Rear axle overhaul - DIY or pay the man?
 

I've got an '01 Cherokee Sport 4x4, Dana 35 that's making some awful noises in the rear wheel bearings. The pinion seal's also shot.

I bought the Jeep fairly recently and there's a laundry list of maintenance and repair I'd like to do, but I think this is job one.

I'd like to order one of these seal and bearing kits. The problem is that my time is a lot more precious than it used to be and, though I've got a lot of basic tools, having access to a whole shop full would involve doing the work at my parents' house a half hour away. I've always been too poor to pay a mechanic and so I cuss and fume and sweat and take three times the time and energy that a pro would to do a job, but can fix damn near anything myself.

Money is tight, but I can't afford to have my Jeep down for a week while I muck around waiting on time to work or tools to be ordered in. A local shop is quoting me $275 labor. Would I be a fool to pay them to do this repair?

They want an additional $60 to put new brake shoes and hardware on at the same time. I think that, for the money, I'm going to tackle that one myself.

Pay the man and have a warranty in case something goes wrong.

"The pinion seal's also shot."

Check the pinion bearings before you get real excited, sounds like you will need a R&P master kit too.

I would agree with both above posts.

If you don't have the right tools and haven't done it a few times before. . Pay the man dude, pay the man.

For the money in parts you could buy a complete rear ready to go they are a dime a dozen dirt cheap cant give them away

I am of the impression that if the pinion seal is shot, there is a good chance the pinion bearing was not being properly lubricated and thus could be failing and the source of the noise.

One mechanic, well trusted by all who know him told me to change my pinion bearing when I did my seal.

I asked about setting it up, remember what I read about a crush washer and he said just mark things where they were before you take it apart and put them back to the same point ... torque as needed,

I have about 8-9 months on the one I did and no noise or other issues to date.