Sweet, funding!

[bigalpha]

I got clearance to buy:

front axle u-joints - Are they the 260x joints?
water pump
thermostat
coolant/diff oil
gaskets for diff/water pump/thermo - i was thinking lubelocker for diff.

I'm looking at just swapping in OEM replacement parts to keep costs down, and I don't do hardcore wheeling, so I think it'll be safe for now.

Where would you buy these parts? extra cookies for NAXJA sponsors.

:clap:

[bigalpha]

Water Pump from Advance auto - $38 (http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=AIN&MfrPartNumber=WP724&PartType=54&PTSet=A)
Stant 190 degree Thermostat from Advance - $11 (http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=STN&MfrPartNumber=59359&PartType=133&PTSet=A)
LubeLocker D30 gasket - $17 (http://www.lubelocker.com/products/catalog.html)

Where can I get Spicer u-joints?

[xjtrailrider]

Water Pump from Advance auto - $38 (http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=AIN&MfrPartNumber=WP724&PartType=54&PTSet=A)
Stant 190 degree Thermostat from Advance - $11 (http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=STN&MfrPartNumber=59359&PartType=133&PTSet=A)
LubeLocker D30 gasket - $17 (http://www.lubelocker.com/products/catalog.html)

Where can I get Spicer u-joints?

Most drive shaft shops will have them and if you have a FleetPride in your area they can get the smaller stuff, they deal in tractor/trailer stuff but are Spicer dealers.

What year model is your XJ?

[bigalpha]

No FleetPride around here.

Sorry, it's a 95 with D30/C8.25.

I need the 190F thermostat too, right?

[xjtrailrider]

Or 195f

I can't remember the switch out from 260x to 297x but if you have the 297's then go with 760x for more strength. They are cheaper than the 297's as well.

If you have 260's then you are stuck with that size/strength

[bigalpha]

Yeah, I can't remember the cut-off date either. There's gotta be an online source for spicer joints.

Also, is it 80-90W gear oil for the front diff? About 4 qts?

[xjtrailrider]

After a quick search!

95 was the first year with 297x U-joints so your in luck!

NAPA sells Spicer so ask for some 5-760x Spicer U-joints, they will fit in place of your 5-297x joints and are stronger.

I run 80-90 front, usually about 2 quarts and I run 85-140 in the rear and a little over 2 quarts

Lucas is good stuff or Royal Purple if you want syn.

[bigalpha]

Alright,
Found spicer joints through JustDifferentials for $28 each (ouch) (http://www.justdifferentials.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=414&products_id=1699)

[bigalpha]

Water Pump - Advance auto - $38 (http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=AIN&MfrPartNumber=WP724&PartType=54&PTSet=A)
Stant 190 degree Thermostat - Advance - $11 (http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=STN&MfrPartNumber=59359&PartType=133&PTSet=A)
LubeLocker D30 gasket - LubeLocker.com - $17 (http://www.lubelocker.com/products/catalog.html)
Spicer 5-760x - Just Differentials - $28 each (http://www.justdifferentials.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=414&products_id=1699)
Lucas 80-90W gear oil (3 qts) - Advance - $24 (http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=LCO&MfrPartNumber=10043&CategoryCode=3242)
50/50 Coolant (3 gallons) - Advance - $24 (http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=PEK&MfrPartNumber=PRA003&CategoryCode=3219)

Total: ~$176.

Am I missing anything or is there a place that I could get for cheaper?

[xjtrailrider]

Water Pump - Advance auto - $38 (http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=AIN&MfrPartNumber=WP724&PartType=54&PTSet=A)
Stant 190 degree Thermostat - Advance - $11 (http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=STN&MfrPartNumber=59359&PartType=133&PTSet=A)
LubeLocker D30 gasket - LubeLocker.com - $17 (http://www.lubelocker.com/products/catalog.html)
Spicer 5-760x - Just Differentials - $28 each (http://www.justdifferentials.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=414&products_id=1699)
Lucas 80-90W gear oil (3 qts) - Advance - $24 (http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=LCO&MfrPartNumber=10043&CategoryCode=3242)
50/50 Coolant (3 gallons) - Advance - $24 (http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=PEK&MfrPartNumber=PRA003&CategoryCode=3219)

Total: ~$176.

Am I missing anything or is there a place that I could get for cheaper?

Those prices look about average to me, not bad.

[bigalpha]

Awesome. I'm not overlooking anything that's required when doing the u-joints or the therm/water pump, right?

[xjtrailrider]

Awesome. I'm not overlooking anything that's required when doing the u-joints or the therm/water pump, right?


No but this would be a good time to check and or replace the uni-bearings(hubs) since the shafts have to come off of them to get to the U-joints. Be easy on the axle seals putting the shafts back in.

The internal snap rings can be a bear to seat sometimes but there are plenty of threads on here to walk you through that.

The T-stat/water pump is a cake walk! Just break loose the 4 water pump pulley bolts before you relieve tension on the belt

[bigalpha]

No but this would be a good time to check and or replace the uni-bearings(hubs) since the shafts have to come off of them to get to the U-joints. Be easy on the axle seals putting the shafts back in.

