• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

changing rear axle?

J

jjvande

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Albuquerque NM 505 burque
so im about to swap out the D35 for a D44 and i am curious as to how you all support the body during the swap.

I am in Tucson AZ and i dont have access to a lift, but i do have some jack stands and a floor jack.

THe jeep's frame is too high for the stands, so what shoud i use to get them up high enough to support the frame?

This suks being at college w/o me tools.

-thanks
 
Either your jeep is WAY up high or your jackstands are WAY too short.

I put in a D-44 this week into my XJ and my jackstands were plenty tall enough.

I jacked it up under the pumpkin, pulled the wheels off, put the stands under the frame roughly at the point of where the front (of the rear springs) spring hangers are and then let it down. Had 6-8" of room to get the old axle out and the new one in.
 
My jackstands are too short for that too, and each time I've done it I've used cinder blocks under the jack stands, which I've since found out is a bad idea and see cracks in one of the blocks. Maybe get a big block of wood to put under or over the jack stands.
 
I used some bricks I had leftover from garage construction. Took alot of them to make a foundation wide enough to safely set jackstands on but it worked well.
 
I just took out the 8.25 I lincolned (wife didn't like it) and put in my 35 with lsd. Put CMU blocks (bricks) under the frame and changed it out.
 
is it possible to roll the axles out on the drums?
 
Kind of. The pumpkin hangs lower then the drums, so you can use one drum and spin in a circle dragging the pumpkin, then put the weight on the other side and spin it the other way. Or you can just plain drag it. It's a pain either way. You could probably drag it out part way and then stick a tire on one side, then wheel the other end out and put a tire on it, then it'd be easy to move wherever you want it.
 
I used a old rim,just rim no tire,to hold the axle up and allow it to be rolled out of the way.
Wayne
 
so what do you think is the safest? bricks, wood, or cinder blocks?

any other ideas.....im a student so i will have to go buy something:(

the floor jack should make maneuvering the axle a breeze, but my problem is getting the stands up high enough.

-Thanks for all the advice
-J
 
What I did when I installed my 8 inch lift was I went and picked up some BIG ASS jack stands the lift up to 35 inches of the ground they are the ones that are rated 12 tones a peice but anyways they were 80 bucks and they are the best jackstand to buy in my opinon or borrow like everyone else does your welcome to borrow mine if you want to take the trip to mesa.
 
jack it up, take the wheels off and it should be low enough to put on stands.
 
I just picked up some big jack stands at a tool sale for under $20 for two. They are rated at like 6 tons (!) a piece. This was one of these tool sales out of the back of a 18 wheeler that we have all over this part of Ohio. I don't know if it is a nationwide thing or not. The tools are kinda crappy, but for things like jack stands who cares since they are simple devices anyway.

If you can't get bigger jack stands I would use wood and cinder blocks. Get two blocks for each side and put a piece of 2x4 or 2x6 or 2x8 to go on top of the blocks between them and the frame. The wood will distribute the load across the block and lessen the chance of cracking the block.

Burley
 
another fairly easy way to get the axle out from underneath is with a skateboard or a creeper if you have one of those laying around,
 
I didn't know they made taller jack stands. Makes sense, I just never thought about it. If you're planning on keeping the Jeep, I'd just buy some of those. They'll be safer and save you the pain of carrying the bricks along with all your tools to where you work on your car if you're in an apartment. Easier to work with too.
 
Burley said:
I just picked up some big jack stands at a tool sale for under $20 for two. They are rated at like 6 tons (!) a piece. This was one of these tool sales out of the back of a 18 wheeler that we have all over this part of Ohio. I don't know if it is a nationwide thing or not. The tools are kinda crappy, but for things like jack stands who cares since they are simple devices anyway.

If you can't get bigger jack stands I would use wood and cinder blocks. Get two blocks for each side and put a piece of 2x4 or 2x6 or 2x8 to go on top of the blocks between them and the frame. The wood will distribute the load across the block and lessen the chance of cracking the block.

Burley
Click to expand...

Wow, I hope your insurance agent doesn't read this :)

Cinder blocks are not structural, nor are the teeth on cheap jack stands IMHO. They may work this time, but should always be suspect.

I distrust anything above me that's heavier than I am, especially just after I've been mean to it.
 
woody said:
Cinder blocks are not structural
Click to expand...

:huh:
I'm suprised my house doesn't fall in on me then.
Concrete blocks are structrural but they are not strong between the webs laying on their side. Use solids or use blocks with webs the 'stong' way.
 
I have two sugestions for you....

Wallmart! 6ton stands for 29.99 and work well. Or a 12' 2x6 cut in to 12" sections. It will give you 12 pieces of wood. Take two lay them next to each other and see if it is enough additional height. If not add two more but make sure you alternate the pieces so they will not slide appart.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

JohnX
WTB rear axle
Replies
2
Views
348
JohnX
JohnX
M
Remove AW-4 transmission
Replies
8
Views
2K
kastein
kastein
O
Routing ARB Air Lines to Rear Axle
Replies
10
Views
3K
XJlimitedx99
X
K
WJ front axle in Xj -89
2 3
Replies
41
Views
9K
75SV1
7
V
Engine rebuild guidance
2
Replies
34
Views
6K
RCP Phx
R
Back
Top