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NP242 Front Shaft Slop - information needed

Nixt

NAXJA Forum User
Searched the forums, plenty on rear output shafts and SYEs to be found but nothing about front yoke&shafts or how-to's on them.

Took my new-to-me jeep in to a mechanic to diagnose vibration at a wide range of speeds under load - what I figured was a bad u-joint. Feel it mostly through feet and dash, so I was thinking front end somewhere.
But all of the U-joints seem ok to him (and to me once I could wiggle at them with a bar), but we discovered a fair bit of play in the front yoke shaft coming out of the TC. This seems like it is the vibe source to him.

My questions:
1- how much (if any) play is OK/tolerable?
2- will pulling the front shaft help me make a positive ID of the problem?
3- could tightening the bolt on the end of the output shaft help or is that just for the seal?
4- how hard is it to replace the bearing(s), if that is what needs to be done?

TIA
 
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1-none
2-yes
3-no
4-you have to split the t-case,but its not that bad!
 
RCP Phx - thanks...
1- crap
2- will do today.
3- double crap, that'd be too easy huh?
4- holy crap - I'm a noob at this and that's scary.

guess that means
5- Anyone point me at a good how-to for this?
(Again, there's much to be found about the back half of the TC, but I found nothing about the front)
 
Oh, the jeep is:
American built, but for the Japanese Market (Right hand steer)
1995 XJ UpCountry, stock everything.
4.0, AW4 with oil-cooler, NP242, D30.front, D35C.Trac-Lok.rear, 3.55 ratio
 
ehall:
Maybe in the states they're that cheap, not so cheap here in New Zealand. Even used Jeep parts are "quite dear" (as they say here).
I guess I'll still see what I can find, but it'll probably be cheaper to take it apart and fix it.
Thanks for chiming in!
 
Nixt. I've been chasing the same sort of vibe. I've got new ring/pinon in the front, a whole new axle (ford 8.8) with new r/p in the rear, new front axle shaft u-joints, and new Tom Woods driveshafts front and rear. Vibe is still there.

So....just today, I go under...no play in rear output (Tom Woods SYE), but noticed a little play in the front. I have a "spare" 242 in the garage from my son's old Jeep....it didn't seem to have any play in the front. Mmmm, my clue as well as to the source of the vibes. I think we both have the same issues...I've decided to do a rebuild of the t-case as I love the 242 (not willing to swap in a 231 as has been suggested). Mine has 280,000 miles, and replacing just the front output bearing seems like a lot of labor...why not do all of it while I'm in there, right?

Rebuild kit is less than $150 US....pretty reasonable...and it's not all that bad of a job. The hardest part (IMO) is removing the t-case from the Jeep!

I'm curious...how much play does yours have? Mine's about 1/8 inch in/out....much less up/down.

Good luck...let us know how it goes for you.
 
OK..my question, which I forgot to post earlier.

Should I split the case while it's still on the vehicle to replace just the front output bearing and seal, or should I drop the case from the Jeep and do a complete rebuild?

I put the SYE in about 2 years ago by splitting the case while the TC was still in the vehicle...went pretty smooth. Did a new chain while I was in there. I know there are parts in the rebuild kit I won't be able to install by just splitting the case while still on the Jeep...but, are they potentially a part of, or contributing to my vibes? Should I really just drop the case and do a complete rebuild (all bearings and seals)?

I'd appreciate any advice.
 
Flyfisher-
Play in mine is not quite an eighth in-out, and a sixteenth or so up-down-around (1/8 overall movement, 1/16 off "centerpoint").

I'm *very* hesitant to rip it apart myself, but may have no alternative....

I hope we get input on what the best attack is.

Anyone?

(PLEASE, any links to write-ups would be very helpful! I'm coming up dry with Google)



---
and now I'm wondering if I should not have let my paid NAXJA membership lapse while I was without a jeep!
 
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You're going to want to take the case out. There's no room to do anything under the jeep.

If I can rebuild one on the tailgate of my brother's manche in a campground in Tellico, anyone can do it.
 
Hmm. mental note from a noob wrench-turner:

When you compress the front driveshaft to get it off, the grease will ooze out of the front of it. Don't grab it there.

Heading out for a drive to see if this quiets the vibe.
If it does I may just drive a 2WD Jeep for a week.
 
You're going to want to take the case out. There's no room to do anything under the jeep.

If I can rebuild one on the tailgate of my brother's manche in a campground in Tellico, anyone can do it.

considering neither of use had ever taken a case apart, and we were using screwdrivers to release snap rings, yes, anyone can do it.
 
Positive ID of the vibes. TC front output. Yup, 100%

Think it'll be OK to run it without a front shaft for a while? A month even?

Thanks for the reassurances that the rebuild will be straightforward.
Now to figure out how much it'll cost to get a rebuild kit here in New Zealand...
 
Orange,
I ran out of time today. Will try tightening that nut tomorrow IF i can get time to get dirty. I took RCPPhx at his word that it wouldn't help, but I guess I'll have a go. Thursday if not tomorrow.
Luckily, with the shaft out, I am not getting vibes and am no longer worried about driving it around.

Next up:

Rebuild kit questions...
I'll search around first, later tonight, but if anyone feels like linking to a good thread or to a source, please do.
 
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