axle u-joint problem

altierior · Jul 9, 2008

just went from 31s to 33s.

the 33s have been on less than one day. less than 30 miles. is this coincidence? i heard a clink-clink-clink, got out, didn't see anything. a few miles later, i heard something come off and bounce down the road. it was the cap to the u-joint on the wheel hub yoke. whatever it's called...

so it appears that the cap holds the needle-bearings (which seem to be gone now)? is this correct?

altierior · Jul 9, 2008

probably the c-clip broke. the yoke doesn't seem damaged, as far as i can tell.

i had to drive it about 2 miles to get it home. i have neither the time nor inclination to take that all apart today. i'd like to get it to my friend's garage, which is about 3 miles away. i wonder if it's safe to drive it there? i guess the worst that can happen is damage to the yoke...

(i'd call him, but he's at a funeral. i texted him; hopefully i'll hear back soon...)

MoparManiac · Jul 9, 2008

3 miles should'nt hurt anything HOPEFULLY.

I'd work on getting some alloys or mod the stock shafts to accept full circle clips.

razdrvr · Jul 9, 2008

there is no yoke, just the inner and outer axle shafts. The ears are now probably egg shaped and need to be replaced. There are band aids for this but I recommend getting some alloys and using you "repaired" axles as spares.

Andy in Pa. · Jul 9, 2008

Man, you just can't win.... typically the little c-clips come off under hard use, and then the u-joint cap will walk out and fall off. Was it just one cap that came off? If so, the axle shaft is probably OK, you'll have to take a close look at it when you change the u-joint. If more than one cap came off, you could have compromised the axle shaft(s). If only one cap came off, you can drive on it in 2WD all day, just get it changed as soon as you can.

Alloy shafts are a good idea, but don't sweat it if you can't drop that kind of coin right now. I wheeled factory 297 shafts with 4.56's and a 4:1 on 35" MT/R's for quite a while.

altierior · Jul 9, 2008

Andy in Pa. said:
Man, you just can't win.... typically the little c-clips come off under hard use...

hard use? who, me?

Andy in Pa. said:
...and then the u-joint cap will walk out and fall off. Was it just one cap that came off? If so, the axle shaft is probably OK... If only one cap came off, you can drive on it in 2WD all day, just get it changed as soon as you can.

just one. so you think i'm ok to drive it to my friend's shop without collateral damage? i don't want to injure my ARB if something were to lock up.
(remember trail 8?) :banghead:

Deadman 94 xj · Jul 9, 2008

altierior said:
hard use? who, me?

just one. so you think i'm ok to drive it to my friend's shop without collateral damage? i don't want to injure my ARB if something were to lock up.
(remember trail 8?) :banghead:

I'd say you just answered your question. I'd tow it for sure..JMO

altierior · Jul 9, 2008

Deadman 94 xj said:
I'd say you just answered your question. I'd tow it for sure..JMO

i think you're right.

better safe than...

MoFo · Jul 10, 2008

What hapened on trail 8? I was on the kiddie rides.

altierior · Jul 10, 2008

MoFo said:
What hapened on trail 8? I was on the kiddie rides.

kiddie rides, LOL!

i ground up the gears in my front diff.

we removed the axles and driveshaft and put the wheels back on with the stubbies. of course, i expected to just head back to the parking lot and home. the NAXJA

guys said 'why do you want to leave so early?'

i thought they were kidding. i asked 'are you guys kidding? i don't want to be holding everybody up. i'm in 2WD!' Andy replied (and I quote) "Duly-Noted and Dis-Regarded." they literally refused to let me leave!

what a great group of guys.

altierior · Jul 10, 2008

altierior said:
i ground up the gears in my front diff.

here's a pic of my spider gear remnants:

but it gave me the final nudge i needed to upgrade! :spin1:

Andy in Pa. · Jul 10, 2008

altierior said:
kiddie rides, LOL!

i ground up the gears in my front diff.

we removed the axles and driveshaft and put the wheels back on with the stubbies. of course, i expected to just head back to the parking lot and home. the guys said 'why do you want to leave so early?'

i thought they were kidding. i asked 'are you guys kidding? i don't want to be holding everybody up. i'm in 2WD!' Andy replied (and I quote) "Duly-Noted and Dis-Regarded." they literally refused to let me leave!

what a great group of guys.

Yep, that was a good day. That was the M&G back in April. Impressive shrapnel!! I had't seen that pic before!!

Since you have the tow rig/trailer, might as well trailer it to Jims shop.

altierior · Jul 10, 2008

Andy in Pa. said:
Yep, that was a good day. That was the M&G back in April.

it was great! when's the next one?

Andy in Pa. said:
Impressive shrapnel!! I had't seen that pic before!!

another interesting breakage courtesy of altierior!

Andy in Pa. said:
Since you have the tow rig/trailer, might as well trailer it to Jims shop.

or use the AAA+ membership i've been paying for. :callme:

Andy in Pa. · Jul 10, 2008

altierior said:
it was great! when's the next one?

Probably not until September, I have some things to mod/fix on the XJ. We are meeting up at the PA Jeep show though, you coming out??

Click to expand...

XJ_ranger · Jul 10, 2008

DO NOT DRIVE ON IT!

if more pieces move, or it degrades at all, it can have the same effect as driving on a broken u-joint - AKA blowing the ball joints off, loosing the wheel...

either tow, or pull the inner shaft and shove a rag in there for the 3 miles to your buddy's house...

razdrvr · Jul 10, 2008

XJ_ranger said:
DO NOT DRIVE ON IT!

if more pieces move, or it degrades at all, it can have the same effect as driving on a broken u-joint - AKA blowing the ball joints off, loosing the wheel...

either tow, or pull the inner shaft and shove a rag in there for the 3 miles to your buddy's house...

x2 :explosion

axle u-joint problem

altierior

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altierior

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MoparManiac

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razdrvr

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Andy in Pa.

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altierior

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Deadman 94 xj

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altierior

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MoFo

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altierior

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altierior

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Andy in Pa.

NAXJA Member #180

altierior

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Andy in Pa.

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XJ_ranger

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razdrvr

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