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Damn the cardan

4

4xfishfinder

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Nor Cal
Ok wizards, I'm ready for your wise instruction! 94 XJ,4.0, 30/8.25, AW4, NP231. So I've got a dry u-joint in the front drive shaft.(squeels like crazy) Been there and checked it out to confirm. Why do people put in non greeseable u-joint's!? So I'm guessing the PO had some probs. before because the heads of the 4 bolts holding the double cardan style joints near the trasfercase are rounded off. I'm thinking grind the heads off and replace with new. Anyone with insite on this, I could use some info. Thanks all!
 
Any room for one of those twist off sockets? I know its tight in there but maybe,,,or cut them, air chisel them, grind them, small vise grips,,,,, I hate those bolts.
 
Believe or not, non greasable joints can last quite a long time.

If you have the room to grind them off you can do that. You'll still have to remove the bolts but with the driveshaft out of the way it should be a little easier.
 
those things are the worst. everytime one of mine even starts to round off i replace it and keep it as a spare. and nongreasable u joints can last a LONNNGGG time if they are kept out of the mud
 
EFR98XJ said:
If they're rounded off I wonder if he ever got them out.... Use some heat and twist offs, like said^, if you have room..
Click to expand...
Yeah they got them off, it's a newer shaft with parts tag still on it. Socket fit's but the wrench does not. Oh well grinder here I come.
 
Thank's all for the info. You just confirmed my thoughts. Going to be cold on the floor of the garage tonight. At least I have a garage!
 
5150mechanic said:
Any room for one of those twist off sockets? I know its tight in there but maybe,,,or cut them, air chisel them, grind them, small vise grips,,,,, I hate those bolts.
Click to expand...
no real space for em... can't even get a damn socket and ratchet in there. A 6 point 5/16" box wrench or good quality 12 point 5/16" box wrench is really the only way to get them out (NOT 8mm.)

I'd use a die grinder or a dremel with an abrasive wheel to cut the heads off. You should be able to pull the driveshaft then, and use vice grips to remove the bolt shanks (or weld nuts to them or something.)
 
Hah! Took the Dremel and cut slots in the heads. Heated a screwdriver bent it to a 90deg. angle. Popped them bad little beach's out. Now the hard part, where to find new ones.
 
Auto parts store should have a yoke strap kit with screws for like $8 or less. I might even have a spare used set in San Jose. If you are close, send me a PM and I'll go look for them.

Edit: I'm assuming that the bolts for the straps will work for the tcase side. I know you don't need the straps.
 
Thanks Weirdo. Found them through a friend with a shop. And 4 hours south is a little far to go. I grew up in San Jose, Hillsdale, Meridian area.
 
Bolts for the straps won't work, not long enough and wrong thread. I believe you just want 5/16-something thread bolts though, bring em to home depot and use the thread gauge then buy replacements with regular size hex heads.

Neat trick with the dremel, gonna have to remember that one. For some reason I never thought of bending a screwdriver to fit in there.
 
When ya got no cash to spare, like for a shop to do the work then creativity rules. lol. Even though a good friend owns a shop here in town and work is generally free to very cheap, I like to save it for the bigger stuff. Like a case of beer type jobs.
 
Uhhhh. Thats a bad day. I had the same thing happen last week, I bought my xj for 500 bucks, runs awesome but I think somebody knew the H yoke was going and wanted to dump the jeep. I started to pull the front ds and as I spun the ds to get to the las tfew bolts they were stripped. I bought a dremel 300 at home depot for 60 bucks, worked awesome with the little cutting wheel. It took the heads clean off, now Im shopping around for a new yoke... before the snow flies.
 
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