axle swap (stock)

Hi,

I need to swap out my front axle, it's bent and the vibe is killin my 4wd above 25. I have replaced t-case bearings, all u-joints in d-sharft, balanced it, pinion bearings so it's got to be the axle. I jumped it a while back and hit a ditch really hard after blasting a Honda. I have sye and I keep loosing the rear seals, all I can think of is they are vib'ing out. It's at stock height, road machine only.

Its a 2000, 242 case, my question is what it it? and what gears are in it? and what year Xj's should I be looking for in the boneyards? I want a direct bolt on, easy easy easy.

Advice on the swap is also appreciated, I plan on blowing my x-mass money and vacation getting it done.

thanks

00xj said:

Its a 2000, 242 case, my question is what it it? and what gears are in it?

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I'm willing to bet heavily that you have 3.55's but the easiest way to confirm it is to get a build sheet from the dealer.
At the boneyard look for any year XJ that doesn't have vacuum disconnect (Vacuum disconnect has a weird gismo on the passenger side tube). Couple things to keep in mind: XJ's with ABS had 297 ujoints (good), and more recent models had 297 joints as well (95+? don't remember).
Also it shouldn't cost you that much to get it done (both timewise and money wise).
One more thing: when you're swapping it out replce the control arm mounts from the axle that you're putting in and put new ones it (it's so much easier when it's out of the jeep)

Thanks for the tips,

Mine does not have abs.

Replace the control arm mounts? You mean weld on new ones? Or did mean unbolt it from the axle side of the arms and not the Jeep side?

00xj said:

Thanks for the tips,

Mine does not have abs.

Replace the control arm mounts? You mean weld on new ones? Or did mean unbolt it from the axle side of the arms and not the Jeep side?

Click to expand...

I mean bushings.. sorry

ahhh, that makes me feel better, thanks!

natures way of saying upgrade if ive ever seen it...

www.car-part.com should give you an easy at home parts yard search...

also might want to look into changing all the bearings and all that, you know... the "While I'm Here" stuff...

I crawled around under their some more today. The rear is a 3.55gear, so the front must be as well and it's a Dana 30, sound about right?

What does the SYE have to do with the front axle?

Did you actually check that the axle is bent? Even if it was, how would that cause vibrations?

I knew someone would ask, (it does sound funny) the rear seals keep blowing out of my 242tcase (Woods sye) and the only reason I can think of is the vibe created by my front axle when in 4wd. The seals have been holding for the last 5 months, but now that I'm in 4wd on the ice I've been vib'in a little and that's the only reason I can think of that would have caused the seals to go.So, I am assuming it's my axle since everything else has been replaced. I did hit it pretty hard a few times.
When I crashed a while back the dealer couldn't really tell me if the alxe was bent, they just aligned it, added a 0.5 degree offset ball joint which put my alignment numbers in the green and called it good.

In either case even if the seals are blowing for some other reason the vibe in 4wd is annoying.
If you have any ideas why the seals keep going let me know,Bluto had the same problem a while back, here's his thread http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=29885


I have replaced; pinon yoke and bearings, all shaft u-joints, all t-case bearings, balanced shaft.


(here's a few of my past threads if it helps)
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=16209&highlight=00xj
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=14240&highlight=00xj


thanks