I'm trying to diagnose a popping in one of the front wheels when turning sharply... I'm pretty sure it's an issue with the u-joint (probably that I damaged the yoke ears, actually), but I want to be sure before I throw any more money at it.

I'm thinking if I removed the inner shaft and then reinstalled the stub shaft in the hub and drove it a bit I could verify that the popping is gone. Would that damage anything? I'm talking about driving a few hundred feet, if that, outside my garage.

 

AS long as you use the stub shaft to hold your wheel brg together you will be fine except without axles to plug the holes you will lose some gear lube from the front diff.

 

Cool. I figured that... hopefully it won't be too much of a mess.