How hard is it to change the front axle u- joints? What all is involved?

 

considering all I previously fixed in there, was wheel hub replacement .. u-joints are somewhat easy now, thanks to this thread I was given back in May 2012

http://www.myjeepxj.com/cherokee-rep...nt-replacement

you'll need 13mm pointed socket (3 bolts / wheel hub assy) .. my brakes have (2) 1/2" bolts .. break those bolts free while wheel on ground, be safe (wheel lugs too)

a big c-clamp is good to have for releasing brake calipers off rotor .. drain a bit of brake fluid from reservoir 1st (turkey baster will work, suck some out) .. when you press pads in (toward each other against rotor) then release clamp .. rotor / pads should have enough play for easy remove .. dont need much .. but doing so will send pressure to brake fluid res, thus reason to remove some fluid

***** best trick I learned working on front end .. when brake caliper is free, remove the inner pad .. then carefully maneuver caliper onto control arm, sits nice & safe there (control arm = rotor spacing) .. i used to use wire attached to coilspring to suspend heavy caliper .. had that break last time tried, luckily I caught it when falling


I rented a balljoint press kit from parts store .. $100 to get, but reimbursed when returned .. basically a beefy c-clamp

I found it easier to use press-tool to loosen the u-joints only, break them free .. then hammer / pushrod method to completly separate joints from yokes .. and replace .. the press kit sucked tryin to line it up right on re-assy .. kept getting off center .. pushrod hammer / was quick ! .. (as in that thread)

axle nut maybe frozen pretty good .. i think its a 31mm socket .. I use that same socket for the hammer / pushrod trick .. I love that socket

you can do u-joint job without removing hub assy from shaft .. but trickier .. be careful pulling out whole shaft & re-inserting .. heard seals can be compromised

But .. hub assy may be too froze on steering knuckle .. get a hub puller ! check hubs out good while your in there

air impact should get that nut off quick if you have 1 .... my last 2 jeeps, the drivers side hub nut was too froze to do by hand .. impacted easy, while wheel on ground, centercap off

a 3-way claw looking puller is good to have / or rent to pull wheel hub assy from steer knuckle

just follow those instructions .. and PB blast bolts .. I PB blasted / brushed cleaned threads on the 3 hub bolts before removing from hub assy .. you can see them when rotor is off .. makes re-assy so easy .. nice clean threads

when putting it all back together .. if you have it aligned right / clean threads .. all bolts should go in by hand for the most part

hope that helps .. Ive done 4 recently .. make sure you get inner clipped u-joints for the yokes .. advance auto sold me wrong joints .. glad I caught that .. there should be 4 c-clips for each joint in box .. u-joint will have an obvious groove for said clips (between its bushing & outer flange) .. those clips should hug on the internal side of yoke tight