First a big thank you to Steve83 for all his help with my hublock issue. The Mile Marker 104 hubs are sweet and really easy to install.

But after installing them and rolling around in proper 4x4 for a few minutes I noticed that my stub shaft (left axle) universal is really sloppy, and results in the occasional "bang" when I turn hard left. The u-joint definitely needs replacement, or a good greasing, but it has no grease fitting.

I have the special spanner for removing the axle nut. And I also have torches and air tools. It looks like a pretty self-explanatory job. Is there anything to watch out for (i.e. what is the most painful part) when pulling the left (stub) axle? Will it just pull out easily as the Haynes manual says it will? Is there anything in the diffy I have to remove to slide out the stub axle? (like a c-clip or a roll-pin?) Should I change all the U-Joints in the front axle or just the knuckle joint that is bad? The others look fine.

 

Did you install the small outer snap ring as described in the colored cutaway diagram caption? Is there fine red powder coming out of any of the u-joint seals? Can you move the yokes in relation to each other?

 

I stuck a big screw driver in between the yokes and there is tons of play between the yokes. There is indeed red dust, but the whole assembly is old as hecks and very rusty. The knuckle (stub axle) u-joint seems to have the most play. The front shaft u-joints look fine, not much play, and they have clips and fittings so I think they are aftermarket. I greased them and there does not seem to be much play on the front shaft.

The clunk comes from the left knuckle when I make a sharp low-speed turn. But there is a regular wub-wub-wub noise that is consistent with acceleration. Also the knuckle clunks when I accelerate from a dead stop. I can turn the wheel yoke about 3/4 of an inch before the shaft starts to turn and all of that play is in the knuckle u-joint.

The guy I got the truck from changed the upper and lower ball joints and the left side bearings this spring. He says the spindles should come out pretty easy. He says he had both axle shafts out when he did the bj's. So they just slip out like fwd half shafts? Nothing tricky?

 

No, the L shaft slips out - no snap ring like FWD. The R shaft is E-ringed in, so it doesn't slip out until that ring is removed. If you're REALLY good, you can pick it out thru the fill hole in the front, and let it fall to the bottom. Then you have to either install a spring into the slip joint (and weld the cap) to hold it in, or make a snap ring like FWD (which is what I do). Otherwise, you can open the keystone clamp and split the axle at the slip joint, leaving the E-ring in place.

http://www.supermotors.net/registry/2742/71518-2