Front Axle U-Joint Loose - ok to drive on it?

[lmelmed]

76 Sport. Stock 302/C-4 and pretty much all original. Driven only on street.

Newbie questions: Front axle u-joint (passenger) is very sloppy (can see it when jacked up). Assuming I drive in 2WD, how urgent is that repair? I have a trip coming up (few hundred miles). Car handles quite well and while it is a little loose in the front end, it generally feels ok. But I do have kids in the car with me at times so want to be careful...

I know it isn't a huge job but not sure about free time between now and the trip.

Thanks,

 

[Jdgephar]

It's fine as long as you don't use 4wd or lock the front hubs.


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[lmelmed]

Much appreciated.

 

[SteveL]

No problem in 2wd with hubs unlocked. To fix pull off hub and rotor assembly. Unbolt spindle and pull out axle. Swap u-joint and re-assemble. Maybe 3-4 hours. Much faster with air tools

 

[lmelmed]

I look forward to tackling it.

Don't take this the wrong way, but all of you "gurus" remind me of the folks who write hiking guides. The trail is always "moderate elevation gain" that can be done in just a few hours. Nothing I have touched has been done in a few hours and that has been the easy stuff!

 

[DirtDonk]

Hah! It's good to know yourself as well, and take all things into account when planning.
Me? I can take all day to do that job. After all, gotta clean, paint, re-pack, smooth, polish, grind, paint again, wait for paint to dry, then take extra special care to be sure that the axle shaft is lubed and rotated gently as inserted through the inner seal.

Between food and drink breaks, phone calls and jaunts to the computer, I can see that taking all day. Then on to the other side the next day!
Luckily this particular job doesn't involve laying on my back on a nice warm day, in the shade under the truck on the cool concrete.
Under those circumstances, I could use up both days on one side, then not get to the other until the following weekend.

Have a great time working on it.

Paul

 

[sykanr0ng]

We didn't mention the other side of it, though Paul kind of touched on it.

A job like that is the kind of thing that brings on the "While I'm at its...."
Well, since this part is right next to what I'm working on and needs work I'll work on it too............

There is a thread here where a guy started out to install a gas tank, it turned into a frame off rebuild.
Another guy started out to replace a rear wheel bearing......frame off rebuild.

 

[SteveL]

Since you're gonna have the axle out may as well stuff an arb in it

 

[Yeller]

No problem in 2wd with hubs unlocked. To fix pull off hub and rotor assembly. Unbolt spindle and pull out axle. Swap u-joint and re-assemble. Maybe 3-4 hours. Much faster with air tools

With enough practice 6 minutes:-X Glad I'm out of practice.