Here's what I like about your videos. You don't gloss over or fast forward the hard stuff. Oftentimes it may seem simple or repetitious to you, but for those of us who like working on our own equipment, but don't have the experience, we learn by watching you do everything. When you show us little stuff like how fasteners come apart, it often saves us hours of hair pulling trying to figure it out. Thank you for these high quality learning experiences. Also, you have a fun sense of humor, and a lovely family. Best to you and your family all around. Thank you again.
Eric....many of your viewers and myself cannot afford to take our junk to the Dealers .Your videos deliver much confidence our way and we manage to do a seemingly hard job very easy. Man there has to be a front row seat just waiting for you in Heaven. Thank you for caring.
Eric, in case you didn't know it, you are a natural born teacher. If you ever decide to lay down the wrench please continue your efforts to teach others. I, for one appreciate it. I noticed you had a diagram of the axle area. I'd like to do more work on vehicles and that type of guide would be very helpful. What would you recommend?
I really want to thank you. I have a 07Ram and a few weeks ago I was moving my friends camper. Stupidly I got in a spot I shouldn't have, doing something I shouldn't have been doing(story of our lives right....) and had to use 4x4 with a 38' trailer on the back. Pop bang and grinding was the result from the front end. Same symptoms you described here. Because of the mild ohio winter, and lack of a garage I put it on the back burner to look at in the spring. I had assumed the engagement collar had sheared the splines or snapped in the axle. Last week I hit a pothole and blew a wheel bearing. In the snow, in the cold I hastily replaced the bearing, but figured I'd take a quick look at the 4x4 since I had it apart. I popped out the actuator and saw no obvious damage nor any signs of shavings. Now I was really worried I had done damage to the transfer case, and that was what was causing my loss of 4x4, even though I found no metal shavings there either. I reassembled the the truck to worry about it in the spring. I did notice when doing the wheel bearing however the front CV assembly was being held on to the stub only by the pressure of it being assembled. This should have set off a red flag to me immediately but in the miserable cold I simply dismissed it as a broken c clip on the stub shaft and put it back together anyways, once again thinking it was a transfer case problem, and could wait till spring. So here I am doing some poking around on troubleshooting transfer case problems and I stumble across your video. As soon as you said the splines on the stub shaft were sheared I had a "you're dumbass moment" to myself. I jumped off the couch, grabbed a flashlight and a long screwdriver and headed out to the driveway, much to the disapproval of the wife. Pried over the cv shaft on the stub shaft and the damage can easily be seen! Thankyou so much. I would have been really pissed if I would have dropped the transfer case, or pull apart the front diff on to discover this later. Sometimes all we need is a little push in the right direction. Your vids are great! It really shows you take pride in them. Do you have a Patreon account that I might be able to contribute to? Great content is harder and harder to find sometimes, and I know it isn't easy filming these productions, it's nice to be able to support those that support you.
Charlie Martinez. No he does not get paid enough for doing these videos from RUclips, trust me, he needs and deserves all the Patreon support that us viewers are able to send his way.
I never worked on a Dodge Truck, but I really enjoyed watching and learning from ya, I still believe that there are a lot of people that learn hands on and your videos are very helpful to all the the hands on kids learning to pull wrenches. Keep up the great work!
This is the BEST video! NO MUSIC! Straight to the point, explaining what he is doing, and CLEANING the area BEFORE disassembling! This video should be the template for all those wannabes video mechanics. GREAT JOB! I service my own 2016 Land Rover LR4 HSI LUX. 1. I have the LR4 manual, 2. Find the problem 3. Watch the video online. 4. get the parts and tools needed for the job. 5. Do the repair slow paying attention to all details, lube, O-rings, right torque in bolts and nuts, and then move or rotate the fixed part, to make sure it works. For major repairs, I have an extended warranty.
@Robert Slackware it's not the $3k - it's the lack of space. Ya gotta work with what ya got - unless you can afford $300k for a bigger place (house/garage or whatever).
With all the crusties you deal with, please use safety glasses. Thanks for sharing knowledge for us who cannot afford to put our vehicles in shops. I`m 62, been turning my own wrenches since I was 16. learned alot here. Thanks again Professor O.
Watching videos on YT help so many people! I just replaced an alternator in my Subaru. It took about 1/2 hour. Cost me only time, and $125 for the part. The shop wanted $480.00 to do it. I saved $355.00. I didn't use air tools either! Thank you for helping people!!!
I love watching the older videos! I can tell you're so much more comfortable and at ease in the newer ones. The evolution is neat, and your vibrant personality blooms on camera over time. Thanks for all you do!
First time using a mig welder that my friend let me borrow and thanks to you it went seamless and I removed 2 bolts. God only knows how much a shop would have ripped me off for. Thank you your the best.
Great video. It's tough to find folks who take pride in careful and correct execution. Truly impressed. I bet that was an expensive jobs for the customer, which is why I wouldn't trust the work to just anyone. Really a great job.
What do you expect from a nearly 20 year old vehicle? Personally I would only see myself driving a Chrysler product if it was given to me, so I'm not sticking up for the brand... but you can't call dodge shit because of your experience with a 90's truck.
