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Bent rear axle shaft!?

T

tj'sxj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
sacramento/s.reno
hey guys just found out today i may have a bet shaft, deal is she's pretty damn stock still. 1990-4.0-231, laredo, i'm not sure what the front or rear axle are just yet( still learnin her).
any how my plan eventually is to do the axles as i lift her,numbers are as such- 3-4" lift no more,(not neccesary 4 me), 31's, question is-while im gonna have to replace one axle may has well do both (rite)? should i replace wheel bolts or anything else i,m not seeing while its apart. so while im in it should i do the gears aswell? whats my max gearing in stock housing and whats pleanty sufficient for 31's? will last and prob be all i need for what im slowly building? :dunno:
 
Is the wheel wobblng slightly?

Replacing the axle is pretty simple, no need to do a bunch of other stuff unless you really want to. Also no need to replace the other, unbent axle.
 
just looks slightly out so next week i'm gettin a second opinion, just seems like a soft axle, i was not even wheelin hard!i dont want that prob again when i really get into it! ya know...i have not done one but i think i really can, just the gearing, just fig if i'm jumpin the axles might as well gear it??? Hmmm
 
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It happens. It's from the tire hitting something hard enough, or a serious wedgy/squeeze on the rear tires. I've bent alloy D44 shafts. It's the flange that bends, usually not the axle shaft itself. If it's not leaking oil it won't hurt anything, just looks funny if someone is driving behind you since the tire has a slight wobble to it.
 
what flange? its not leaking, just cant get any brakes to work onthe passenger side without continious draggin, this is our final thought that it must be!
 
how can i avoid bending the flange? whats the strength of my stock set up? i would rather just avoid this again w/ such lil wheelin ya know, is it cuz i'm lacking a lift? argh
 
thank you! but the 29 spline is on the shaft not the gearing-Correct? correct me if i'm wrong please but i wanna at least guess here, so the more splines on the shaft without even changing the gears is lil more torque? and wont hurt theD35?
 
sorry to be dif, so a complete rear dis mount and remount? not just knew axles,( i'm reading up as we speak tryin to keep up, HAAA, not knowing much on the XJ but wow everyday im so impressed how easy they are to learn as i go)! must be a D35 cuz its original.
 
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I've bent an axle shaft, but it took the annihilation of a wheel to do it. After identifying the problem, it took less than a 1/2 hour to replace the axle. No additional parts were needed besides 2 qts of lube and some RTV.

With a 90' You most likely have a Dana 35, but it is possible you have a 8.25 27 spline. Identify what you have first. If a D35, it will hold up to mild wheeling with 31" tires all day long. D35 shafts at the JY are cheap. For greater durability you could replace it with a 8.25" 29 spline ( look for 97' and up XJ W/O ABS).

edit: Now is the time to walk away from the computer, open up a Repair Manual or Factory Service Manual and read it. Then crawl under your Jeep and think abut what you are seeing. Come back when you have some more informed questions.

Ron
 
Got an easy way to find whats under her? VIN? besides the obvious of tearing apart( not sure i would even know then! 27-29? whats this mean to a newbie?bennies of either,
 
You can tell by what it looks like.

JeepDiffs.jpg


If it's a 8.25 you can count the splines when you pull the shaft out.
 
SO! i just went and crawled under, the axle is stamped on the top left 35C and looks like the 8.25 with rubber plug! show me love whiteXJ, what spline count am i gonna desire if it is the 8.25, besides i presume this would be good?
 
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If the tag says 35C, then it's a 35C with a rubber plug.

I recomend going to the top of the Forum, and reading the stickys there. Highlighted is the thread on Information for Newbies. It is a group of articles linked to ORA mag. Good reading.

Ron
 
ok but there is a D35! not a 35C? i have read that sticky, its great! just seems as though my rig is contradicting. ok just went back and read up, seems 4 sure i have the D35 but man the cover plate sure does say 8.25, whata drag!!!
 
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D35 means "Dana 35", and axle made by the Dana Corporation. It came in 2 configuations, bearing retained (wheel bearing holds axle in) and C clip retained ( C clip holds the axle in). "35C' means that it is a Dana 35 that has C clip retained axles.

Ron
 
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