2007 2500 5.9 front u joint -removing hub
 

So I tore down my driver side wheel assembly, chased parts and tools for a day to replace a blown u joint. I get down to the dadgum hub and can't get the sucker off. I have a good bit of tools but no puller nor can I find one. I tried everything. I beat the crap out of it with a sledge and chisel, PB catalyst, air chisel, tried the extension power steering thing you name it and I can't get it off!! I really do t want it shopped, but I'm out of ideas. I heated it too. All I managed to do was scar it up real bad and cross thread one of the rear bolts that go into the bearing housing. After a day and a half I accepted my defeat. YouTube and Google didn't help. Any ideals for the average joe to try?

Thanks

Funny google did not tell you to use the power steering as that is the common solution.

SnapOn even makes a socket the perfect length to put on the bolts and turn the wheel using the power steering as leverage and the axle housing as the contact point.

An extension and deep socket will work as well but you can mess up the end of the extension if it is hung hard.

Back the retaining bolts out about haly way, put socket and extension on then turn the wheel to the extension hits the housing. Do NOT just jam it hard with the PS or you will break the tie rods. Pop the wheel over several times agianst the end then work back and forth from front to rear to loosen the hub. It mike take several times on front\rear bolts to get it loose but it will usually come off.

Yeah, I was doing it wrong but ended up breaking it loose with the power steering.

Unfortunately....

After fighting the hub housing and destroying a ujoint and putting another in the vibration is still there.

From 20mph on up it vibrates the whole truck. If I let off the gas the vibration stops. If I barely touch the pedal at high speed it doesnt vibrate at all. The engine is running fine. Once it hits 4th gear the vibration is so bad my keys start jingling.

Buddy told me to check my drive shaft/ujoints. Wheel bearings seem ok, but I will check again. Could it be a mount or something with the shaft?

It literally started doing it over night and I am about to go mad figuring it out. I dont want it shopped I am a tight wad. We are saving for a house and have to be out of our rental soon and need every penny for a down payment.

Any help would be great.

Thanks

Pull your front drive shaft and see if that changes anything.

It you want to isolate to the rear drive train, with the front shaft on and in 4x4 drop the rear drive line and tape a large baggy on the t-case output to keep the mess to a minimum and drive to see if that helps.

Don't discout a bad injector cause the vibration until you can isolate it a little better.

When you say pull the front shaft, do you mean take it off and drive that way?

And when you say drop the rear drive line do you mean the shaft?

What would be the best way to test a bad injector? If one were bad, would it be doing anything else?

Sorry for the questions, first diesel truck

thanks for the help

Yes, on the drive shafts completely remove them and drive to see if the vibration changes. That way you isolate it front to rear and from engne\trans\tcase or drivelines\axles.

If you have an injector off that bad it will show on a cylinder ocntirbution test. That takes a dealer or diesel shop to perform unless you want to spend $500 on a scanner to do it yourself.

Ok, I really appreciate the info. I will do the shaft tests first to see if I can isolate the issue. This is probably a really stupid question, but I put it in 4 wheel to drive without the drive shaft to the rear axle correct? I did jack up the rear end and put in drive and gave it some small revs. The wheels turned and zero vibration, but I assume it would need a load to really test it?

Thanks again

Yes, with the rear drive shaft removed you will need to put it in 4x4 and bag the t-case output to keep the mess to a minimum.

Yes, a misfire form an injector will rarely show without a load. It gets worse the more load so it really needs tested in driving situations.

Ok, thanks. I sure hope it isnt an injector. I dont have the money for that right now, maybe craigslist!

Thanks again

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So I took the shaft off this afternoon and low and behold the vibration stopped! I check the ujoints on the shaft. The one in the rear has about a 1/4 inch play and it looks like some needle bearings may have come out.

I jacked the rear up and check for the hub wobble on both rear wheels and they are nice and solid. I check the rear diff oil and it was full and clean.

My only concern now is that its something with my read diff. Before, there was a small drip of fluid (mayb a drop or 2) after running, but it looked like it was coming out where the yolk slides in. Maybe a bad bearing?? I am going to replace the ujoint after work. Could this be something in my rear diff gears?

Thanks a ton for your help

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Finally got the vibration to stop and it was a huge relief. Ended up being the rear shaft u joint. Took me all of 45 minutes to drop the axle, pop out the old and put in the new.

Thanks for the tips, it is appreciated:jump:

A bad ujoint will frequently make the pinion seal leak. A lot of times fix the vibration source and the leak goes away. If it doesn't then you need a seal and those are a bugger because the yoke is pressued onto the pinion pretty tight.

I used a J&J Hub Puller to remove my hubs and it worked great. I bought it from jandjhubpuller.com