Eric O I enjoy your stuff as I'm in retirement now, will be 73 in Aug . I'm an old worn out contractor wrench. I miss working on the junk but of late like watching you more. This less is from 7 yrs ago and you were younger too. This for some odd reason was very interesting video and it wasn't complicated as some of your elec trouble shooting ones are. Keep up the good stuff. Yes a good wife makes life easier.
I just discovered your page, great information. I actually just bought a Dodge Dakota (2000 v8, 5 speed), picking it up tonight, will be a good starter vehicle for my kid. I'm sure as issue arise i'll be searching your vids for a fix. Thanks for putting this info out there.
Truly the BEST Mechanic on U Tube by far!!! Love all your Videos! I live about 1500 miles from you but it would be well worth it to bring my truck to you to have it worked on... Its so hard to find a Mechanic you can trust now days to work on anything...Thanks so much for all your help. God Bless.
YOU are the best mechanic !!!!!!!! i some how got to watch this video ... and just love the knowledge you share ... THANK YOU for being such a awesome teacher !
I sure like the videos, and its good to see normal folk still around. I know this video is just a few years old but your videos are to the point, and they are better explained then most mechanic shops nation wide in my opinion. God Bless you and yours and keep on keeping on.
Looks like the spring clip went away at some point in the past and that probably allowed the CV shaft to slide in and out until it rounded off. Saw that on a Durango once. Great job Eric.
Yet another great video Eric! It's always interesting to get a good look at how things work, even if it's because you have them apart while making a repair.
What a quality mechanic! Sad it is so hard to find a good shop like yours! P.S. Put on some eye protection so you can keep making these great videos. :-)
I know i wish he lived by me....i would go to him in a minute....all the people by me are hacks n thieves....the mechanic i used for over 20 yrs retired. :(
unnecessary, mandated,constant, eye protection is one of the reasons people get hurt and killed in sops; those mandatory pos scratched and greasy goggles blur your vision,your most helpful aid; i use them when there is a risk of flying debris that may come my way,such as when using a grinder; and then,ear muffs are AS important,they let you hear the actual grinding/cutting better,it's more fun.
Yea baby, PPE! We don't want to have to watch future SMA vids with our "Star" looking like a one-eyed pirate. Plus ya got a wife and a kid. You'd want us to do the same .... because you love us!
Very nice work. I was impressed by the use of an air hammer to loosen the upper ball joint. Such a joy to watch a real mechanic at work. It's a refreshing change from watching "parts changers" run the bill up not knowing what they're doing.
Eric, since you asked for comments, I’ll add mine. So here you go... after watching a few dozen of your videos, I’ve come to a conclusion. If I lived within 100 miles of your shop, you’d be my go to guy for all my auto repairs. Of course I’d need to come mainly during one of the three and a half weeks of summer there so I could get us both some ice cream. Cheers and Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Great work! found your channel few months back, I am a mechanic myself in scituate mass and love watching your videos and your approach on things. keep up the great work wish I could make my own videos myself but I work for someone and I don't see him allowing me to do so. thanks again for your videos and sharing your tricks of the trade! Dave p.
Eric I enjoy watching your videos. My nephew told me about you and I decided to check out your RUclips channel. I'm a backyard mechanic, I've done a lot of diy repairs from engine and transmission swaps. Rebuilt components. Remove replace parts. Some were difficult some were easy. Taking the systems apart are harder than putting them back together. But once I've completed the job and it works it gives me a good sense of accomplishment. Keep making those videos.
Knock on wood, but mine has 180K on the clock, problem free. And yes, it gets used often. I change the oil religiously though. Maybe that's part of the equation.
Very detailed work and I like all your camera angles to see the action. Thank you for share! 7 years later and I'm working on my dodge ram. Really enjoyed your video!
Thanks for another well-done video. You have such a calm and confident way of working. It's a pleasure to watch. As I said before, another relaxing video from this end of the screen!
Lol my wife laughs when she looks over my shoulder and reads these comments. She says and laughs _"If they only knew haha"_ as I run around this place like a mad man haha
You are one of the most honest and hardworking mechanics I have ever seen. So many mechanics I have went to tell me these random things are broke and charge me for all of it and then only fix and rarely replace unless they have to, the one thing that’s causing the problem.One time I tested the mechanic I was going to for 3 years cause I thought he was the worst and charging me the most, told me my cv axle broke in half. Then apparently spun and damaged the hub bearings, spindle, brake caliper, rotor, rack and pinion, and tie rod. The funny part is last time I went to his shop was 2 years back and since then I’ve been doing all repairs on my car on my own from RUclips. So I stopped down the road from his shop and got the cv axle boot off and pulled it out, put it back together so I could drive to his shop a quarter mile away and had him look at it and quote me, 2 grand was his estimate for parts and labor. I said ok go ahead, picked it up later in the day ‘repaired’. Nothing was replaced, all he did was put my cv axle back together and clean the parts he said were bad and replaced, marked most things with a black check mark but not everything, and that’s how I knew they were the same parts on it that I came with, recorded everything and dug up all my receipts and took him to court, got $12381 settlement
hello,south main auto i just subscribed and found your channel via Schrodinger channel tell ya aim impressed the way u serving ur customers and the way u fix those cars very clean way . keep em comming please and will be watching always.
