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Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go hereXJ (84-01)
All OEM related XJ specific tech. Examples, no start, general maintenance or anything that's stock.
The quote for parts and labor is ridiculous. The pinion and inner axle seals should cost about $50 and the steering box $150 at the most, and it may not even be bad, sometimes they need to be adjusted when they wear. Changing these parts should take no more than 6 hours. Standard shop rate is around $75 an hour 75x6= $450 . So about $650-700 for everything, which still seems high to me and that is why I do my own work, you can buy a lot of tools for $450 .
I totally glossed over the prices quoted, HOLY COW! Take it to someone else and never return to that shop. And burn it down as you're leaving to protect the next guy.
It might be the longest road call of my life, but for those prices I'll come do the work in your driveway regardless how far you live.
X2. Also, if your pinion seal is needing to be replaced AND you have grinding... could be an issue within your diff. That said, without personally looking at the vehicle we couldn’t tell you exactly what it is. Grinding could be 1000 different things
The extent of my mechanical ability is that I have successfully followed YouTube/forums for replacing some window regulators, the valve cover gasket and the oil filter adapter O rings for my jeep. I worked at an oil change shop for 2 years back when I was in college, but I hardly learned anything there (we used a hose for 'emptying' diffs, instead of taking the covers off) so I don't really count that. Do you think flushing my diff myself would be too difficult ?... I am still just as broke as I was in college lol, so I'm trying to save money by fixing some things myself where I can.
In my opinion "flushing the differential" is quite a bit easier than the valve cover gasket, changing the filter adapter o-rings, and probably replacing the window regulators too. Just unbolt the cover, flush with a solvent, clean the mating surfaces, apply sealant, and bolt the cover back on.
You can do it, and popping the cover off may reveal the source of the sound.
I'd pop the cover & look to see if there are metal shavings, check for gear wear & replace the fluid. This will help a lot.
If the diff is shot or on the way out you can always gut the axle & run it until you can fix or replace it.
You need to find a club in your area & make friends. I've learned that TJ guys stick together, XJs & JKs too.
You mentioned you've turned wrenches so I'm betting you could watch a video & knock out a R&R on the front axle.
Like I tell ALOT of people; its just nuts & bolts.
Let me just throw this out. I started with 1 xj that needed work when I got it and I knew very little about jeeps. 3 XJ's later, many hours of youtube, kudos to Bleepin' Jeep on youtube, many knowledgeable people here on cherokee forum, I'm not afraid to take on anything the XJ has to offer. As stated above, it's just nuts and bolts, both metric and standard.
YOU can do it. If it's a daily driver, be sure to access the time required for the project and get everything needed together before you start. Then go for it.
In my opinion "flushing the differential" is quite a bit easier...
Lol, sorry, replace the diff fluid***
Originally Posted by Bugout4x4
Are you sure it's not just the Power steering pump?
No clue. Would the PS pump cause the grinding even if I am going straight? For what it's worth, I failed to mention in my original post that the mechanic said my gearbox was leaking and that was why it needed to be replaced.
Originally Posted by Big David
I'd pop the cover & look to see if there are metal shavings, check for gear wear & replace the fluid. This will help a lot.
If the diff is shot or on the way out you can always gut the axle & run it until you can fix or replace it.
You need to find a club in your area & make friends. I've learned that TJ guys stick together, XJs & JKs too.
You mentioned you've turned wrenches so I'm betting you could watch a video & knock out a R&R on the front axle.
Like I tell ALOT of people; its just nuts & bolts.
What does 'gutting the axle' mean?
I have been looking at some Jeep clubs online. How do you even decide? Will these clubs care if I have a rusty beater XJ and I am not very mechanical?
I just moved to a suburb of Chicago and don't know anyone in the area to ask for a mechanic recommendation. I went to this mechanic because they had the best online reviews in my area lol so.... Anyone else have any better criteria for finding a decent mechanic.
When I bought the car I took it to a different mechanic in my area to have it inspected, and they said the only thing they noticed was the front brakes and all the shocks should be replaced. I later found out there was much more wrong with it. I would say I am 0 and 2 for picking mechanics.
And that is why you came here... Good move... Knowledge abound here.
XJ owners are very helpful, so if you join a club there is a good chance you will meet people that will help you diagnose your problem and then recommend someone to fix it.
The how-to on this website just mentions GL5 gear oil for replacing diff oil.
This will suffice for diff oil right? I don't know what GL5 means exactly.
Also, do I really need a fluid pump, or can I just fill it with the bottle?
The how-to on this website just mentions GL5 gear oil for replacing diff oil.
This will suffice for diff oil right? I don't know what GL5 means exactly.
Also, do I really need a fluid pump, or can I just fill it with the bottle?
I's a mess sometimes but I squeeze mine out of the bottle.
GL-5 is a common rating for gear oil, any of them with that will be fine. I run synthetic 75-90. For filling; if there's not space to get the nozzle into the hole with the bottle at a good angle to get all the oil out I put a piece of hose on the nozzle. A pump will work too, but it's more to buy, takes more time, and often makes more mess.
Man there is an app for everything these days. Not sure how well this would work though. More then likely none of my neighbor's use it haha
My suburban neighbor is really active on nextdoor. I would 35% of the hood uses it to some extent. Which is a pretty big number, considering a lot of my neighborhood (built in 1960s) is still occupied by a lot of the original owners. Who in turn probably don’t much like the level technology required to use nextdoor.
I usually see a couple questions a month asking about which mechanic to go to.
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Just unbolt the cover, flush with a solvent, clean the mating surfaces, apply sealant, and bolt the cover back on.
