[machinecrook]

Hey guys,

When turning left I've been hearing a faint ticking noise ... Figured now would be the time to make my girlfriend nag at me for spending money on the TRX instead of her.

Say hello to my beat up 300, back in the garage for some work while the snow melts:

Front - Left Wheel (noticed the boot is all tore up ... Probably the source of my problems)

Front - Left Diff. Boot (figured I'd put this in here in case you guys see something to fix)

Front - Left Brake Panel (here's me thinking there's not supposed to be so much crap in there)

Front - Left Brake Drum (there seems to be some scoring...)

Front - Left Knuckle (you guessed it, I don't have the tool to remove it...)

Front - Right Wheel (boot looks nice but the breather tube is severed)

Front - Right Diff. Boot (this one looks buggered up)

Alright, enough with the pictures. I'm thinking I can remove the front arm and remove the knuckle right? I checked the bearing of the knuckle and that sucker looks really loose. What I don't understand is HOW CAN THE BEARING BE SO EXPENSIVE :eek

 

[machinecrook]

Alright I checked Ebay for the seals and bearings of the knuckles and saw the price wasn't so bad. Got my panties in a bunch there.

While I'm at the front ticking noise, is there supposed to be a infinitesimal play in the tie-rod? I can notice some slight play in there but it really isn't much, so little that I'm wondering if it's normal. Anyway, if so, how in heck do I get the cotter pin and nut out of here!?

On the top of this, there's a plate... Like so:

 

[Manny]

there should be zero play in the tie rod ends.

Any of the aftermarket bearings and seals work good for me (despite the history with all balls bearings and others on this forum)

The clicking your getting could be from the wheel bearing but I would suspect your bearings are bad in the CV joint.

You can order a boot kit and repack it with new grease, that may quiet it down. usually however, once they start making noise they wont go away. you have to replace the half shaft.

 

[machinecrook]

there should be zero play in the tie rod ends.

Any of the aftermarket bearings and seals work good for me (despite the history with all balls bearings and others on this forum)

The clicking your getting could be from the wheel bearing but I would suspect your bearings are bad in the CV joint.

You can order a boot kit and repack it with new grease, that may quiet it down. usually however, once they start making noise they wont go away. you have to replace the half shaft.

Damn ... So the actual joint can't be replaced, I would need the whole shaft... Bummer, I suppose if I change one I should also change the other, right?

I'd need sort of a kit like this

 

[machinecrook]

there should be zero play in the tie rod ends.

Any of the aftermarket bearings and seals work good for me (despite the history with all balls bearings and others on this forum)

The clicking your getting could be from the wheel bearing but I would suspect your bearings are bad in the CV joint.

You can order a boot kit and repack it with new grease, that may quiet it down. usually however, once they start making noise they wont go away. you have to replace the half shaft.

Quick question Manny, I've never removed the half shafts, does that inquire me taking apart the front diff?

Thanks

 

[Manny]

Axle can be removed without messing with the differential. You simply remove the a arms, (keep them attached to the knuckle, then with the axle perpendicular to the differential you yank straight out. they have a retaining C clip that holds them inside the hub in the inner differential, they will normally pop out with no issue.

take a look at east lake axle on amazon, normally you can pick up a new axle for about $70.

 

[machinecrook]

Axle can be removed without messing with the differential. You simply remove the a arms, (keep them attached to the knuckle, then with the axle perpendicular to the differential you yank straight out. they have a retaining C clip that holds them inside the hub in the inner differential, they will normally pop out with no issue.

take a look at east lake axle on amazon, normally you can pick up a new axle for about $70.

No luck on Amazon for my model, I'll send them an email. Thanks!

 

[SamUK]

Just to add, Manny is right about the all balls bearings, tie rod ends etc I've not had an issue with them yet, for the amount of times I use my 300 there perfectly good enough.

 

[shadetree]

a long tough, solid bar, a good size hammer, put the bar on top of the lower knuckle, right next to the lower ball joint, smack the crap out of it, the lower a-arm will pop off the knuckle, same thing with the top a-arm, leave the shock attached, place right next to the upper ball joint on the knuckle, a good whack with the hammer, pops right down and off the ball joint that will stay on the upper a-arm. I do this a lot, have not came across a knuckle I could not take apart yet !.

