Is it safe to drive with a bad front axle u-joint?

[TonyInKS]

I plan on fixing it as soon as possible, but all my tools are in a storage unit, and I have to find a place suitable for working on it. It's just clinking and clanking while I drive, not as bad as I've heard before, but still would like to know if it's safe to drive if I keep it in 2wd. Thanks guys

 

[MudderChuck]

It can mess up the axle seals, then you have a U-joint and the seals (leaking gear oil) to deal with. Seals are a lot harder to chnage than a U-joint is. It may also wear all the way through the bearing cap, screwing up the axle yoke. It is likely, eventually, to unbalance the axle shaft enough to cause some serious vibrations on the interstate.

 

[TonyInKS]

thanks man, I intend to get it changed as soon as possible, just have to wait a couple days and only drive when absolutely necessary, and gently when I do,lol. Thanks again, wish me luck on getting it changed out, never done it before, but I've got a mechanic buddy who'll walk me through it while he drinks beer and I do the work, that's the way I prefer to learn stuff anyways, having someone there who knows how to do it, while I do the work.

 

[MudderChuck]

I'd read up on it a little first, getting the hub off can be a pain. Don't even try to get it off with a puller, it can/will pull the hub apart and screw it up.
A little trick I use is to jack up the side I want to change really high (and put it on a jack stand, block the rear tires just in case), that way the oil doesn't run out when you pull the axle out.
I also go down and buy three M12 metric (I think, maybe M-10, take a hub bolt with you to compare the size and threads) bolts about 4 inches long (100 mm) put them in the threads for the hub bolts from the rear (after taking the hub bolts out), turn the steering wheel all the way one way or the other and pound on the end of the (sacrificial) bolts until the hub moves a little. Then turn the wheel all the way the other way and repeat. Kind of walk the hub out of the knuckle.
Maybe spray everything down with a penetrating oil ffirst. The hub rusts into the knuckle and can be a pain to get out the first time (cover everything in no seize or copper paste before reassembly, makes the next time a lot easier). My way may not be the easiest or the fastest, but it always works and I haven't screwed anything up yet doing it this way.
Sometimes the U-bolt caps come out easy, sometimes they don't, I've actually bent an axle yoke applying too much pressure.