ECGS bushing install

I'll start by saying that if you have a link to all answers please post it. Thanks

Will be installing ECGS bushing this weekend and need to know a couple things.

1. Is diff oil necessary to purchase?

2. What type of oil should I buy if needed?

3. How do I fill diff with more oil?

4. Does the hammer and screw driver banging on the ears of inner cv axle work best to remove axle from carrier?

5. Planning on using a pvc coupling to install new bushing, is this the best method?

6. I've seen people hammer on the outside end of the cv to get it out of the hub assembly and this seems bad due to possibly breaking the thread starting point to get the axle nut back on. Am I being dumb or will a dead blow hammer be okay to do this?

Any special advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated also.

 

Don’t know all the answers, but a couple. Not much fluid will come out especially if only the driver’s side is jacked up. Be sure to put in plastic shopping bags inside the Diff before using the removal tool, it can fall in your diff, not fun, I have first hand knowledge.

 

Haha I think I saw your thread about having to fish it out of the bottom of the diff, or was that someone else? Either way I woulda been freaking out for sure.
Appreciate the help

 

1-3.: Not necessarily. If you jack up the driver's side of the truck, oil loss should be minimal. I've done a couple installs and lost less than an ounce of oil and didn't see a need to top off or refill. Although, if you're due for a diff oil change, might as well drain and refill while you're in there.

4.: I've used a combination of hammer and screwdriver, hose clamp with a slide hammer and prybar on the inner cup and they all work about the same.. Sometimes you have to improvise depending on what's available. I'd recommend keeping your options handy. Another thing to note is to clock the CV about 5 degrees if you feel like it's not coming out and keep trying. There's a sweet spot where the CV just pops right out with little effort. There's some argument about the inner c-clip opening facing down or up but you wont be able to tell when you're removing it, its a good thing to keep in mind as you reinstall though.

5.: You can get the seal driver kit from them or from harbor freight. You might even be able to rent one from your local auto parts depot. *I've never seen the PVC method done.

6.: Dead blow might be ok, but use caution to not fuck up the threads. For added piece of mind, you can install the castle nut backwards so it's flush with the end of the outer shaft and that'll give you more surface area to strike evenly and reduce the chances you'll fuck something up.

 

That was me and I was a dumbass not putting the plastic bags in the Diff. Also, the end piece of the removal tool will snap into place in the bushing groove, if it doesn’t you may have to grind the edge to a point. Hard to explain but you’ll see when you do it.

 

I've done and redone my suspension probably 6 times since buying this truck but this mod is making me nervous. I really appreciate the advice.
What is the most common way to remove the cv from the hub?

 

I've seen exactly what you're talking about. I'm hoping it'll go in smoothly without fabrication but will be ready if need be

 

I've done all 3 done myself and they're about the same. The prybar thing didn't seem to work as well though mostly due to limited working space. If you use the slide hammer technique, make sure you have a buddy in place to "catch" the cv or create a soft landing pad so the threaded end doesn't go flying and hit the concrete or work surface.

 

To add, PVC works well to install the axle seal, but you'll want a bearing race/ seal driver to install the bushing. Also, you don't need to remove the outer CV from the hub. But if you decide to to give you more space, you can put a piece of wood on the axle stub and hammer it or rent a 3-jaw puller from autozone or advanced and use that.

 

If im feeling vibes and hearing a decent rhythmic humming noise already does that mean the bearing has failed and there's potential for pieces of it to be in my diff? Should I be concerned about the spider gears getting chipped?

 

I think I read your other thread about possible wheel bearing, but your symptoms definitely sound like the needle bearing. I recently upgraded suspension. Before the upgrade I had spacers up front to level the truck. I always had a "rythmeic" hum. Sometimes it would do it, sometimes not. Drove me crazy..

Anyways, after suspension upgrade and ecgs bushing install I cllouldnt believe how much smoother it was, definitely a must have even with a modest 1" lift.

My front diff oil was nasty black, less than 10,000 miles. I recommend changing it. I'm a lazy mechanic, so I just use the included tip on the quart of fluid, and smash the bottle to squirt into diff.

I did not change my axle seal when doing this. Carefully work around it while removing and installing axle. Also while removing and installing bushing.

I would recommend buying the removal tool from ecgs for the factory needle bearing. Stuff a bag in there, don't forget. It might also be necessary to slightly grind or file the removal tool to get that sucker in. I wasted so much time getting it to fit before grinding the edges.

I used a seal/bearing driver to install the bushing, making sure when starting the install that it's straight. A little oil might aid easier installation. The correct size socket could work as well.

As for axle removal, I used my trusty old mechanic experience with a prybar on my lift. If it doesn't want to come out, turn it a bit and try again.. I don't like that backyard mechanic hammer and rope trick. I watched a video of that once and all I can think is.. Wtf..? Lol

Good luck!

 

I’d just change the bushing and not worry about it. Tons of members here have had the vibration then did the swap and all is good.

 

Does it go away in 4hi?
Vibe is 35-45 mph?

you can run with the vibe for a long time and be fine

 

Thank you for the insight. Appreciate it big time.
The noise not going away in 4wd is a little frustrating but I'm thinking the bearing might just be that worn, to the point that it makes noise constantly at the 45-60 mph range.

 

The vibe only started happening this past week. The noise has steadily gotten louder and at a bigger range of speeds 45-60mph which is weird

 

I agree

 

I have tried the 4wd long before I replaced the bushing and didn't notice a thing.. Sounds are so objective so I don't think this is a solid solution to diagnosis.

I would hear that rythmeic hum at low speeds, also at moderate speeds. And it would depend on the road. Usually newer smooth black top.

My needle bearing wasn't bad, but I was able to grab the inner joint on the cv and it would wobble like crazy. Well I guess it was bad. A bad design from the factory.

 

Sounds like the symptoms I had on my 2nd gen. I replaced the needle bearing too, but that wasn’t it. The problem was the wheel bearing. Does the sound go away when you are turning the wheel one way or the other at speed? When you jack up your truck, does the wheel spin freely on the driver side like it does on the passenger side? With my truck, the sound would minimize when I turned left and when I jacked it up and tried to spin the wheel it would stick after about 1 turn. The wheel bearings on these trucks have been known to go around 60-80k miles.