03' Ram 2500 Hub replacement....

[Ds4x4]

Anyone had the displeasure of replacing the hub on a Ram? :banghead: I have a solid front axle and needed to replace my axle shaft but ended up accelerating the hub wear. (never did replace the ujoint).

I revisited the hub job today and have beat the crap out of it every way possible with a BFH -10lb style incliding heating it up with a oxy/acet torch.

Any tips appreciated since ive got nothing but the shaft on this project. Thank baby jesus the zj will be road ready by the weekend

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

[reward_1000]

I had one a couple of years ago that I had the same problems with. Like you I just had to heat the hell out of it then let it cool. Eventually it came out but an easy hour job turned into 8 hours quite easily. I did buy some air hammer bits that fit over the bolt heads that have worked well on others since then. Good luck man, as you know it sucks.

[Ds4x4]

I had an "ah-ha" moment this morning about trying dry ice to freeze the hub and shrink it enough to tap it out or a mixture of heat/ice. Ill try it if I can source some dry ice. I thought about liq. N2 but dunno how expensive that would be to ship

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

[cLAYH]

Search some of the ram forums.

A trick I picked up is to loosen the partway then place a socket with an extension over the head of the bolt. Wedge the other end of the extension up against the axle tube or inner "C". Then have some one start the truck and turn the wheel putting pressure on the extension till its pushes the hub out a bit. Then repeat on the other bolts till its loose.

Takes two people and is a bit awkward till you figure out the correct extension length and socket but almost always works.

Backing the bolts out partway and smacking them with a hammer works too but screws the bolts.

[Ds4x4]

I did try that method and it did not work. In fact ive been so pissed off about that hub, I just wheel the jeep around town now. One of these days ill get it done since we want to go camping soon

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

[1ABrian]

Search some of the ram forums.

A trick I picked up is to loosen the partway then place a socket with an extension over the head of the bolt. Wedge the other end of the extension up against the axle tube or inner "C". Then have some one start the truck and turn the wheel putting pressure on the extension till its pushes the hub out a bit. Then repeat on the other bolts till its loose.

Takes two people and is a bit awkward till you figure out the correct extension length and socket but almost always works.

Backing the bolts out partway and smacking them with a hammer works too but screws the bolts.

X2. Always pop hubs this way on the tough ones. Unfortunately sometime you ruin the ext thats bein wacked but it works

[Ds4x4]

Finally, got that sucker off. Ruined the ball joints and tie rod end in the process. Used half a can or Aero Kroil and beat the crap out of it with the 10lb sledge for 20 mins. The hub bearing actually seperated from the mount and gave just enough room for the knuckle to slip past the ball joints, then had to use a chisle to pop the inner bearing out... screw chrysler after that one.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

[Ds4x4]

The saga continues..... Left the house to get an alingment done and couldnt because the other hub is bad. On the drive home the hub broke loose and almost lost the wheel. Barley made it in the yard. The only thing holding the wheel on was two bolts on the caliper and the axle shaft. F Me

New hub, ball joints and tie rod end for the driver side. If anyone does this to thiers there are 2 versions of the steering system, 2nd vers. Has a double u bolt steering damper and is twice as beefy as the 1st vers. Advance rents a ball joint press for free (deposit) but it actually is not big enough , but you can make it work



Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

[Ds4x4]

So on to the end of this. renting the ball joint press from autozone again, I found out they have a second set that has more adapters. Again the press is the same size but the different adapters made it a little easier. The pass. Side was alot easier then the drivers side maybe because everything was so hot from the wheel coming off.

In retrospect, as much as I love the look of the rams, the numerous documented problems sure do piss me off. My truck also has Ram Rot, which is rusting from under the paint over the bed wheel wells. You couldnt copy and paste a picture from one side to the other better than it actually appeared the same on each. I also had my dash crack in 2 places but, luckily it tows like a beast.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

[Ds4x4]

Its been a couple months and everything has been good except for the DW that came from my f'd tires. I rotated them and havent had the problem again. Im goin with goodyear duratracs in 285/70/17 next month so I can feel confident driving faster than 50. probably gunna replace the tierod / drag link as well while im at it to have a new front end.



Now if only dodge would step up and take responsiblity for the cracked dash and rusted wheel wells we'd be golden

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

[xjrev10]

Worth every penny. Much safer then an extension and socket. They can shatter. I had em where you got one foot on the rocker panel and two hands on the steering wheel before they pop. They always do.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....store&tool=all