The internal snap rings can be a bear to seat sometimes but there are plenty of threads on here to walk you through that.

The T-stat/water pump is a cake walk! Just break loose the 4 water pump pulley bolts before you relieve tension on the belt

Yeah, the only thing I'll be doing to the unit bearings is lookin' at 'em. I just barely received clearance to spend this money. :D

What do you mean by 'internal snap rings'?

Is there a gasket for the t-stat/wp?

[dave92cherokee]

There is a gasket for the wp and tstat, you won't have to worry about internal snap rings on the front axle that's only on rear axles. You don't have to worry about internal snap rings as that's only on rear axles, and the hubs don't have to be removed from the shafts to get them out as you can remove the 3 bolts holding the hub on and slide the entire assembly out of the knuckle.

[xjtrailrider]

What do you mean by 'internal snap rings'?

Unlike drive shaft U-joints that have a snap ring outside of the cap to retain it, the front axle shaft U-joints use a snap ring, or retaining ring that is inboard and retains the caps inside the yoke.

Dave92 is talking about "C" clips, obviously the D-30 has no "C" clips

I also weld my caps in, I don't trust those snap rings for hard wheelin but thats overkill

Is there a gasket for the t-stat/wp?

Yes, they are only a couple of bucks

You need to at least break the 36mm nut loose from the stub shaft so after you get the axle shaft/hub assembly out you won't have to wrestle the uni bearing trying to bust loose a nut that is torqued to 175 ftlbs and rusty!

[Fullsizexj]

Gasket comes with the water pump at Advance Autoparts, thermostat gasket is seperate but only 95 cents to $2.00 at most

[dave92cherokee]

Yah I gotcha now I was thinking about the c clips in the axles, sorry. The snap rings in the u joint caps can be a pain and we've all seen many pics of them breaking and a chunk of the shaft breaking there. You can break the nut loose on the hub if you actually want to pull the shaft out and inspect it but if you're not ready to replace it when you find out it's bad I'd leave them assembled.

[bigalpha]

Neato. Sounds like I should be able to get this knocked out in no time. Never done u-joints before, though. Sounds easy enough though.

I'm gonna look around for a D30 u-joint walkthrough.

[WTF]

Loaner tools you'll want to pick up from advance/ vato zone:

1) 36 mm socket for front axle stub shafts

2) u-joint service kit (u joint press) - not absolutely necessary, but makes changing 10+ yr old joints much more enjoyable.

[bigalpha]

Loaner tools you'll want to pick up from advance/ vato zone:

1) 36 mm socket for front axle stub shafts

2) u-joint service kit (u joint press) - not absolutely necessary, but makes changing 10+ yr old joints much more enjoyable.

Cool, thanks for the heads-up. I'll definitely get these when I get the parts.

[Fullsizexj]

It is actually a ball joint press but works great for u-joints, at advance you basically pay the cost of the kit and they refund it when you return it

[bigalpha]

I know I don't have to drain the diff fluid to do D30 ujoints, but I don't know last time it was replaced so I'm gonna do it.

I found this write-up .. does it look pretty complete?
http://www.myjeepxj.com/index.php?page=u-joint-replacement

[dave92cherokee]

That looks to be about it just make sure you have one of those oddball 13mm 12-point wrenches for removing the three bolts off the hub.

[bigalpha]

That looks to be about it just make sure you have one of those oddball 13mm 12-point wrenches for removing the three bolts off the hub.

Added to the list.

[bigalpha]

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH.

Just when I think I'm clear and free to make my Jeep so pimp.

The Ford Ranger needs a clutch.


Ugh, I'm disgusted. If that truck wasn't so damned useful I'd just sell it and put the $ into the Jeep.

[xjtrailrider]

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH.

Just when I think I'm clear and free to make my Jeep so pimp.

The Ford Ranger needs a clutch.


Ugh, I'm disgusted. If that truck wasn't so damned useful I'd just sell it and put the $ into the Jeep.


Sell the truck and buy a decent trailer to pull behind the XJ, thats what I did. Think about it, how often do you NEED a truck. A XJ will outpull a Ranger and most 6x10 trailers will haul around 3k which is more than a stock Ranger will carry. Plus no insurance on a trailer, your XJ's insurance will cover it while towing.

[bigalpha]

Well, so far, we've used my truck as a truck at least once a week since we've gotten it.

Not to mention, my Jeep gets horrendous gas mileage ... about 10-12 mpg.

[MELKORsXJ]

Not to mention, my Jeep gets horrendous gas mileage ... about 10-12 mpg.

...it's a jeep thing

[xjtrailrider]

Well, so far, we've used my truck as a truck at least once a week since we've gotten it.

Not to mention, my Jeep gets horrendous gas mileage ... about 10-12 mpg.

Whoa thats bad mileage! My trail rig gets better mileage on 35's and terrible 4.10 gearing, 4.88's are coming soon though!

[bigalpha]

Yeah, I know it's pretty terrible.

My rig just needs some TLC and a little bit of work; I think that's the major problem.

[bigalpha]

So, i was browsing through the NAPA online catalog - I haven't found the 760 Joints in the Spicer variety. Do they still carry them?