 

[machinecrook]

a long tough, solid bar, a good size hammer, put the bar on top of the lower knuckle, right next to the lower ball joint, smack the crap out of it, the lower a-arm will pop off the knuckle, same thing with the top a-arm, leave the shock attached, place right next to the upper ball joint on the knuckle, a good whack with the hammer, pops right down and off the ball joint that will stay on the upper a-arm. I do this a lot, have not came across a knuckle I could not take apart yet !.

Damn either I'm really not used to this or didn't have a solid enough bar ... I thought I was going to smash the knuckle. I whacked on that sucker and tried different methods for about an hour. Finally I got pissed off and bought the tool on Amazon. Even ordered it with Amazon Prime 1 day shipping so I'll get it tomorrow.

I'll buy both CV axle shafts for right and left with new bearings and seals. I contacted East Lake Axle as @Manny suggested. They told me they still had some in stock even though they weren't on their site. I'll get a quote from a couple different places and choose the best deal.

This is where I start going overboard... I'll remove the front bumper, left/right a-arms, buff & repaint them. Same thing goes for all the bolts and nuts. Once I get some more cash I'll redo the front brakes (never used those anyway).

 

[shadetree]

a long tough, solid bar, a good size hammer, put the bar on top of the lower knuckle, right next to the lower ball joint, smack the crap out of it, the lower a-arm will pop off the knuckle, same thing with the top a-arm, leave the shock attached, place right next to the upper ball joint on the knuckle, a good whack with the hammer, pops right down and off the ball joint that will stay on the upper a-arm. I do this a lot, have not came across a knuckle I could not take apart yet !.

Damn either I'm really not used to this or didn't have a solid enough bar ... I thought I was going to smash the knuckle. I whacked on that sucker and tried different methods for about an hour. Finally I got pissed off and bought the tool on Amazon. Even ordered it with Amazon Prime 1 day shipping so I'll get it tomorrow.

I'll buy both CV axle shafts for right and left with new bearings and seals. I contacted East Lake Axle as @Manny suggested. They told me they still had some in stock even though they weren't on their site. I'll get a quote from a couple different places and choose the best deal.

This is where I start going overboard... I'll remove the front bumper, left/right a-arms, buff & repaint them. Same thing goes for all the bolts and nuts. Once I get some more cash I'll redo the front brakes (never used those anyway).

some ball joints/knuckles have to be smacked very hard a few times to pop them apart ?, but it can be done !. there was no need in buying that tool, but, at least you have it. you may use it once or twice while having it ?.lol.

 

[machinecrook]

I used a sledge hammer with a piece of half inch steel rod and bent it out of shape. I don't consider myself a weak man so I was very surprised when it wouldn't come off. Yeah I figured I'd only use it once, I was so pissed off that it was worth it.

While I couldn't get it off, I was thinking to myself; "shadetree would probably just take a regular hammer and hit it just right and it would pop off"

Which by the way! I finally figured out what the meaning of a shade tree mechanic meant !! Haha.

 

[shadetree]

I used a sledge hammer with a piece of half inch steel rod and bent it out of shape. I don't consider myself a weak man so I was very surprised when it wouldn't come off. Yeah I figured I'd only use it once, I was so pissed off that it was worth it.

While I couldn't get it off, I was thinking to myself; "shadetree would probably just take a regular hammer and hit it just right and it would pop off"

Which by the way! I finally figured out what the meaning of a shade tree mechanic meant !! Haha.

lmao, welllllllllll..it may mean what you think it said ?, but, that's not the main reason I chose the screen name ?. many years ago, I was out in my front yard, under my large oak tree, pulling a jet ski engine from the ski, in the middle of july ( hot as heck ! ), found this forum, and thought of that time, under the tree, in the shade..ah HA !, shadetree !!..lol.

 

[machinecrook]

I used a sledge hammer with a piece of half inch steel rod and bent it out of shape. I don't consider myself a weak man so I was very surprised when it wouldn't come off. Yeah I figured I'd only use it once, I was so pissed off that it was worth it.

