Drive Axel, ball joints and shocks.

[Rat baby]

I need some advice friends. I have an 84 720 4x4. I got a quote from a shop to replace my cv axels, upper and lower ball joints and front shocks. There is other work that needs to be done but this has been deemed the priority.
 

I am a novice when it comes to working on trucks. I have done some small jobs and enjoy learning about it.   

I was entertaining the idea of doing the ball joints, cv axels and front shocks myself. I have been reading the Hanes repair manual and watching YouTube videos.

 

Is this a job a newb could pull off with proper tools and guidance? Should I just cough up the loot and know it’s been done by a professional? Thanks for your thoughts and opinions. 

[datzenmike]

It will be interesting finding the 720 CV axles. Last I heard they were NLA.

 

Upper and lower ball joints bolt in, but you will need a pickle fork or separator to release them from the spindle.

 

Shocks are just nuts and bolts. For best results do all 4.

 

Totally do-able by a noob.

 

[bottomwatcher]

82 and older NLA. I think you can still get 83 and up. Chinese I believe.

[Rat baby]

I found the drive axles. Does anyone have any advice for a first time cv axel job? Is there any tricks to taking the manual hub apart? 

[thisismatt]

Why are you changing the CVs?  If the boots recently tore, I would consider cleaning, repacking, and new boots.  OEM axles are a lot better than remanufactured in my experience...

[Rat baby]

The boots tore. So I can really just clean, grease and re boot? That’s great news. I asked the mechanic that and he looked at me like I was a nut. Is that all that’s wrong with them you reckon? 

[thisismatt]

It depends how long they've been torn and if they've gotten crap in them (dirt, water).  The reason the whole axle usually gets swapped is because you have to pull it either way and it's easier to just put a new assembly in, so most people replace it. But there's good reason that reman axles are $80 and oem are $400. I've put reman axles on that clicked around turns from the get-go.

 

That said, they're are a bit of a pain to service 😅

[Rat baby]

I see. They have been torn for a while. Either way I’ll have to pull the whole axle if I’m understanding you. You make a good point for repairing them.
 

Do the manual hubs come apart with the removal of the snap rings? my Hanes manual mentions using a magnet to separate the driven clutch from the the free running hub. Thanks for the help🤙

[thisismatt]

That question is beyond me. I would look up the factory service manual (FSM). Pretty sure you can find it with a Google search

[captain720]

It also is affected by were you live, one month of winter around here with no CV boot and the whole things is shot

[NC85ST]

Is it popping? I know Subaru guy’s, with the older cars, clean and reboot there factory axles even if they’re making some noise and they say they work fine. They will even look in junkyards for an oem axle rather than use an aftermarket axle. I would imagine it’s the same with Nissan’s.

[datzenmike]

Dealer price is over $600 a side but NLA. There are repair kits $350.

 

 

factoid... The 1980 720 4x4 front differential is on the right front, all other years it's on the left. You can use right side CV joints from an '80 on later trucks if you use it on the left side.

[MaddieCycle]

If I recall on my '86 with auto hubs the lock ring was all I needed to undo and the splined end of the outer CV was freed.