Should I replace the entire axle shaft or just the u-joint?

[akajibio]

Well this morining while driving my jeep TJ to work, heard a loud thunk and consistent tic and stopped the jeep only to notice that my front axle u-joint missing one of the end caps. WTH! What caused this to happen? Not sure but should I replace the whole shaft or just repair the u-joint?

 

[Strizzo]

Should be good just swapping the ujoint

 

[TJ4Jim]

Well this morining while driving my jeep TJ to work, heard a loud thunk and consistent tic and stopped the jeep only to notice that my front axle u-joint missing one of the end caps. WTH! What caused this to happen? Not sure but should I replace the whole shaft or just repair the u-joint?

View attachment 657038

The axle U-joint is held in with an inner clip rather than outer clips on like the other joints and it clearly departed. As long as it stayed centered in the assembly you could probably just press in a new cap. It may be a bitch to re-clip the joint with the knuckle in place, dont know. Otherwise replace the entire joint. Do not really see any damage to the surfaces.

 

[CharlesHS]

As other members have posted... if there is no damage to the inside of the yoke you can press in a new U joint.

Since the U joint is held in place with C clips on the inside of the yoke and the cup is held on by tension; these questions need to be asked.
How did the cup eject itself from inside the yokes ear ?
Was the cup not pressed in fully when installed ?
Did the ear of the yoke lose its tension on the outside of the cup ?
Does the yoke ear have a micro crack which released the tension and allowed the cup to work its way out ?

There has to be a reason why or how the cup slid out.
A thorough inspection of the yoke ear and inner surface needs to be done before installing a new U joint to determine how/why.

 

[akajibio]

Well this morining while driving my jeep TJ to work, heard a loud thunk and consistent tic and stopped the jeep only to notice that my front axle u-joint missing one of the end caps. WTH! What caused this to happen? Not sure but should I replace the whole shaft or just repair the u-joint?

View attachment 657038

OK less than 3 months of replacing my front passenger u joint with a quality Spicer part, this has happened again today. (02/03/2026). I am so pissed. WTF.? The only thing I can think of is that there is a bend somewhere within the u joint housing or "ears". My next logical step is the replace the whole axle shaft as one brand new unit. Any thoughts?

 

[Vtx531]

OK less than 3 months of replacing my front passenger u joint with a quality Spicer part, this has happened again today. (02/03/2026). I am so pissed. WTF.? The only thing I can think of is that there is a bend somewhere within the u joint housing or "ears". My next logical step is the replace the whole axle shaft as one brand new unit. Any thoughts?

Did the same person install the first one that came off and the second one?

 

[Strizzo]

I just assembled the U-joints for my spin free kit and at first put the circlip around the dust boot rather than into the groove in the cap. Other than that, maybe a burr or something in the notch for the circlip in your axle shaft that could have ejected the clip if it turned in there?

 

[akajibio]

Did the same person install the first one that came off and the second one?

Yes sir! That person is me and yes I made sure that the inner circlip was in place. The first time I actually replaced both left and right axle u joint but only having issues with right (passenger side). I am suspecting a bend in the actual housing where the u-joints reside.