While I couldn't get it off, I was thinking to myself; "shadetree would probably just take a regular hammer and hit it just right and it would pop off"

Which by the way! I finally figured out what the meaning of a shade tree mechanic meant !! Haha.

lmao, welllllllllll..it may mean what you think it said ?, but, that's not the main reason I chose the screen name ?. many years ago, I was out in my front yard, under my large oak tree, pulling a jet ski engine from the ski, in the middle of july ( hot as heck ! ), found this forum, and thought of that time, under the tree, in the shade..ah HA !, shadetree !!..lol.

Haha nice! I realized my own username here was kind of shady ... In the sense that Crook = Thief ... Machine thief? Which isn'T what I meant at all. My last name is Crook, and I like machines so I said that machinecrook would be a good name! Lmao, can cause confusion.

 

[rodp]

I used a sledge hammer with a piece of half inch steel rod and bent it out of shape. I don't consider myself a weak man so I was very surprised when it wouldn't come off. Yeah I figured I'd only use it once, I was so pissed off that it was worth it.

While I couldn't get it off, I was thinking to myself; "shadetree would probably just take a regular hammer and hit it just right and it would pop off"

Which by the way! I finally figured out what the meaning of a shade tree mechanic meant !! Haha.

Sometimes the hammer can be too big, for tapers / ball joints it's a good sharp crack that's needed, not a dull heavy blow. I've always found something like a 2 1/2lb ballpein gives a hefty sharp blow, and a 3/4" / 1" bar. You don't want the bar too big though, it absorbs the hammer blow.

 

[shadetree]

I used a sledge hammer with a piece of half inch steel rod and bent it out of shape. I don't consider myself a weak man so I was very surprised when it wouldn't come off. Yeah I figured I'd only use it once, I was so pissed off that it was worth it.

While I couldn't get it off, I was thinking to myself; "shadetree would probably just take a regular hammer and hit it just right and it would pop off"

Which by the way! I finally figured out what the meaning of a shade tree mechanic meant !! Haha.

Sometimes the hammer can be too big, for tapers / ball joints it's a good sharp crack that's needed, not a dull heavy blow. I've always found something like a 2 1/2lb ballpein gives a hefty sharp blow, and a 3/4" / 1" bar. You don't want the bar too big though, it absorbs the hammer blow.

yep, my 2lb hammer works great.

 

[rodp]

I used a sledge hammer with a piece of half inch steel rod and bent it out of shape. I don't consider myself a weak man so I was very surprised when it wouldn't come off. Yeah I figured I'd only use it once, I was so pissed off that it was worth it.

While I couldn't get it off, I was thinking to myself; "shadetree would probably just take a regular hammer and hit it just right and it would pop off"

Which by the way! I finally figured out what the meaning of a shade tree mechanic meant !! Haha.

Sometimes the hammer can be too big, for tapers / ball joints it's a good sharp crack that's needed, not a dull heavy blow. I've always found something like a 2 1/2lb ballpein gives a hefty sharp blow, and a 3/4" / 1" bar. You don't want the bar too big though, it absorbs the hammer blow.

yep, my 2lb hammer works great.

Us old un's know you can have too much hammer, the young un's just go for the biggest and hope for the best. :laugh: No finesse these young un's :wink

 

[machinecrook]

Hahaha. I'm supposed to get my ball joint tool today so I'll split the knuckle free and start buffing / painting everything. Hopefully I'll get my parts next week!

Should be able to put everything back together fairly quick. However, when I was turning the inner CV joint manually, it seemed to slip ... I had noticed when turning left, my rear wheels were engaged but the front wheels were not turning at the same speed as the rear ones. Seems to me they should be turning at the same ratio?

 

[SamUK]

Haha.. I have finesse, I just don't abuse the privilege:laugh:

 

[shadetree]

Hahaha. I'm supposed to get my ball joint tool today so I'll split the knuckle free and start buffing / painting everything. Hopefully I'll get my parts next week!

Should be able to put everything back together fairly quick. However, when I was turning the inner CV joint manually, it seemed to slip ... I had noticed when turning left, my rear wheels were engaged but the front wheels were not turning at the same speed as the rear ones. Seems to me they should be turning at the same ratio?

the front has a limited slip differential, it's made to do what your saying. very well can have worn spider gears ?, or friction disk ?. hard to say with out seeing them ?. not many front differentials go bad ?, but it will happen if they get abused..lol.