Well, so it goes.... EVERY TIME I get close to making my purchase of my new 460, SOMETHING comes up that takes priority. THIS TIME it is a new drive shaft in the Dodge. Went out tonight on the way up here to work. Its not completely out, but bad enough that it is grinding pretty loud, and I'm not gonna wait till it does some serious damage.

Good grief. At least its only going to be about $400 to $500 to get it done. MAN I can't believe this!!! Less than a WEEK AWAY from making the purchase, and BLAM!!!! That's THREE TIMES now!

I'm tempted just to pull it out of savings and do it that way, but I absolutely HATE pulling money out of savings. I guess the bright side is that hunting season isn't starting till fall, and it is only $400 to $500, which should be saved up again shortly, but STILL!!!!

WHY ME???!!!!!

It sounds like you and I have the same kind of luck.. if it weren't for bad luck, we wouldn't have any luck at all...lol. Hang in there you will get it!

which shaft are you talking about?

Front drive shaft. The boot around the front U joint was ripped up and I never caught that. Bunch of crap got in there and has totally destroyed that joint. I guess technically its not the drive shaft being replaced, but that joint at the front of the drive shaft.

I knew this expense was coming, just not this soon. But then again, there's 183,000 miles on this truck. Shouldn't surprise me to much. Oh, and part of the expense is taking the rear drive shaft off and doing that joint as well. There are actually three total, and I'm going to do all three at once.

If it's just the u-joint, that's a $20 repair. But if it's a CV joint, those do cost more but not $400. Rod would know better than I.

My advice is you pull the shaft. Most 4wd will drive without it. Get the 460 now before those in Washington remove that option.
You might be able to locate a good used shaft before fall hits.
Love my 460XVR.

I agree, you don't need the front shaft. You might have to lock the transfer case if you have a open case. I had to do this when I was 17 with a Toyota pickup except I was driving around with just the front wheels.

Dan, I use Spicers and they cost a bit more, LOL!

You can't really drive without it...he is talking about the CV joint on a front half shaft. Ice builds up on an A-frame front end and will rub a hole in the boot... then it is only a matter miles before the Knuckle Joint is toast.

I thought guns were better than savings...they earn WAY more interest and you can shoot your money while you wait for them to increase in value.

Think of it this way...you can't spend that $ after they throw dirt on your bones...and when they are patting you on the face with a shovel, the person who gets that savings account $ will have NO problems using the "savings"

Get another estimate. I have done both sides recently and it was $225 per side, including the parts!

Ok your talking about a couple different things here, your talking about three shafts which if it is a 2500-3500 dodge longbed is the two piece rear and one piece front with the rubber boot on the slip joing other wise your talking about the 1500 with cv axles, if it's the former buy a used front driveline and put new u-joints in both the front and rear if it's the latter most of the cv axles aren't too bad, Lord knows I probably changed a couple hundred in my 22yrs in the business.
One other thing if you do your own u-joints use Spicer as Whitworth mentioned all the rest are garbage, especially the Precision joints from NAPA. If you want to try it yourself and need some help let me know and we can talk on the phone. If I were there I'd give you a hand and we'd knock it out in a couple hours but regardless if you have the time you can save yourself alot of money doing it yourself, I'd also suggest buying a Chilton or Haynes manual on your truck if you don't have one.

No, I do have to have four wheel drive. I live in colorado, and work in the oil fields. This time of year, four wheel drive is a MUST. No way around it.

Your correct, its the CV joints I'm talking about, and its on a 1500. I'm no mechanic, so you'll have to kinda read between the lines when I'm trying to explain it. :-)

It's not just the joints that are being done though. There is some more minor stuff being done, thus the price range I gave. There is a few little things that have been adding up, and I just haven't done them. Figured since these joints on the drive shaft HAVE to be done, I'll do the rest while I'm at it.

Yeah, it may be someone else that gets that account when they are throwing dirt in my face, and they can do with it what they want when they get it. But till that happens, it is the security that account provides that allows me and my wife to do the things we do. Not owing anyone a DIME is sure a good feeling. One I am not willing to give up easily. Don't get me wrong, we still have our fun money, but a good part of it is being stashed away in different stock accounts. I plan on retiring at 55, and then we will cash in those accounts and enjoy the heck out of it. But till then, it is staying right there.

Don't blame you and wish I were in the same situation. I have had to bite the bullet a time or two and pay to have my rig fixed because I was down after a surgery when things went wrong. The worst was when I blew the turbo and intercooler out of my Dodge, came to a little over 2500.00.

I was a mechanic for years and it was called a Dudge for a reason!