Ive got a 90 Cherokee Limited.. I dont know what the rear is besides that its a Dana something.. The Rear has progressively gotten louder to the point where it is ear piercingly loud under load. Im talking insanely loud to the point that it hurts your ears. When I let off the gas the noise is totally gone.

Yes its leaking from the driveshaft input and yes there is fluid in it. Checked and it was a bit low but not more than a 1/4 quart.

Pinion gear? Bearing?

I was just going to replace the whole rear but I dont know if it could just be a bearing.. There is no tag on the diff cover but there is a number stamped on the cover itself "Dana Logo, 43225, 294-9", then set of numbers I cant read... "??-??-88. Anyone know how to decifer this or what these usually come with?

 

just a bearing yes, but, that means you need all bearings unless you want to do it and then have to do it all again because it's very likely more will go out.

What engine/transmission do you have?

 

It's a 4.0 AT 4x4 np231. Yeah I was thinkin only a bearing would scream like that. I actually just found a dana 35 from an 88 wrangler for $50... Are they the same width and would it drop right in...?

 

I had the same problem with a 94 explorer I had. It was going cost a ton to get it fixed at the shop, so I just pulled the whole axel out and took it to a drive train shop and for $120 bucks they pulled out the old and pushed in the new. worth it for me!

 

Its not really worth fixing the rear axle if its a d35 (which was built in 88 btw). Cheaper to just buy another one. I agree is probably bearing from the fact that you where running it low on oil.

Be sure to check your gear ratio before swapping in another axle and using the 4x4

 

No they won't drop in. YJ's are spring under and XJ's are spring over. And the shock mounts aren't the same. You might consider an 8.25 since it is much stronger, however I'm not totally positive the U-joint sizes are the same.

 

If your going to the hassle to make an axle from a YJ work (weld new perches and shock mounts on) then why no just go with a 8.8. You have to do the same welding.

The ujoint size and drive shaft length are different between d35 and c8.25. The c8.25's yoke is closer to the t-case than the d35. Likewise the ax15 is shorter than the aw4, 231 is shorter than the 242

 

whatd they replace on yours..?