Thank you so much! I am in middle of changing mine on my 06 dodge ram 1500.The stub shaft would not come apart from the cv axle. this was very informative and will continue my mission tomorrow... But now with more confidence in what the hell I am doing. THANK YOU! I will post my up date up completion. FYI; I am a woman that is capable of performing my own repairs and its folks like yourself that make it possible for everyone to tackle this kind of project and not to mention the inspiration and confidence that is shared, THANK YOU!
Mr.O you are a genuine gift to your community makes me want to move there and enjoy life but as end stage liver issues will have it it will have to wait a little while.
Your like therapy! I’m a jeweler in NC that works on my own car, I’ve had a bad time with Mechanics that don’t do the work as charged for. So I just gave up, and I love working on my car.
Recently did this repair on my ram, the way he shows in the video frees up lots of room to work, and makes it easy, just a tip to others that might be tackling this, I was able to leave the knuckle in place and remove the stub shaft side of the half shaft with a pry bar, then slide the splines out of the wheel hub. Getting the new one in was a bit tricky cause it was firmer, but was able to make it work. total time to repair, about 30 min from wheels up, to wheels down. thanks for the vids, they help us all out more than you probally know.
Incredible tutorial. I definitely learned something today. Thank you for taking the time to explain in detail and, as hard as it is sometimes, show all the parts and how they operate. (with good camera angles and sound quality) Life long subscriber now! Thanks again!
I'm a brand-new subscriber and I watch a lot of RUclips videos, and yours are by far the best I've ever seen from any channel. The amount of detail and teaching you provide is downright amazing. Thank you so much for doing this. We are very lucky to have you. Thanks for such a great Channel.
Thank you for this video. Lost my 4W during Wisconsin snowstorm. This video was extremely educational. Even my wife watched. Excellent job on explaining everything. I appreciate all your videos.. True priceless. Again, thank you.
I've been subscribed to your channel for a while. Watched most of your videos. I am mostly impressed with the attention to detail and the way you describe the scope of each job. Even the lighting is great. I've learned from your videos. Thank you very much!
I was about to say the same thing but I thought I would check to see if anyone else noticed as well. I would say you are right on the money with that cause.
Your videos are always good, but this one was especially useful. I liked that you took the time to explain what you were doing and why you were doing it. For example, the way you coaxed the new seal/retainer on. I also appreciate the diagrams and close ups which left nothing to the imagination.
Thanks for the video! well done. note: 1A auto has a video of replacing the front wheel bearings on the same model truck. He did not remove the Aframe assembly to pull the passenger-side driveshaft. He didnt have to mess with the Aframe bushings. Looked easier / quicker.
Ben watching you for a couple of months and I have always done a lot of my own repairs You have inspired me to try things I normally wouldn't and I've gotten a lot better at other Stuff than I would normally have taken it in
South Main Auto Repair Smiling... You can always learn something from someone else. I would have never thought of using an air hammer to loosen the joint. I always used a hammer to pound on the side of the housing to separate the joint. Since you're on RUclips, I'm sure that your customers will appreciate you seeing their vehicles having quality work done. And with customers being satisfied with your work, that sure has to bring you some more business through word of mouth. Take care Eric...
Glad you posted this video. Just found this on my 2014 Ram during an oil change. Haven't touched much independent suspension front 4x4, glad to see it's not too complicated. I always like to see someone do it before me so I eliminate guess work without access to OEM manuals.
Thank you for the good lighting, camera angles, clarity and resets when we couldn't see exactly what you could see. And thanks for calling out the parts with their correct names as other people call a bolt a nut and a nut a bolt usually ending up getting us confused.
Thanks for the knowledge your passing along. A person can always benefit from from learning something new. I have two 4x4 I’m gonna start working on. 2005 1 ton four wheel drive ( I bought brand new ) just turned 200,000 miles with a 364ci and a 1985 k10 four wheel drive with 70,000 original miles. Your videos will help point me in the right direction. Thank you
You are by far the best video maker on the internet. Keep up the good work It is a lot of help to people that don't know how to repair things. Your a great instructor.
Excellent Vid buddy ... explains the most common problem found with these on-the-fly 4WD. It just goes to show when the off road enthusiast needs their rig, when the going gets rough, today's front-ends are gutless. Old school manuals still rocks >
I have an 04 Ram 1500 2wd. I did ypur trick for the exhaust manifold studs and it worked great! im having another issue. Im having a clunk sound coming from my rear end turning. If I grab a hold of the wheel and pull bad push it I have a lot of axle play and then I hear the clunk sound. could my C clips be worn or maybe bad bearings? Any help would be great! Thanks for the great videos!
I have to do my truck the same way someone didn’t lock the axles on to the half shafts all the way I can see splines sticking out between the axles an the half shafts on both axles an they are wobbling on both sides so I will probably have to replace both sides .thanks for sharing the video it just confirmed my thoughts with my issue on my truck love the channel by the way been watching your channel for a long time couple years anyway appreciate you doing what you do . Thanks again .
