Hello I wanted to see if I could get some help. Just bought my son an 89 XJ 4wd. Unfortunately the front axle is bent. I've looked around and found an axle with the right gear ratio but does not have the vacuum disconnect and mine does. Can I still use it?

 

Yea you should be able too, the only difference will be that your front axle will always be engaged

You will just need to cap off the vacuum that feeds the motor, and switch on the Transfer case

good luck

 

love to see the 89. If you have the right gear ratio to match the rear, you are good to go. You don't have to go with the vac disco, it will develop problems anyways. Remember to cap off the vac lines as you won't use them anymore. You will be turning more axle and hence more load in normal driving and it will adversly effect your mileage, but it won't severly affect it. I expect your non disco front may have the upsized universals at the axle ends and that is good, the disco type came with the smaller 260's size. I expect your new came also from a coil spring application, an earlier yj application will have mounts for leafs, not coils and is a more complicated conversion. Inspect your new axle for bearings, seals, balljoints,etc, easiest to service before you swap. I still have one with a disco functional although I use cable actuation rather than the vac pod.
Good luck.

 

Sweet thanks for the help. I'm going to get the axle this week.

 

Is it possible to convert the hubs to be manual?

 

yes but it is pricey....unless you are flat towing alot I wouldnt spend the money..I was looking into it and it was about 900 for the parts plus a good days labor
cameron

 

Unto a different subject. I've been reading that neon injectors are a good upgrade, but from what year should I look for?

 

use the search function and google... youll learn all you need to know about everything with an XJ...

 

Been using the search and google. Btw. I started this thread but thanks for the info.

 

ya i went back and fixed that... through me off when you asked a different question in a thread for a different question... there is a thread i personally started along time ago thats like 40 pages long about the injectors... if you had used the search function you would have found it and all your questions about them would be answered...

 

No worries. I'll keep searching.