 

do you think its necessary to reuse the old bolts? Will the bolts get damaged from doing this or something? Just wondering because most of the old bolts are knackered.

 

I'd use the old bolts as it's possible the bolt could get distorted and bent. It might take a lot of force to pop the hub off, and that force is not being applied directly down the axis of the bolt. You could get away with just leaving just one bolt on the hub-the rear one.

Rob

 

tHE HUB BOLTS ARE NOT JUST STANDARD BOLTS. They have a large shoulder area designed for a tight fir in steering knuckle. I have luck leaving the 36mm Nut in place, and then slacking all 3 bolts and using a slide hammer to get them to budge.

 

Which ones are you referring to by the hub bolts? the three on the inside of each side?

 

??

 

Yes those 3.

 

and just to clarify, those 3 hub bolts are 13mm 12 point bolt heads.

and use lots of anti-seize when reinstalling those 3 bolts and around the mating surface of the hub unit.

 

yeah i sprayed stuff in there and, put washers on aswell

 

WHY? they didnt come from the factory that way

 

x2 get rid of those washers.