DualSportDad

I have a 97 xj , Dana 30 front axle. I broke the drivers side axle shaft. I have been looking for a replacement and and Napa etc want between $400 and $600 for a shaft. This seems a little ridiculous. Are there any other options?

xjsnake

Junkyard. Should be well under $100.

Replace the axle seals as the drivers side seal probably got damaged when the axle broke.

DualSportDad

I'm looking for new if possible.

joshga171

Other than your local parts store. Most online stuff is HD stuff which is starting around $500and up there may be some out there cheeper but before I paided $500-600 for new oem parts is look up an aftermarket company and get some chromys for near the same price. Google. Can be your best friend for that.


I just went that path wanting new since I broke the passanger side in my 88 but ended up getting used and replacing ujoints with spicer

SeriousOffroad

Agreed.
I can get OEM shafts but the prices are just under or equal to an Alloy kit.

DualSportDad

I have a 98 parts jeep but it has abs.... I guess I'll try and see if that axle shaft will fit in. I'll get a new joint as well. Anyone have any suggestions for a strong u joint? This one was a new auto zone brute force or what ever and it snapped then the yoke must have grabbed and snapped the shaft.

joshga171

I'm not sure the years but I have heard a zj axle shaft will fit and they are beefier at ujoints

salad

Most ZJs use CV joints.

You can use axle shafts from any XJ newer than 1991 or any TJ, direct swap. ABS shafts or those newer than 1995 will have ears for the larger Spicer 297X U joints. That Spicer model number, 760X or Moog 371 are decent U joints for a stock application.

DualSportDad

I'm wondering if my front axle wasn't replaced before. I've gone to the parts store a few times to get u joints and they give me ones that are too big.

Thanks for the help... I guess I'll go grab those shafts or of my parts jeep.

DualSportDad

I grabbed the axles off of my 98 parts XJ with abs. The u joints look the same size as my 97 axle u joints from what remember. The bad news is that the threads on the drivers side shaft for the axle nut are gone. I'm hoping I can swap the end with my other non abs one. If not I'll take the end off the passenger side abs axle and use it on the drivers side and continue to use the non abs axle on the passenger side.

DualSportDad

Also are duralast gold u joints any good? Its what I had in there this time and it broke. Pretty much all my other u joints are this brand as well and never had one fail.

These are lifetime warranty and I'm a bit on the broke side. I also found my ball joints were bad as well so that is a in expected expense as well.

weebur

I replaced my original ones with those and after only 7-8K they were bone dry and leaking rusty water from them. When I took them out I had trouble rotating them by hand they were so tight...garbage. I went with NAPA joints that are still tight after 20K.

DualSportDad

I the passenger one was pretty rough if I remember correctly. Guess I'll get some Napa ones. I don't want to risk the axle getting broke again either over $40 worth of u joints. Thanks for the info.

salad

Precision U joints are pretty solid.

As for Ball Joints you really do get what you pay for. Spicer OEs will last another 15 years, it's not unheard of for the Duralast ones to be 1-2

DualSportDad

Anyone know the party number for the front able shaft u joints? Napa gave me their extreme strength 371 u joints and they are too big.