# 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 U-Joints have failed 4x

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-dodge-ram-2500-u-joints-have-failed-4x/133569>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** dodge, ram-2500\
**Created:** [January 29, 2019, 11:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-dodge-ram-2500-u-joints-have-failed-4x/133569 "2019-01-29T23:28:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![olemike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/76d3ee/32.png) [@olemike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/olemike)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 11:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-dodge-ram-2500-u-joints-have-failed-4x/133569/1 "2019-01-29T23:28:20Z")

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For the 4th year in a row I have to replace my u-joints on my rear drive shaft.

Why the early failures?  
Out of balance  
alignment issue?

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 12:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-dodge-ram-2500-u-joints-have-failed-4x/133569/2 "2019-01-30T00:58:52Z")

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Could be either or both.

Does this truck have a lift kit on it?

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**Author:** ![olemike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/76d3ee/32.png) [@olemike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/olemike)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 2:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-dodge-ram-2500-u-joints-have-failed-4x/133569/3 "2019-01-30T02:35:18Z")

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I think it does.

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**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 12:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-dodge-ram-2500-u-joints-have-failed-4x/133569/4 "2019-01-30T12:45:11Z")

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In that case the center bearing and/or rear axle may not have been shimmed correctly to maintain correct geometry of the driveshaft.

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 2:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-dodge-ram-2500-u-joints-have-failed-4x/133569/5 "2019-01-30T14:05:22Z")

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@Purebred beat me to it. +1

The angle between the pinion of the rear end and the driveshaft grows quite a bit if you lift the rear. That stresses the heck out of the U-joints.

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**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 2:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-dodge-ram-2500-u-joints-have-failed-4x/133569/6 "2019-01-30T14:06:58Z")

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The owner of this vehicle does not know if it has a lift kit , OK fine.