242 transfer case tail cone bearing? 87 XJ

Is it a quick easy job to replace a tail cone bearing?

I checked my rear drive shaft today and there is some slop in the TC case at the drive shaft now. I am assuming it is a worn sleeve like bushing-bearing surface in the tail cone?

My 2WD AW4 has the same problem (but it is the AW4 tail cone, it has no TC).

Is this the bearing you are talking about?? I didn't really see a bearing in the tail cone... If this is the one you are thinking of, this was pretty easy to replace as I'm pretty sure it fell off when I was taking apart the tc.

The bearing assembly just pops into the housing. The inside of the inner race holds against the output shaft, and the outside of the outer race holds against the tailcone.

Is that where the looseness is coming from, a worn bearing, the one in the photo?

Also how loose is a new one?

I would say you could hit it out with a mallet... Not very scientific, I know, but I don't think it's pressed in very tight

Ecomike said:

Is that where the looseness is coming from, a worn bearing, the one in the photo?

Click to expand...

I dont know. The slip-yoke is supposed to be pretty snug on the output shaft and the bearing is just supposed to keep things in position. I would do some more investigation, probably remove the bearing housing, look at the bearing and output shaft, check for fit, etc.

Yeah, I think you'll need to remove the bearing housing, but that's easy. IIRC it's 5-6 small bolts (10mm?) - make sure you remove the speedo takeoff assembly first, or you might damage the drive gear, and make sure you reinstall it clocked to the same position.

Should be able to knock it out from the back easily enough after the housing is off the back of the tcase.

I have a press in my shop if that is what you all are discussing. No problem swapping a bearing.

I am trying to figure out ahead of time, what part, if any I might need. There is no play in the u-joints. My daughters 89 2WD has a little more play than the 87 4wd, in the same area where the two meet up in the rear tail cones. The 89 was leaking some T-fluid, but stopped leaking after I did 2-3 transfusions and made two small additions of Trans-x with the last 2 transfusions. The 87 4wd is not leaking out the tail cone, but I discovered what I think is slop (not sure if it is or not?) while trying to see if I had a loose drive joint noise or not.

I had an obvious noise on Christmas day (very cold) that was loose lug nuts, then a residual noise after tightening the lug nuts that is either gone now, or too hard to hear anymore for sure. Been about 750 miles on the freeway since Dec 25th.

Just trying to get ahead of a potential problem?

A minor bit of play with the yoke is not a big deal, since it needs enough free play to be able to slip in and out on the output shaft.

You could just try to determine where the play is, by unbolting the driveshaft from he rear axle and wiggle things around. Does the output yoke warbles around on the shaft, or does the output shaft warble around on the bearing? The output shaft rides on the bearing, and the slip yoke rides on the output shaft, so play in the output would tell you if the bearing was bad.

Most of the noises from the transfer case will be chain, or the shifter pads get worn off and the gears move around a little more than they should.

ehall said:

A minor bit of play with the yoke is not a big deal, since it needs enough free play to be able to slip in and out on the output shaft.

You could just try to determine where the play is, by unbolting the driveshaft from he rear axle and wiggle things around. Does the output yoke warbles around on the shaft, or does the output shaft warble around on the bearing? The output shaft rides on the bearing, and the slip yoke rides on the output shaft, so play in the output would tell you if the bearing was bad.

Most of the noises from the transfer case will be chain, or the shifter pads get worn off and the gears move around a little more than they should.

Click to expand...

I need to look at tear down picture to be sure what is what, I have not been into a TC before, seen tear down drawings, but I forget the details. From your description it sounds like the play is in the bearing, 1/4" of net play, or +/- 1/8" from center if I push and pull both ways, sideways, 90 degrees the axle length. I do use the TC, it stays in 2WD all the time.

I suspect the noise I was hearing may have been a stressed front axle U-joint when the lug nuts were loose.

OK, looking at Haynes exploded view, NP242 there is a bushing and oil seal in the extension housing!!! The extension housing attached to the rear bearing retainer that has the bearing.

#23 is the bushing and oil seal, is #45 the bearing? hard to tell:

"thrust bushing"
I think is what quadratec calls it.

http://www.cojeeps.net/showthread.php?2949-NP242-Transfer-case-rebuild-lots-of-pics

is all about the insides, but it's a fixed shaft later model unit.
I'm not sure if they both use the same bushing or not. I've honestly never had my slip yoke case apart. it keeps working so I leave it be.

if it was leaking from the tail cone why didnt you just replace the output seal to begin with, it takes like 4 minutes.
also some play is normal on the slip yoke...