You asked what could have worn out the splines? I suspect someone was driving the truck on dry pavement with the 4WD engaged. The front wheels/tires need to slip a bit (especially in turns) but cant on dry pavement which overloads the spline joint. Plus, the C clip on the shaft was missing. Probably got chewed up in the splines. Also, the outer race on the tapered bearing for the stub shaft you replaced is an interference fit in the aluminum housing. It should never have pulled out by hand. If the outer race spins going down the road it will quickly wear out the aluminum bore. When I run into this I stake the bore and add locktite retaining compound (not threadlocker) to the the bore and then drive in the race. But as always, you're meticulous and provided another great video.
I know this is a very old video. (But my trusty old Dodge is very old also. Lol). Thank you SO much for showing how the inside looks and operates. It really helped my understanding of exactly how everything works together. Thanks again!
Just blame everything on salt...LoL. I know it's only nuts and bolts but since my shoulders are worn out it just makes it twice as hard to lift a heavy knuckle out and into place. It sucks to get old!
Oh man I hear that. I'm only 35 but suffer with psoriatic arthritis, hence the odd looking distal phalanges. (fat fingers and messed up nails) Any how need to work through it as long as I'm able. Some days really suck though when I don't have enough strength to pick up a gallon of milk, or your hangin onto an impact and it just falls out of you hand lol.. kind of gives me a new perspective on people with joint pains.
I have a similar problem with the front drive shaft and axles in the diff worn down in 4x4. Doing some homework/research... thank you for some great info, and excellent clear well lit camera work. Make it look easy. Kudos to you.
I'm 72 years old. Been bending wrenches all my life, but I still learn from watching you work. Thanks.
+Nevin G. Summers Glad to hear that :)
I'm sorry to hear about your wrench problem Nevin, I am also72 and haven't bent that many wrenches. My advice to you is buy a better quality wrench.
My dad has bad breath
thats because the guy took the time to understand the principal of how all things worked on a car
That's cool as heck! Now for those of you who don't wrench this is the kind of mechanic you want working on your car
Here's what I like about your videos. You don't gloss over or fast forward the hard stuff. Oftentimes it may seem simple or repetitious to you, but for those of us who like working on our own equipment, but don't have the experience, we learn by watching you do everything. When you show us little stuff like how fasteners come apart, it often saves us hours of hair pulling trying to figure it out. Thank you for these high quality learning experiences. Also, you have a fun sense of humor, and a lovely family. Best to you and your family all around. Thank you again.
Eric....many of your viewers and myself cannot afford to take our junk to the Dealers .Your videos deliver much confidence our way and we manage to do a seemingly hard job very easy. Man there has to be a front row seat just waiting for you in Heaven. Thank you for caring.
+Robert Davis Well I am not so sure my auto repair can earn me salvation but I do enjoy helping out :)
works aren't what save, they're a product of being saved. salvation is a free gift. only Christianity has that doctrine.
At least it might shorten your time in purgatory... LOL
You said it right Eric. Good Deeds alone will not get you into heaven. But it can't hurt
@@SouthMainAuto Is there a certain gear oil that goes in dodge trucks verses other brands of trucks ? Thanks again Eric for all your videos .
Eric, in case you didn't know it, you are a natural born teacher. If you ever decide to lay down the wrench please continue your efforts to teach others. I, for one appreciate it.
I noticed you had a diagram of the axle area. I'd like to do more work on vehicles and that type of guide would be very helpful. What would you recommend?
I really want to thank you. I have a 07Ram and a few weeks ago I was moving my friends camper. Stupidly I got in a spot I shouldn't have, doing something I shouldn't have been doing(story of our lives right....) and had to use 4x4 with a 38' trailer on the back. Pop bang and grinding was the result from the front end. Same symptoms you described here. Because of the mild ohio winter, and lack of a garage I put it on the back burner to look at in the spring. I had assumed the engagement collar had sheared the splines or snapped in the axle.
Last week I hit a pothole and blew a wheel bearing. In the snow, in the cold I hastily replaced the bearing, but figured I'd take a quick look at the 4x4 since I had it apart. I popped out the actuator and saw no obvious damage nor any signs of shavings. Now I was really worried I had done damage to the transfer case, and that was what was causing my loss of 4x4, even though I found no metal shavings there either. I reassembled the the truck to worry about it in the spring.
I did notice when doing the wheel bearing however the front CV assembly was being held on to the stub only by the pressure of it being assembled. This should have set off a red flag to me immediately but in the miserable cold I simply dismissed it as a broken c clip on the stub shaft and put it back together anyways, once again thinking it was a transfer case problem, and could wait till spring.
So here I am doing some poking around on troubleshooting transfer case problems and I stumble across your video. As soon as you said the splines on the stub shaft were sheared I had a "you're dumbass moment" to myself. I jumped off the couch, grabbed a flashlight and a long screwdriver and headed out to the driveway, much to the disapproval of the wife. Pried over the cv shaft on the stub shaft and the damage can easily be seen!
