Put the back axel in tonight. Don't know if anyone's done it like this but I was able to do it this way with no help. You might find this handy if you have to install by yourself... 1998 Cherokee.
1. Slide axel under with 2 floor jacks.
2. Guide back bushings up into shackles, install bolts and nuts hand tight.
3. Move jack to front of leaf springs. Lift axel half way up.
4. Place 1/2" thick blocks of wood in-between back shackles and frame. Note: Pry shackles forward with pry bar to insert wood.
5. Insert bottle jack or 3rd floor jack under differential.
6. Lift axel up and compress into underbody. Note: Jack axel up several inches prompting spring to flaten out, allowing front bolt to be installed.
7. Frequently check front bushings for alignment to frame mount holes while jacking.
8. Use pry bar for final alignment allowing bolts to be inserted.
9. Tighten front bolts hand tight. Note: Do not torque at this time.
10. Install wheels and tighten lug nuts.
11. Remove Jack stands.
12. Lower center jack until leaf springs supported by floor jacks.
13. Lower center jack completely and remove.
14. Lower floor jacks and remove. Torque lug nuts to specification.
15. Torque suspension bolts to 109 ft lbs. Note: Suspension must be fully loaded when bolts torqued.

 

I have swapped the axle in my 91 and my wifes 01 by myself, as well as pulled 2 rears from the jy by myself. The swaps were a pain but not to bad. The jy pulls on the other hand... had to use nothing but hand tools. The jy does not allow power tools or jacks on the lot.

 

Yea... pulling them wasn't bad other than 1 of the bolts was frozen inside the sleeve!
How did you install them yourself?

 

A floor jack, jack stands, a prybar, and a vast abundance of profanity.

 

i could guess a vast amount of profanity!!!!

 

Well maybe we are on to something then. The next time you could try something like this or similar to this! It made life a lot easier!

 

It really was'nt to difficult. I can only say that PB Blaster was a life saver. That and a big freakin hammer.

 

Mine to I was trying to pull a ford 8.8 and got hot and grouchy and just left it since they would not move the truck or let me use a saw to just cut it out.

 

Ha ha me to but it was fun and I think worth it.

 

On most occasions I've done repairs alone. I've found it easier to mount the springs first. Then using the floor jack under the diff, just raise it into position under the springs. The rest is ...well, you know, Cake.

 

Yeah that is how I did mine. A lot easier that way. Trying to get the springs lined up on both sides can be a pain. But his idea is good if you are changing springs at the same time.

 

Yeah, but it's so much easier to do separately why kill yourself. Just bust the U-bolts loose and Bob's-your-uncle. Save all the profanity for that person who deserves it, not your Jeep.

 

Don't you have to get new u-bolts then?
I'm not kidding you... I did this in 40 minutes like this without a strain... No problems at all!
Well... I just finished preparing for tomorrow's air flow experiment.
Should I post results on our old thread or start a new one and reference the location of the results in the old one?

 

Come on, there're cheap and a few bucks isn't worth all that trouble.
You can post the results wherever you like. The old thread's fine, but it's okay if you start a new thread.

 

Heck, I'm married to a Dutch Woman... Have to account for every penny on my projects. Of course she drives a new car and so on and so forth!
Let's see what A1racer says about posting a new thread or using the old one.
I am new to the site so I don't know the protocol...