Axle U-Joints

[13BlkPowerWagon]

Alright, I'm getting feedback through the wheel, telling me the front joints are shot (binds enough to give a ratchet effect when returning to center on sharp turns).

I 'm going to upgrade to a Thuren or Carli Track Bar as well. Thinking about doing ball joints while I'm in there (ridiculously expensive for what they are). Anyone have any suggestions for front axle joints? Looking at the Moog 279/291 (279 is greaseable, 291 is not).

Dana makes some joints that'll fit as well, and normally I like their stuff (used to work at their proving grounds/test lab), but the cross shaft looks way smaller than the MOOG (strangely enough, I work for a company called MOOG now, but totally unrelated).

Lastly, I normally prefer greaseable parts, but U-Joints are a little different, as the grease porting weakens the cross shaft considerably. So, has anyone busted a front joint in their axle before (without running a 40" plus tire)? If no, then I'll probably run something with a grease fitting, but if they have, I'll go with the non-serviceable joint.

Thanks!

[DamageWagon]

Don’t touch Moog parts on this truck. Ever. Total garbage.

EMF is the low cost option for good quality ball joints, Dynatrac just released theirs and Carli has been working on them. I’ve enjoyed my EMFs, no issues including some air time.

I just installed Spicer joints in my front axles, good quality. Don’t need greasable joints. Stock joints went 180,000 miles.

I’m happy to go over questions on the suspension parts if you’re looking to get some Thuren goodies as well.

[coder]

I put spicer triple seal axle ujoints and dynatrac ball joints on my 07 and have put 120k miles them so far and they're still holding up.

[RustyPW]

I put RCV axles in mine.

[13BlkPowerWagon]

Which Spicer's did you use? 5-3212X looks like the right ones.

Those RCV's are trick, but for $2300 I can buy a lot of U-joints... Hell, I can buy ball joints, a track bar, u-joints, and rock rails all for less money, or new U-joints and a free spin hub kit...

As for ball joints, EMF are about $520, the Dynatrac's are probably the only other ones I'd consider, they're another $170 roughly. Any reason to go with the Dynatrac's? USA Made versus Canada is about all I can tell. Both are serviceable on the truck. Anyone done them yourselves? I can borrow a balljoint press, or take them to my shop to press the old out and the new in (if the wife's car is around), but if it's a major headache, I'll just give it to a buddies shop. Probably going to be the first time the axle nuts will be broken free, so thinking that'll be fun... Anyone know the socket size (have a bunch of big sockets, but wanna make sure I have it before I start the job)?

Lastly...Anyone have a good reason to go Carli over Thuren or vice versa on the track bar? I've had Thuren's bar on a 2nd gen Diesel, only thing I didn't like was having to drill the frame mount to 3/4" on that, which ended up loosening up over a few years, but that's not a problem on the 4g trucks.

[DamageWagon]

The EMF’s are good, install isn’t nearly as bad as it sounds. Rent the right tools and set a day aside.

I prefer the Thuren trackbar because the frame side joint is custom and very good quality, lasts a long time. Very rigid. The Currie joint in the Carli unit will be softer. I don’t know if Carli machines their threads but the Thuren bar has machines threads rather than a welded bung, just another level of safety.

I used the 3212X joints, not sure if that’s right for your year. Check 8lugtruckgear.com and see what they spec

[RustyPW]

The 2 gen Carli trackbars doesn't use a welded on thread bung. The heim joint is drilled and threaded into the bar it's self. And uses a bearing instead of a bushing on the frame mount. Pictures in my build thread.

[RustyPW]

Which Spicer's did you use? 5-3212X looks like the right ones.

Those RCV's are trick, but for $2300 I can buy a lot of U-joints... Hell, I can buy ball joints, a track bar, u-joints, and rock rails all for less money, or new U-joints and a free spin hub kit...

As for ball joints, EMF are about $520, the Dynatrac's are probably the only other ones I'd consider, they're another $170 roughly. Any reason to go with the Dynatrac's? USA Made versus Canada is about all I can tell. Both are serviceable on the truck. Anyone done them yourselves? I can borrow a balljoint press, or take them to my shop to press the old out and the new in (if the wife's car is around), but if it's a major headache, I'll just give it to a buddies shop. Probably going to be the first time the axle nuts will be broken free, so thinking that'll be fun... Anyone know the socket size (have a bunch of big sockets, but wanna make sure I have it before I start the job)?

Lastly...Anyone have a good reason to go Carli over Thuren or vice versa on the track bar? I've had Thuren's bar on a 2nd gen Diesel, only thing I didn't like was having to drill the frame mount to 3/4" on that, which ended up loosening up over a few years, but that's not a problem on the 4g trucks.

And I don't have to worry about replacing my u-joints again and worrying about breaking an axle too. Also have the Dynatrac Freespin hubs and the Carli ball joints.

[13BlkPowerWagon]

Well I'm jealous Rusty! Haha. I don't plan on replacing my U-joints ever again either... I figure another 2-3 years with the truck, then on to the next one. So, the EMF ball joints and Spicer U-Joints should get me another 45K miles or so without issue. I'll probably go with Don's Trackbar, just because I've bought from him before and know the quality. I'm sure both are outstanding.

DamageWagon... A days work sounds about right for a truck from the desert... But, I'll add another day for one from the rust belt! Nothing ever wants to come free, and I end up spending what seems like half a day hosing parts down with PB Blaster to free them up...

[RustyPW]

The last couple of trucks. I kept them until they was almost dead. So for me going with the RCV's, Carli ball joints, and Dynatrac freespin hubs made sense in a way for me.

[13BlkPowerWagon]

Well, I ordered the EMF balljoints, and the Spicer/Dana U-Joints. Should be here by the end of next week.

So, I'll probably be tied up in this project most of next weekend. Hoping the ball-joint press has the nut to get the old joints out successfully. Going to start hosing things down with PB Blaster this weekend. Anyone have any tips/tricks for this job?

I held off on the new track bar. Figured that's easy enough to do on it's own, and there's no advantage to doing it while the rest of the front end is apart.

[RustyPW]

Here's my DT thread when I did mine. The Carli ball joints, RCV axles, and the Dynatrac freespin hubs.

http://www.dodgetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=340186

[13BlkPowerWagon]

Well, did the EMF ball joints and the Spicer U-Joints. Install wasn't awful, but broke a few tools in the process... Heat is your friend.

Passenger side was fine, everything was good and tight, replaced everything anyway. Drivers side had a bad UPPER ball joint, and a bad u-joint with one cap horribly brinelled, and the needles basically ground to powder. Once replaced, it made some funny noises back on the road, but after everything re-aligned, it's fine, and drives slightly better than before (no more ratchet when steering returns to center).

Now I need to do the track bar...