Thankyou so much. I would have been really pissed if I would have dropped the transfer case, or pull apart the front diff on to discover this later. Sometimes all we need is a little push in the right direction.
Your vids are great! It really shows you take pride in them. Do you have a Patreon account that I might be able to contribute to? Great content is harder and harder to find sometimes, and I know it isn't easy filming these productions, it's nice to be able to support those that support you.
Learn your lesson buy a chevy
Toyota!
I think he already gets paid for you liking & subscribing....not sure
Haha! Chevy! I’ll pray for your tie rods...
Charlie Martinez.
No he does not get paid enough for doing these videos from RUclips, trust me, he needs and deserves all the Patreon support that us viewers are able to send his way.
You are one of the best you tube shows on here, we all appreciate your video's, thank you much Eric O.
I never worked on a Dodge Truck, but I really enjoyed watching and learning from ya, I still believe that there are a lot of people that learn hands on and your videos are very helpful to all the the hands on kids learning to pull wrenches. Keep up the great work!
This is the BEST video! NO MUSIC! Straight to the point, explaining what he is doing, and CLEANING the area BEFORE disassembling! This video should be the template for all those wannabes video mechanics. GREAT JOB! I service my own 2016 Land Rover LR4 HSI LUX. 1. I have the LR4 manual, 2. Find the problem 3. Watch the video online. 4. get the parts and tools needed for the job. 5. Do the repair slow paying attention to all details, lube, O-rings, right torque in bolts and nuts, and then move or rotate the fixed part, to make sure it works. For major repairs, I have an extended warranty.
I feel like a vehicle lift makes everything so much simpler. I want one.
@Robert Slackware it's not the $3k - it's the lack of space. Ya gotta work with what ya got - unless you can afford $300k for a bigger place (house/garage or whatever).
They are heavenly
The space, the tools, the lift, the knowledge, the money 💰
With all the crusties you deal with, please use safety glasses. Thanks for sharing knowledge for us who cannot afford to put our vehicles in shops. I`m 62, been turning my own wrenches since I was 16. learned alot here. Thanks again Professor O.
by far one of the best repair videos on the web!! great work!!
Watching videos on YT help so many people! I just replaced an alternator in my Subaru. It took about 1/2 hour. Cost me only time, and $125 for the part. The shop wanted $480.00 to do it. I saved $355.00. I didn't use air tools either! Thank you for helping people!!!
I love watching the older videos! I can tell you're so much more comfortable and at ease in the newer ones. The evolution is neat, and your vibrant personality blooms on camera over time. Thanks for all you do!
First time using a mig welder that my friend let me borrow and thanks to you it went seamless and I removed 2 bolts. God only knows how much a shop would have ripped me off for. Thank you your the best.
That was the best video on dodge ram front axle replacement I've ever seen. Good job. Thanks
Finally someone who can explain and give me enough confidence to tackle this job. Thank you
Great video. It's tough to find folks who take pride in careful and correct execution. Truly impressed. I bet that was an expensive jobs for the customer, which is why I wouldn't trust the work to just anyone. Really a great job.
+Silky Tp just parts and labor is all... no big deal.
+South Main Auto Repair yeah? that's what the dealer said too. jus sayin
What do you expect from a nearly 20 year old vehicle? Personally I would only see myself driving a Chrysler product if it was given to me, so I'm not sticking up for the brand... but you can't call dodge shit because of your experience with a 90's truck.
OH I SEE!!!!!!!!! MY OLD 87 FORD WAS A JUNKER TOO
COMMENT DELETED
Amazing how much more comfortable and natural you are 5 years after this one! But still the same skilled and honest mechanic... thanks!
Gadzooks Eric, I wish every town had a mechanic as skilled as you! I enjoy all your videos, thanks for posting them to RUclips.
Eric O I enjoy your stuff as I'm in retirement now, will be 73 in Aug . I'm an old worn out contractor wrench. I miss working on the junk but of late like watching you more.
This less is from 7 yrs ago and you were younger too. This for some odd reason was very interesting video and it wasn't complicated as some of your elec trouble shooting ones are. Keep up the good stuff. Yes a good wife makes life easier.
I just discovered your page, great information. I actually just bought a Dodge Dakota (2000 v8, 5 speed), picking it up tonight, will be a good starter vehicle for my kid. I'm sure as issue arise i'll be searching your vids for a fix. Thanks for putting this info out there.
Truly the BEST Mechanic on U Tube by far!!! Love all your Videos! I live about 1500 miles from you but it would be well worth it to bring my truck to you to have it worked on... Its so hard to find a Mechanic you can trust now days to work on anything...Thanks so much for all your help. God Bless.
YOU are the best mechanic !!!!!!!! i some how got to watch this video ... and just love the knowledge you share ... THANK YOU for being such a awesome teacher !
I sure like the videos, and its good to see normal folk still around. I know this video is just a few years old but your videos are to the point, and they are better explained then most mechanic shops nation wide in my opinion. God Bless you and yours and keep on keeping on.
First-time viewer. Great video. Perfect amount of information. The pace was excellent. Camera angles and lighting were stellar. I'm subscribing!
