Is there some special magic to getting the front axle shaft U joints out? Hammering got me nowhere, I've rented a press kit (massive C clamp really) and I'm afraid I'm going to break the press. Am I okay to heat this crap up or will that damage the ears on the axle shafts?

EDIT: nevermind I didn't see all this C clip business. Should be interesting

 

i recently had a lot of work done to my jeep to fix my cooling system issues and a squeaky belt. i took my jeep to my auto tech teacher and he said the water pump was going bad so i had water pump, thermostat, belt, idler pulley, and fan clutch done. but my jeep still squeaks upon start up and than goes away. what is causing this?

 

New belts need retightening after a couple of weeks

 

Our xjs don't have auto tensioners. So as a new belt stretches, you have to tighten it up.
A good amount of belt squeal complaints are from belts that are to loose.

 

I have a set of stock XJ leafs, currently on my 99 XJ I also have a set of leafs that are in much better shape but also not perfect.

Is there any combo of XJ leafs to make a bastard pack to either lift it a bit , or make a better leaf pack? Or should I just throw the better leafs in it?

 

Hmm.....Shoulda kept it when it snapped the first time. I actually used the universal battery hold downs for it about a year ago since I couldnt find and reasonable priced bolts anywhere. The reason the tank dropped waa because one of the bolts unthreaded itself and fell off. This method worked for over 1 year. I may just do it again and put Loctite red on the threads and call it good. I can just always carry a spare set of hold downs with me just in case. But Id rather buy the thick oem bolts or maybe buy some allthread and heat it with a torch and bend it to make a j like bolt.

 

You can use the main leaf, cut the eyes off and put it second in the pack and use the seconds set second leaf under that. Not sure amount of lift. You'll need new center pins, u bolts and retainer clips

 

So it'd probably just be a slightly heavier duty leaf pack? Might just throw the better off leafs under there then. Another thing I forgot to say is, the condition of the leafs on the 99 are pretty bad, rust has got them eroding.

 

How eroding. Can some of the leafs be sanded down and salvaged

 

You can see the edge of the right c-clip in the photo, they tap right out. After that they will pop right out with the u-joint press. I hammered out my original ones, helps to spray them down with pb blaster first.

 

Maybe. They look pretty damn thin. Not flaking away like the shackles are. Those scare me.

I'm not opposed to making a slightly HD ish type pack, whether I like it or not I typically have a lot of stuff in my cargo area and will be loading it down quite a bit this summer is everything goes my way. Lol.

I may go to the junkyard and grab the best looking leafs I see, then make up a pack and test it out. Its not like the leafs are that hard to swap once you've done it once recently.

So it'd be

Xj main
Xj main no eyes
Rest of a stock leaf pack.

?

 

And possibly the second leaf of the donor pack so

Xj main
Xj main (without eyes)
Original second leaf
Donor second leaf
Rest of oroginal

Someone can correct me cause I believe the same goes with an s10 set of leafs

 

Yep got em all disassembled. One of the ears on the passenger's side shaft is bent, that made things pretty difficult. I imagine that's one reason that side was so bad. (needle bearings rusted away)

 

So took the doors off my DJ and battery keeps dieing and I be pulled all the fuses for doors and dome and have pulled the doors switches. Anything else I'm missing.

 

Off my xj*