I’ve found the u-joint on my front passenger wheel has a good amount of play if I grab the two and move them about. I’m going to be driving cross country in a couple months with a trailer so I figure I need to replace that before I do so...

my question is, it seems easier to just replace the entire axle drive shaft for that side, at about $175 for a crown auto, than to try and just replace that cross piece (it actually seems like a bushing issue), even though it’s a lot cheaper to do so.

any input on why or why not to replace the whole shaft there?

this is the model of axle for anyone interested: https://www.carparts.com/details/Jee...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

i discovered the issue because I get a creaking sound when turning right with 4wd activated

 

There's really no reason to replace the axle shaft assembly once you have it out. Replacing the U-joint is $30 and easy to do. Rent a press from a parts store if need be. It's getting the hub off so you can remove the axle shaft that is the "painful" part of the job - and you have to do it for both the $30 fix and the $175 fix. Save your $175 and spend the extra 30 minutes pressing out and in a new U-joint.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by a "bushing" issue? U-joints don't have bushings (at least the ones you are using) - they have needle bearings. Are you saying that there is slop/play between the cross and cups?

Also, don't bother with aftermarket U-joints. Just get the Spicers, P/N 5-760X for the front axle shafts.

 

$175 is pretty expensive versus a $12 u-joint. You could just pull the shaft and take it to a driveline shop and have them install the new ujoint if you're not sure you can replace the joint yourself. Of course the hard part is actually pulling the unit bearing.

 

Gotcha, I see they’re bearings, there looked to be some old something or other on there that I assumed was what was left of a bushing but probably just some crud. Yes there’s a good amount of movement between the two “U”s, so the bearings could be worn down heavily. I’ll have to look again now that I have a better idea.

the video i watched made most of the process not too serious except the u-joint itself — they did not use a press and made it look incredibly difficult to do. But I see what you mean, I’ll look into renting a press. For only $15 more the spicer seems worth it, thank you

 

So there does appear to be a bushing...that is what is causing the play, and only in the one direction where the “bushing” is so flattened the one “U” had got some room to move

 

There's direct cause and effect there. With a press it's not difficult.

Nevermind whether you think it's a bushing or a bearing - just replace it.

 

Definitely, that wasn’t meant to be argumentative, more of a “if it’s only this, is there another solution?” But reading more into it, replacement is the only one

 

Ok, Carabinerx, you're getting a lot of opinion here. The part you're calling a bushing is a seal - it keeps the grease and needle bearings from falling out. When the seal goes, you can lose needle bearings and the joint will clunk around and fail your state inspection or possibly worse if you don't fix it.

You live in NYC. As I understand, they don't use near as much salt there as they do elsewhere, but you're still in the general northeast of the U.S. Therefore, you will have rust.

That rust can make popping the hub bearing (as folks are saying) more painful than it has to be. Don't be frightened off removing it. There is a trick that, even with the nasty rust we get around here, to get it off without too much cursing and throwing tools. It's very well known so you should find many detailed instructions by googling, it is sometimes called the deep socket trick, or power steering and socket trick, or something like that. It is essentially using a stiff piece of metal (and a deep socket works well) to squeeze the hub bolt against the C part of the front axle using the steering wheel. This will work, I've done it more than once - it is pretty easy. Do this.

The U-joint. As noted, if you pull the shaft and drop the axle off at most any general repair shop, they will swap it out and it can be less than 175 for a new axle. Bear in mind that you SHOULD change both sides.

I find U-joints much more painful than removing the hub bearing (due to the trick). The easiest path to replacing the U-joint that I have found is to get a ball joint press (you can get one as a loaner tool, big deposit but refunded upon return of the tool) and if you have a decent bench vise. Step one, throw your new u-joints in the freezer so they're nice and cold when you're ready to install them. Then, taking the removed shaft (if you can soak the whole joint in PBBlaster for a good while, even better) , remove the u-joint clips (they're on the inside for the axles, a small screwdriver and hammer will get them out), then set the ball joint press in the vise, clamping the vise to the long part of the C. Set up the shaft in the press so that you are sure that the receiving end (the one where you want the u-joint cap to come out) is unobstructed. Use a breaker bar and possibly cheater bar (but NOT an impact), use the press to push the joint. It will be a bit of an arm workout, but you'll hear a scary pop (the older the u-joint, the louder it will be).... you'll think you just really screwed up something and/or broke your breaker bar. This is normal. Once it pops, it should be much easier to carefully press out the cap. I use the bench vise, once the cap is out enough, to grip the cap and wiggle it out. It's a lot easier than pliers or vise grips since you can wiggle the shaft. Once the caps are out for one pair, repeat the process for the other.