Hey thanks Jeffrey Cardimen Welcome aboard :)
Looks like the spring clip went away at some point in the past and that probably allowed the CV shaft to slide in and out until it rounded off. Saw that on a Durango once. Great job Eric.
Yet another great video Eric! It's always interesting to get a good look at how things work, even if it's because you have them apart while making a repair.
That's the best time to get a good look!
Watching this in 2021 and seeing just how far Eric has come on the RUclips. You seem so much more at ease in front of the camera now, Mr O!
What a quality mechanic!
Sad it is so hard to find a good shop like yours!
P.S. Put on some eye protection so you can keep making these great videos. :-)
I know i wish he lived by me....i would go to him in a minute....all the people by me are hacks n thieves....the mechanic i used for over 20 yrs retired. :(
Sacapuntas definitely!
unnecessary, mandated,constant, eye protection is one of the reasons people get hurt and killed in sops; those mandatory pos scratched and greasy goggles blur your vision,your most helpful aid; i use them when there is a risk of flying debris that may come my way,such as when using a grinder; and then,ear muffs are AS important,they let you hear the actual grinding/cutting better,it's more fun.
It's OK because the camera lens is protected, so he can still make videos.
Yea baby, PPE! We don't want to have to watch future SMA vids with our "Star" looking like a one-eyed pirate. Plus ya got a wife and a kid. You'd want us to do the same .... because you love us!
You, sir, are a master of your trade. I don't plan to twist the wrench on my car, but I sure enjoy watching you diagnose and fix them.
I wish you were my mechanic!! AWESOME JOB DUDE! WITH LOTS OF LOVE FROM INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA. GO COLTS!!
Very nice work. I was impressed by the use of an air hammer to loosen the upper ball joint. Such a joy to watch a real mechanic at work. It's a refreshing change from watching "parts changers" run the bill up not knowing what they're doing.
I found this channel via schrodingers box, very glad I did, excellent videos thanks
Your welcome! If you like what you see pass it along. Thanks for watching!
I love watching your old videos! You and SMA have come a long way over the years!
Another great video Eric O!!! You make it look easy. Your video are awesome! keep it up
+Daryl Zero Thanks
Eric, since you asked for comments, I’ll add mine. So here you go... after watching a few dozen of your videos, I’ve come to a conclusion. If I lived within 100 miles of your shop, you’d be my go to guy for all my auto repairs. Of course I’d need to come mainly during one of the three and a half weeks of summer there so I could get us both some ice cream. Cheers and Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Great videos, enjoy watching you work and diagnose. Keep up the great work.
Pleasure watching you work brother. Us non mechanics need the true craftsmen to do honest work...
Great work! found your channel few months back, I am a mechanic myself in scituate mass and love watching your videos and your approach on things. keep up the great work wish I could make my own videos myself but I work for someone and I don't see him allowing me to do so. thanks again for your videos and sharing your tricks of the trade! Dave p.
Eric I enjoy watching your videos. My nephew told me about you and I decided to check out your RUclips channel. I'm a backyard mechanic, I've done a lot of diy repairs from engine and transmission swaps. Rebuilt components. Remove replace parts. Some were difficult some were easy. Taking the systems apart are harder than putting them back together. But once I've completed the job and it works it gives me a good sense of accomplishment. Keep making those videos.
Those front axle assemblies are junk in my opinion. See so many problems with them even at very low mileage. Nice video as always Mr O
The Car Doctor Thanks Dr.D... I agree they are junk but they sure do help keep the lights on around this place :)
Amen on that one.
The Car Doctor intake manifold runner control valve on dodge ram 2010
Knock on wood, but mine has 180K on the clock, problem free. And yes, it gets used often. I change the oil religiously though. Maybe that's part of the equation.
John Baugh Especially on modern vehicles, proper maintenance renders a very low failure rate
Very detailed work and I like all your camera angles to see the action. Thank you for share! 7 years later and I'm working on my dodge ram. Really enjoyed your video!
Thanks for another well-done video. You have such a calm and confident way of working. It's a pleasure to watch. As I said before, another relaxing video from this end of the screen!
Lol my wife laughs when she looks over my shoulder and reads these comments. She says and laughs _"If they only knew haha"_ as I run around this place like a mad man haha
You are one of the most honest and hardworking mechanics I have ever seen. So many mechanics I have went to tell me these random things are broke and charge me for all of it and then only fix and rarely replace unless they have to, the one thing that’s causing the problem.One time I tested the mechanic I was going to for 3 years cause I thought he was the worst and charging me the most, told me my cv axle broke in half. Then apparently spun and damaged the hub bearings, spindle, brake caliper, rotor, rack and pinion, and tie rod. The funny part is last time I went to his shop was 2 years back and since then I’ve been doing all repairs on my car on my own from RUclips. So I stopped down the road from his shop and got the cv axle boot off and pulled it out, put it back together so I could drive to his shop a quarter mile away and had him look at it and quote me, 2 grand was his estimate for parts and labor. I said ok go ahead, picked it up later in the day ‘repaired’. Nothing was replaced, all he did was put my cv axle back together and clean the parts he said were bad and replaced, marked most things with a black check mark but not everything, and that’s how I knew they were the same parts on it that I came with, recorded everything and dug up all my receipts and took him to court, got $12381 settlement
thanks for the vid, going to replace mine today with hand tools, jack stands and elbow grease( honkytonk northener also)
I'm rewatching older videos of yours, still great.
