Axle Disconnect questions.........

Hi there,
So, I still have some goofy noise coming from the front end on my 90 XJ when I go to 4wd. I want to do something with the CAD system on the axle.

So a few questions:

1. If I take it apart and want to put washers in so that the axle will stay connected, is there a real write up? I assume I am just putting washers between the fork and the housing.

2. If I do the washers, do I need to disconnect the vaccum hose to the fork?

3. Can I leave the vaccum hose so that switch changes to show that I am in 4wd?

I was just going to get another axle, but I just replaced the u-joints on the axle about 6k miles ago.......

Any other suggetions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

Save yourself a head ache...get yourself a front end off of a 95 or 96 with out the disconnect...

job done...

Nothing worse than putting your jeep in 4 wheel drive and realize that stupid cad failed, and you get stuck. I opted for the posi-lock. The unit is really stout and now I can weld the front spiders and basically have a selectible locker. or you can get an axle shaft off a jeep without cad and block off the hole. The posilock also gets rid of the vaccum lines and has a switch in the unit to turn your dummy light for the 4x4 on.

1) remove the vacuum actuator shroud (15mm?)
2) remove the CAD housing from the axle (13mm?) - have a bucket underneath to catch the oil.
3) remove the 3 snap rings from the shaft (inside the housing.)
4) pull the shaft from the housing
5) determine hopw many 5/8" washers are needed to shim the form to the far side (from the acuator) of the housing.
6) reinstall the shaft with the washers in place.
7) replace the large snap ring
8) reinstall on the vehicle.

the vacuum cables can be left hooked up. there are no adverse effects to doing this.

Go to napa and get seal # CR11800 and a one piece axle shaft. Make a block off plate and you are good to go. Remove all the vac lines and make sure you cap off the source line from the main vac lines.

Good luck

After the last snow run the NWC had, and my 4wd didn't work, I got p!ssed and eliminated it. Its pretty easy. I just took a hose clamp, put it over the shaft that the CAD fork rides on so that its always locked. Works fine. That was the easyest and cheapest way for me. 4 bolts, some gear oil, and a hose clamp.

If you do washers, there are 3 snap rings (C-clips, damnit clips, whatever you wanna call em...) that are pretty hard to get off. This is basically the same as the hose clamp.

The posi lok system is pretty expensive (180 bucks @Rusty's off road, IIRC), but if you do that, you have 2low now for when you need to do something that requires lots of low end, but not nessicarily 4wd.

If you weld the spiders in the front (selectable locker idea), won't you get wheel chatter around corners? I have all the stuff i need to build my posi lok myself, but haven't gotten around to it yet.

h2opete987 said:

1) remove the vacuum actuator shroud (15mm?)
2) remove the CAD housing from the axle (13mm?) - have a bucket underneath to catch the oil.
3) remove the 3 snap rings from the shaft (inside the housing.)
4) pull the shaft from the housing
5) determine hopw many 5/8" washers are needed to shim the form to the far side (from the acuator) of the housing.
6) reinstall the shaft with the washers in place.
7) replace the large snap ring
8) reinstall on the vehicle.

the vacuum cables can be left hooked up. there are no adverse effects to doing this.

Click to expand...

Like such....been running this on my MJ for a few years now, no problems.
Jeff

85xj4dr said:

...If you weld the spiders in the front (selectable locker idea), won't you get wheel chatter around corners? I have all the stuff i need to build my posi lok myself, but haven't gotten around to it yet.

Click to expand...

Good question. I was thinking of doing this also. Are there any serious negative effects of doing this? Other than Lincoln Lockers have been known to explode on occassion.

Thanks for all your input and pictures.

I am thinking of going down to the U-PULL-It yard, and getting a axle and another CAD, that way I have a choice. I can take the CAD apart and put the washers in, so that I can just swap them out, that way I can pull it apart in a heated area. If I can get a axle, I can do the U-joint when I get around to it. My question, which models and years use the "right" right side axle?

Thanks again for your input

Bob

the CAD was eliminated around 91 or 92... however Seletrac equipped XJs starting in 87 never used it...

sidriptide said:

the CAD was eliminated around 91 or 92... however Seletrac equipped XJs starting in 87 never used it...

Click to expand...

i know my old '91 still had it, so i would say 92 was the change

Spanaway Mudder said:

Save yourself a head ache...get yourself a front end off of a 95 or 96 with out the disconnect...

job done...

Click to expand...

I went the opposite way because I bought the axle without knowing about it.

Swapping a front axle doesn't save you much headache. Lots of labor, lots of aligning. Run the posi-lok. I upgraded to their iron fork with it, and its great.

Just a quick follow up on this:

I decided to do the washer thing, but I did pick up a extra axle disconnect motor when I was at the U-PULL-IT for $5.

I took apart the vacuum motor, but made one mistake, I put back on one of the small clips, which made the vacuum not work for changing the light on the dash, so just a reminder for those that do this down the road.

I just need to follow directions!!!!! :sad1:
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Originally Posted by h2opete987
1) remove the vacuum actuator shroud (15mm?)
2) remove the CAD housing from the axle (13mm?) - have a bucket underneath to catch the oil.
3) remove the 3 snap rings from the shaft (inside the housing.)
4) pull the shaft from the housing
5) determine hopw many 5/8" washers are needed to shim the form to the far side (from the acuator) of the housing.
6) reinstall the shaft with the washers in place.
7) replace the large snap ring
8) reinstall on the vehicle.

the vacuum cables can be left hooked up. there are no adverse effects to doing this.
=================
Thanks to all for all the great input!! This forum has been great!:jester:

Mine is making noise like it is not engaging all the way now. Only does it when I get into the throttle hard. Time for a Posi Lock

I ran my front with the vacuum motor for nearly 200,000 miles. I sprayed a squirt of WD-40 into the vacuum openings on the shift motor (after pulling the vacuum lines) once or twice a year. I really can't remember half a dozen times it failed to shift for me and that was usually because I had a vacuum leak before or after the vacuum canister or once when I broke the mounts and my vacuum canister fell off.