Mike, #45 is the bearing that goes into #21 is the rear bearing housing, same as the picture shown by jpmaniac87 above. That holds the end of the output shaft in position, so that its supported on both ends and the shaft spins true. If you have bad bearings, those are them.

The tailcone housing #23 holds the seal for the slip yoke, and also provides a surface for the outside lip of the outer race to stop against (lateral movement block).

Tacedaddy said:

if it was leaking from the tail cone why didnt you just replace the output seal to begin with, it takes like 4 minutes.
also some play is normal on the slip yoke...

Click to expand...

The one I talking about here, the 87 4x4 is not leaking. I mentioned the 89 2wd that was leaking 2 years ago, that stopped leaking.....

I was told 89 2wd needed the bushing replaced to stop the fluid leak, but transfusions and a little Trans-x fixed its problems 30,000 miles ago. IIRC the 2wd bushing is a chore to replace? But I forget.

Tacedaddy said:

if it was leaking from the tail cone why didnt you just replace the output seal to begin with, it takes like 4 minutes.
also some play is normal on the slip yoke...

Click to expand...

because if the thrust bushing is worn you'll soon find your brand new output seal leaking as well.

I got the 242 tail cone seal and busing on order for 4x4 jeep.

Now I am trying to order the same for the 89, 2WD, AW4 rig, but the parts list I see online list 3 sizes for the tail cone bushing, 35, 38 and 40 MM! Any one have any clue which one I need?

http://www.transmissionpartsusa.com/AW4_Jeep_transmission_bushing_s/7648.htm

Pulled the 89, 2WD, AW4 drive shaft and this one is 38mm OD, so I will order the 38 mm bushing.

Got in there and concluded I did not need to replace the busing and seal on the 242 tail cone afterall. It was not the droid I was looking for.

The 89 2WD XJ does however need them. Decided to order more sensor o'rings/gaskets and a cone gasket before I install those.

Ecomike said:

I got the 242 tail cone seal and busing on order for 4x4 jeep.

Now I am trying to order the same for the 89, 2WD, AW4 rig, but the parts list I see online list 3 sizes for the tail cone bushing, 35, 38 and 40 MM! Any one have any clue which one I need?

http://www.transmissionpartsusa.com/AW4_Jeep_transmission_bushing_s/7648.htm

Click to expand...

Been digging for days now trying to find the speedometer gear shaft and output speed sensor orings I need before I pull the AW4 tail cone (2WD) off, so I can replace the rear bushing and seal that seal the driveshaft and output shaft connection in the end of the AW4 transmission. Here are my notes:

Here is what I found today:

6035709 seems to be the universal speedometer gear o'ring and

83503723 seems to be the output speed sensor oring

while some said it was obsolete, some dealers show it available online. I had to get fancy with searches after I confirmed the OEM part numbers at 3 dealers on the phone. I am told that the speedo gear and Oring is the same in the transfer case as it is in the 2WD AW4 set up, presumably from 1987 to 2001 (But that remains to be proven?). The dealers told me the speedo gear assy and oring only shows up on the OEM drawing with the transfer case, but they claim it was / is the same for the 2 WD even though the system does have a drawing for it. And the output speed sensor seems to be in the transmission on 4 and 2 WD rigs (so it should be the same), so it is the same oring there in both 2 and 4 WD. These links had at least one of the orings:


http://www.jeep4x4center.com/speedom...g-6035709.html

http://www.quadratec.com/products/55200_50.htm

http://www.4wd.com/Jeep-Drivetrain-J..._pn=JEP6035709

http://www.factorymoparparts.com/6035709.html

http://oem.factorymoparparts.com/parts-catalog

https://www.fortec4x4.com/cart.php?mode=checkout

http://www.factorychryslerparts.com/...duc t=4424110

http://www.factorychryslerparts.com/cart.aspx

http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...?siteid=214727

http://www.atascosa.com/parts/chry20.htmlhttp://www.atascosa.com/parts/chry20.htmlhttp://www.atascosa.com/parts/chry20.html