Deuce stuck in the woods; need advice!

[Fleetwood59]

Wile turning a corner in the woods yesterday there was a big pop sound at the left front wheel and the wheel stopped turning. I backed up and it unlocked and then I inched to a level spot and parked but it is making a terrible sound at that wheel and trying to bind. I assume the U joint broke? Is there a way to pull the hub and get the axle out to just drive it home? Can you drive them with the axle/U joint out and just put the wheel back on? Any Deuce experts in Athens Ga doing service calls?

Thanks,

Jimmy

 

[cbrTodd]

If you pull the drive flanges off the front axle (8 bolts each drive flange) and either leave the air shift transfer case disengaged (or pull the front driveshaft if it is a sprag transfer case) then the axle shafts won't be spinning. As long as you can still turn the steering wheel appropriately it is OK to drive short distances that way, just be aware that it will allow dirt to get in your wheel bearings without anything to cover up the drive flange area.

If it is bound up bad enough that you can't steer it, you'll have to do the above plus pull out the axle shaft, which involves pulling off the hub, brakes, and spindle.

 

[M35A2-AZ]

That is a good plan to try. Pull the front flanges to get you home. To remove the axle you have to remove the spindle, brake drum and hub, that is a job to do at home.
But if it is bound up you may have to do a field repair.

 

[Fleetwood59]

Thank you for helping me with this. So when I take off the flange will I be able to see the broken U joint and remove any broken pieces? Also how do I tell if it is a sprag? Is this a problem you have seen before? Thanks again, Jimmy

 

[clinto]

I'm near Athens.

If something in the front end broke, I wouldn't want to pull the drive flanges, because the broken component will still be in the knuckle.

If it were me, I'd get the front end up, pull the drum off, pull the backing plate and spindle off and get the axle shaft out. If you know which side it is, you can probably get away just doing that side.

You can get the backing plate and spindle off without opening the brake system. Just hang the backing plate out of the way.

Pull the axle shaft, reinstall the plate and the the spindle, drums and bearings and roll on.

 

[clinto]

Thank you for helping me with this. So when I take off the flange will I be able to see the broken U joint and remove any broken pieces? Also how do I tell if it is a sprag? Is this a problem you have seen before? Thanks again, Jimmy

Go look at this thread. About the first 20 posts is all you need. It's a step by step breakdown of how the front end comes apart.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?8460-Front-axle-seals-and-boots-stepXstep

When you pull the drive flange, all you'll see is the end of the axle shaft and the wheel bearings and wheel bearing retention nuts/washer.

Removing the drive flange allows the tire/wheel/drum to rotate free from the axle shaft. But the shaft will still be spinning if the truck is in movement or if the front axle is engaged. So if it's broken, it'll be inside the axle tube and/or knuckle thrashing around.

The u joint section of the front axle shaft is behind the spindle, inside the knuckle.

If your transfer is a sprag, there will be no air shift switch under the dash like this:

 

[clinto]

If you want to remove the drive flange, all you need is a 3/4" socket.

If you want to pull the axle shafts, you'll need:

3/4" socket
Axle nut socket (3", 8 sided-OTC # 1907. Napa can cross.)
Flat blade screwdriver or chisel to bend up axle nut socket washer tabs
Big pair of pliers
Hammer
1/2" and/or 3/4" ratchet or breaker bar
Small adjustable crescent wrench
Pickle fork (tie rod/ball joint separator to get the tie rod off the knuckle)
Mallet or similarly beefy hammer
9/16" socket and a decent extension (to get the backing plate off)
7/8" socket (king pin bushing retention plates)
Needlenose pliers (to get the cotter pin out of the tie rod end).

I think that's about it.

 

[Fleetwood59]

It is definitely the drivers side, will I need any special sockets or tools to get this apart?

Is there any way I could pay you to come look at this and verify I am doing the right thing?

Thank you very much for your reply

Jimmy

 

[Fleetwood59]

link to other post is a huge help!

it is not a sprag then because I have the air shift

 

[Fleetwood59]

very helpful!,

do you do service work? this is looking kinda complicated

 

[clinto]

It is definitely the drivers side, will I need any special sockets or tools to get this apart?

3/4" socket
Axle nut socket (3", 8 sided-OTC # 1907. Napa can cross.)
Flat blade screwdriver or chisel to bend up axle nut socket washer tabs
Big pair of pliers
Hammer
1/2" and/or 3/4" ratchet or breaker bar
Small adjustable crescent wrench
Pickle fork (tie rod/ball joint separator to get the tie rod off the knuckle)
Mallet or similarly beefy hammer
9/16" socket and a decent extension (to get the backing plate off)
7/8" socket (king pin bushing retention plates)
Needlenose pliers (to get the cotter pin out of the tie rod end).

Is there any way I could pay you to come look at this and verify I am doing the right thing?

Yes. PM'ing you my cell number

EDIT: PM sent 11:59 am

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

This is the exciting kind of thread that gets the heart bumping.... and emergency field repair and vehicle recovery all wrapped into one crisis resolution thread.

SUBSCRIBED and watching from Texas!

 

[gimpyrobb]

This is the exciting kind of thread that gets the heart bumping.... and emergency field repair and vehicle recovery all wrapped into one crisis resolution thread.

SUBSCRIBED and watching from Texas!

Not really exciting as it means someone doesn't know enough about their vehicle to be wheeling it, but I digress...

 

[Scar59]

Not really exciting as it means someone doesn't know enough about their vehicle to be wheeling it, but I digress...

seams a lot of that going on lately......at least he didn't spray it full of ether.

 

[porkysplace]

3/4" socket
Axle nut socket (3", 8 sided-OTC # 1907. Napa can cross.)
Flat blade screwdriver or chisel to bend up axle nut socket washer tabs
Big pair of pliers
Hammer
1/2" and/or 3/4" ratchet or breaker bar
Small adjustable crescent wrench
Pickle fork (tie rod/ball joint separator to get the tie rod off the knuckle)
Mallet or similarly beefy hammer
9/16" socket and a decent extension (to get the backing plate off)
7/8" socket (king pin bushing retention plates)
Needlenose pliers (to get the cotter pin out of the tie rod end).




Yes. PM'ing you my cell number

EDIT: PM sent 11:59 am

So the "Deuce Doctor" makes house .........Errr Woods Calls!

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Not really exciting as it means someone doesn't know enough about their vehicle to be wheeling it, but I digress...

"It's not an adventure until something goes wrong."

and...

"The same intelligence used to create the problem cannot be used to solve it."
Albert Einstein (paraphrased)

 

[marchplumber]

I know I started out not knowing much, and was/am extremely grateful to those who helped me along the way.......................


Hope that this turns out well for ALL involved! Some VERY informative posts and suggestions. That's what keeps me coming back to Steelsoldiers!

 

[doghead]

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. Albert Einstein

Use more ether... Doghead

words to live by