99 SD front ujoints rubbing lower ball joint

[harman99stroker]

I have a 99 super duty just put 4 new ball joint in last fall and was suprised how close the ujoint got to the lower ball joint i thought it would start rubbing but it worked fine all winter but last weekend was the first time i ran 4x4 hard in the mud now the yoke and u joint are rubbing and grinding under normal driving ...If u grab it you can move it around but the ujoint is good the outer axle seal and the wheel seal in the knuckle look pretty ****ty...are those seals all the hold the axle where it needs to be to keep it from rubbing or do i have all problems causeing my rubbing problem.....i pulled my diff cover off and it was clean no metal good fluid ....any ideas

[NoRalPh]

First, NO! those seals don't "hold" anything And everybodys U-Joint moves more than you'd first think it should. That's the way it's designed, with no support of the axle at the end of the tube (and that seal there isn't really a "seal" at all, just keeps gravel from getting into the tube)

I'd think you most likely need to check the Ball Joints and U-Joint for slop. They shouldn't be able to touch...

[harman99stroker]

the ball joints are new and the u joint is fine i know the gap between them when i put the new ball joints in was like a sheet of paper gap

[NoRalPh]

Wow! I've not see them THAT close!

Not sure why that would be, were the old ones like that? They were as close as that???

I don't think that's right.....

[harman99stroker]

yeah they were i did one side at a time ...i was wondering it they guy that had it before me put some beefer axles in or something

[harman99stroker]

well just pulled the front end all apart and found a little needle roller bearing at the back of the wheel bearing the holds the axle at the end i would say and most of the needles have been turned to dust both side are the same way im guessing this is the problem...no grease so the bearing chewed itself up ....im hoping the bearing is changeable and dont have to replace the whole wheel bearing but i dout it

[NoRalPh]

They are actually available separately

Welcome to guzzle's 4x4 Needle Bearing Maintenance Web Page

[tristanlee85]

Needle bearings aren't too difficult to replace. Use the link provided above to walk you though it. One thing I found that removing and installing the new bearing was much easier if I placed the hub in the freezer over night. Maybe even a few hours will work just enough to shrink the metal a little.

What brand of balljoints did you install? Only other thing I can think of is the c-clip under the lower ball joint wasn't install or got removed and the ball joint actually lifted up from the axle... just a thought.

[harman99stroker]

i got the life time one from advanced and the c clips are there .....thanks for the link