I don’t have a dodge....or 4x4...... I just like your videos great job👍
Great Video, i've been working on cars for 30 plus years and your videos are always spot on Thanks so Much
hello,south main auto i just subscribed and found your channel via Schrodinger channel tell ya aim impressed the way u serving ur customers and the way u fix those cars very clean way . keep em comming please and will be watching always.
Apreciate that j georges ! They'll be coming up often as I'm able.
Thank you so much! I am in middle of changing mine on my 06 dodge ram 1500.The stub shaft would not come apart from the cv axle. this was very informative and will continue my mission tomorrow... But now with more confidence in what the hell I am doing. THANK YOU! I will post my up date up completion. FYI; I am a woman that is capable of performing my own repairs and its folks like yourself that make it possible for everyone to tackle this kind of project and not to mention the inspiration and confidence that is shared, THANK YOU!
***** That is Great Jen, if you need any help holler and I will try to help if I can :)
was the snap ring missing when you took it apart? yes I know this is an old video, but that peaked my curiosity.
It would have been destroyed from bouncing around in the axle spline
Mr.O you are a genuine gift to your community makes me want to move there and enjoy life but as end stage liver issues will have it it will have to wait a little while.
Thank you for a quality video. I learned some good stuff from you.
Your like therapy! I’m a jeweler in NC that works on my own car, I’ve had a bad time with Mechanics that don’t do the work as charged for. So I just gave up, and I love working on my car.
Eric O....Your vids are the best!
+john smith Thanks John
Eric hey my name is les I'm from auburn maine I own an operate my own mechcanic business love tue videos
Recently did this repair on my ram, the way he shows in the video frees up lots of room to work, and makes it easy, just a tip to others that might be tackling this, I was able to leave the knuckle in place and remove the stub shaft side of the half shaft with a pry bar, then slide the splines out of the wheel hub. Getting the new one in was a bit tricky cause it was firmer, but was able to make it work. total time to repair, about 30 min from wheels up, to wheels down.
thanks for the vids, they help us all out more than you probally know.
You my man are a great mechanic. Thank for sharing!
Incredible tutorial. I definitely learned something today. Thank you for taking the time to explain in detail and, as hard as it is sometimes, show all the parts and how they operate. (with good camera angles and sound quality) Life long subscriber now! Thanks again!
He said something about putting "gear oil" in there but didn't show how. I wondered where the fill hole was.
I'm impressed with your content. Thank you for giving a shit enough to make this step by step.
I'm a brand-new subscriber and I watch a lot of RUclips videos, and yours are by far the best I've ever seen from any channel. The amount of detail and teaching you provide is downright amazing. Thank you so much for doing this. We are very lucky to have you. Thanks for such a great Channel.
the following sums this chap up for me..a dam good mechanic...great videos.
LZDEN n ur a dam good viewer! Thanks
your most welcome my friend...;-)
Thank you for this video. Lost my 4W during Wisconsin snowstorm. This video was extremely educational. Even my wife watched. Excellent job on explaining everything. I appreciate all your videos.. True priceless. Again, thank you.
Always enjoy your videos. very helpful. well made, thoro, detailed operation thank you
Very thorough!
I've been subscribed to your channel for a while. Watched most of your videos. I am mostly impressed with the attention to detail and the way you describe the scope of each job. Even the lighting is great. I've learned from your videos. Thank you very much!
Thanks Eric O! That’s exactly what I needed to be able to fix my Silverado.
Been watching your videos for about a month now, makes me wanna start working on car n trucks again. thanks....
Appeared to me the spring clip broke and axel came off the splines, probably from turning to tight with the 4 wheel drive engaged maybe.
BassheadGTP my thoughts exactly.
I was about to say the same thing but I thought I would check to see if anyone else noticed as well. I would say you are right on the money with that cause.
I thought same thing and probably might have been caused by leaving 4 wheel drive in on dry road surface for extended period[s] of time.
this is years old but I was thinking the same thing from the start.
Your videos are always good, but this one was especially useful. I liked that you took the time to explain what you were doing and why you were doing it. For example, the way you coaxed the new seal/retainer on. I also appreciate the diagrams and close ups which left nothing to the imagination.
awesome video very well done, cant wait to check out some more of your vids.
Thanks for the video! well done. note: 1A auto has a video of replacing the front wheel bearings on the same model truck. He did not remove the Aframe assembly to pull the passenger-side driveshaft. He didnt have to mess with the Aframe bushings. Looked easier / quicker.
Eric, great video's...like the way you work.
Old video but a good info video. Thanks for your expertise and caring.
this Canadian loves your work .... thanks so much for the education !!
Ben watching you for a couple of months and I have always done a lot of my own repairs You have inspired me to try things I normally wouldn't and I've gotten a lot better at other Stuff than I would normally have taken it in
You make learning so interesting - Well done - again !