Now it's apart. Clean up the axle and check for any dings or burrs (it's pretty common to bugger up the area a bit - I took one to a shop once and it still got a little banged up). A few dings are not a big deal, but anything where the new seals could be snagged MUST be filed smooth around the eyes. Make sure it's good to go, smooth, clean, etc. Put a thin layer of grease on the inside of the eye holes (where the cups sit), get your frozen u-joint and pull off all the caps and set them on a clean surface or clean rag. Make sure all the needle bearings are in place, push them flush to the inner walls of the caps with your fingers if you need to. Set the first cap in position on the shaft section of your choice and use the bench vise to start it in just a bit. Make sure it's straight, go slow. It should start in much easier than it came out and the bench vise should be sufficient. You just want it in enough to hold in place, but don't go too far. Repeat on the other side. The goal is just enough to have them in position (the caps) but enough room to insert the cross part between them. Position the cross part between and align it so that it is nice and straight, . Slowly start pressing the caps in, right before the cross parts can enter, double check that the cross is straight. I like to sort of slide the cross back and forth to make sure it slides in nice and easy on both sides as I go.

Note - sometimes it is easier to do 1 cup, then put the cross in. If you go this route, I like to push the shaft (meaning the cross part nub that sits inside the cup) all the way into the cup as I press.. you can press the cap in fully if you go this route, but I still like enough room on the other side to just start the cap without also aligning the cross shaft. Again, the continual checking that the cross nubs slide easily into place as you go is IMO very important.

What your goal is here is to make sure none of the needle bearings fall out of place and get wedged in the end. You can get the caps on if this happens, but it will blow the joint when you try to run it. (Ask me how I know... )
Once the caps are fully seated, and you can get the new clips on (don't put them on yet), double check that the joint turns smoothly. It will be tight, that's ok, but it MUST be smooth. If it jars at all during manual manipulation, there's something wrong and you should disassemble and start over.

If it's smooth, install the new clips. Repeat for the other pair.

Once all 4 caps are installed and clipped, again, double check the joint moves through the full range of motion possible and that it does so smoothly. Don't be concerned that the old joints felt awful "floppy" between the two shaft sections and the new joints are not "floppy"... That's the "tight" thing... after a bit of use (the next time you remove them) they'll be "floppy". If you've held enough drive or axle shafts in your hands, you know exactly what I'm talking about. If not, as an XJ owner, you will.

Crack a beer. You deserve it.

The biggest thing with u-joints is to take your time, go slow and take care. If you do that, it's not that bad a job (with the press and vise). The ugly stuff is when you're on a trail and trying to fix it without much more than a hammer... it can and has been done, but it aint fun.

 

I'm not a mechanic by any stretch and I managed it. You'll be fine if you read up (PatHenry is spot on) and take your time

 

Thanks Morat!

 

Thank you PatHenry for the very thorough write up! Just saw some photos about that trick, that’s the route to go, very smart.

I’m going to tackle it this weekend if I can get ahold of the axle and hub sockets, locally (12 point 36mm and 13mm?).

ill tell you how it went, and thanks again guys!

 

Pulling the hub (13mm) often requires the help of a torch. Heat the hub where the threads are, not the head of the bolt.

 

you want a 36mm axle socket, they're 6pt, and a 13mm 12pt socket. you can use the box end of a wrench, they're 12pt. but then you would not be able to do the socket/extension trick, so grab yourself a short 13mm 12pt in 3/8 ratchet size and a short extension. that combo usually works with the steering wheel trick. but i've also used a deep socket on an old ratchet and no extension and it worked. you may have to play around with what works for you. you can use 1/2 inch drive too, if that's what you have. just gonna have to play with the combo for it to work.
i always remove the top bolt, and leave the other two bolts loose, but threaded in far enough as to not damage the threads when you put the pressure of the steering against it. you may have to use some great force on that steering wheel, and having the engine running will help, but i've done it with the engine off and it still works. it will help if you have someone holding the tools on the bolts so you can turn the wheel to bind the tools against the knuckle. you want to push the hub off the knuckle by pushing on the bolt head. go a little on the one bolt, then use the other bolt to wiggle it loose. once it pops, it should fall right off.
once you have it all apart, wire brush on a drill and clean the surface up as good as you can, then slather copious amounts of never seize on the mating surface of the hub against the knuckle for next time. wouldn't hurt to coat the front of the hub where the rotor mates and even the front of the rotor where the rim mates, if you're in water often.

 

The 13mm 12pt socket is available at your local hardware or big box home improvement store. Should be under $10 for a good 1/2 inch single socket.

The 36mm axle socket is available from your local parts store either for sale or via loaner tool. If you have a love of old Jeeps (or any other vehicle with the D30 axle), it's good to have one. It's not all that expensive ($10-15) I have 2 myself, a normal "chrome" socket and the impact rated version. If I'm replacing the hub, I find heat and the breaker bar easier, if I'm not replacing the hub, the impact can make removing easier. I have a giant screwdriver that I jam between the joint and C section of the axle body when removing the axle nut so I don't have to put the tire back on to keep the wheel from spinning.

Basically, I'd recommend buying both tools. The 13mm fits a whole lot of bolts on the XJ and the Axle socket is nice to have and avoiding just paying the retail price is not worth running back and forth to the parts store to pick up and drop off every time you need it.

Make sure when you're done that you re-torque the axle nut (the 36mm one) to 175 ft/lb of torque. Less than that will cause pre-mature hub failure.

 

Yes. Anti-seize is a big help for next time.