I'm replacing my front left cv axle next week. Thanks for the quality video.
Very nice work Eric and I picked up a few tips from you.
Wow really!? Wait I just felt a little proud lol
South Main Auto Repair Smiling... You can always learn something from someone else. I would have never thought of using an air hammer to loosen the joint. I always used a hammer to pound on the side of the housing to separate the joint. Since you're on RUclips, I'm sure that your customers will appreciate you seeing their vehicles having quality work done. And with customers being satisfied with your work, that sure has to bring you some more business through word of mouth. Take care Eric...
Hey thanks Terry, to be honest I don't know if any of my customers know I do this other than just a handfull maybe.
Glad you posted this video. Just found this on my 2014 Ram during an oil change. Haven't touched much independent suspension front 4x4, glad to see it's not too complicated. I always like to see someone do it before me so I eliminate guess work without access to OEM manuals.
This is a very good video, I appreciate it, it helped me get mine done....thanks!
Would like to "THANK YOU" for one of the best and simplest tutorial videos on 4x4s!!
explained very very well, thank you for your efforts...
Thank you for the good lighting, camera angles, clarity and resets when we couldn't see exactly what you could see. And thanks for calling out the parts with their correct names as other people call a bolt a nut and a nut a bolt usually ending up getting us confused.
I like you're videos. thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the knowledge your passing along. A person can always benefit from from learning something new. I have two 4x4 I’m gonna start working on. 2005 1 ton four wheel drive ( I bought brand new ) just turned 200,000 miles with a 364ci and a 1985 k10 four wheel drive with 70,000 original miles. Your videos will help point me in the right direction. Thank you
Nice work. Are you supposed to squeeze some gear oil into that shift box?
Nah, oil will get there on its own when you use it.
It comes from the pumpkin and works its way down, so check the level in the from axle and fill accordingly
I was wondering this same thing thanks for the explanation.
You are by far the best video maker on the internet. Keep up the good work It is a lot of help to people that don't know how to repair things. Your a great instructor.
Best Mechanic on utube.. *****
yep!!!
Excellent Vid buddy ... explains the most common problem found with these on-the-fly 4WD. It just goes to show when the off road enthusiast needs their rig, when the going gets rough, today's front-ends are gutless. Old school manuals still rocks >
I have an 04 Ram 1500 2wd. I did ypur trick for the exhaust manifold studs and it worked great! im having another issue. Im having a clunk sound coming from my rear end turning. If I grab a hold of the wheel and pull bad push it I have a lot of axle play and then I hear the clunk sound. could my C clips be worn or maybe bad bearings? Any help would be great! Thanks for the great videos!
I have to do my truck the same way someone didn’t lock the axles on to the half shafts all the way I can see splines sticking out between the axles an the half shafts on both axles an they are wobbling on both sides so I will probably have to replace both sides .thanks for sharing the video it just confirmed my thoughts with my issue on my truck love the channel by the way been watching your channel for a long time couple years anyway appreciate you doing what you do . Thanks again .
thanks your awesome video helped me with my 4x4 problem:D
You do a great job helping us see each step! I like your style and pace. Keep up the good work!
Great job again like always A +
Excellent job clearly explaining mechanical operations of each parts function. Enjoyable video. Well done.
16:40 - 16:45 it looks like the outdrive shaft is out of round some, trick videograpy?
You asked what could have worn out the splines? I suspect someone was driving the truck on dry pavement with the 4WD engaged. The front wheels/tires need to slip a bit (especially in turns) but cant on dry pavement which overloads the spline joint. Plus, the C clip on the shaft was missing. Probably got chewed up in the splines. Also, the outer race on the tapered bearing for the stub shaft you replaced is an interference fit in the aluminum housing. It should never have pulled out by hand. If the outer race spins going down the road it will quickly wear out the aluminum bore. When I run into this I stake the bore and add locktite retaining compound (not threadlocker) to the the bore and then drive in the race. But as always, you're meticulous and provided another great video.
Was that supposed to be filled with oil? And refilled before being put back together?
apachelives What's that? The front diff.?
I know this is a very old video. (But my trusty old Dodge is very old also. Lol).
Thank you SO much for showing how the inside looks and operates. It really helped my understanding of exactly how everything works together.
Thanks again!
Just blame everything on salt...LoL. I know it's only nuts and bolts but since my shoulders are worn out it just makes it twice as hard to lift a heavy knuckle out and into place. It sucks to get old!
Oh man I hear that. I'm only 35 but suffer with psoriatic arthritis, hence the odd looking distal phalanges. (fat fingers and messed up nails) Any how need to work through it as long as I'm able. Some days really suck though when I don't have enough strength to pick up a gallon of milk, or your hangin onto an impact and it just falls out of you hand lol.. kind of gives me a new perspective on people with joint pains.
Yep it sucks to get old, but it beats the alternative! I'll be 70 this year I dont feel old inside!
I have a similar problem with the front drive shaft and axles in the diff worn down in 4x4. Doing some homework/research... thank you for some great info, and excellent clear well lit camera work. Make it look easy. Kudos to you.
T Gugs Glad to help.