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Dana 30 upgrade time

9

94xjstud

NAXJA Forum User
Location
San Jose Ca
260 u joints + 33's + Aussie = 3wd

Today at Hollister Hills I broke my driver side U-joint and the ears on the VERY FIRST OBSTACLE of the day.

Keep going and did almost everything in 2 or 3 wheel drive. Well now it is time to upgrade. What do you recommend? something cheap and perferably strong?Will the never shafts and joints work well?
 
94xjstud said:
260 u joints + 33's + Aussie = 3wd,... ...,Well now it is time to upgrade.
Click to expand...
The factory 297 shafts from a late model rig(or early rig with ABS) are an upgrade from the 260 shafts, although the shaft itself is no stronger. The weak link is the 260 joint. With the 297 joints, you're still slightly more likely to break at the joint instead of along the axle shaft.
If you want stronger shafts, you have to upgrade to aftermarket hard alloy shafts. This upgrade will make your stock carrier the weak link(with the aussie installed anyway)
wishihad1 said:
and next time you break a shaft at the ears....stop wheeling.
Click to expand...
X-2 here. Not sure what you did for a trail repair, but the only safe way to drive an XJ with a broken knuckle U-joint is to remove the inner shaft, re-install the outer shaft to hold the bearings together and limp home.
Once the U-joint breaks, the exposed ears on the inner shaft can catch and lever the outer knuckle right off the ball joints.
 
I carry a set of spare shafts already mounted on uni-bearings (and spare knuckles/ball joints if needed) so the trail fix is fast. I also run 760x u-joints and weld the caps and I have yet to break one on 32's and now on 35's. Its a matter of time before I do but hopefully I will have the new axle ready before that happens.

Its getting trussed, 4.88's, Aussie, and Longfields.

A highly polished turd!!
 
94xjstud said:
260 u joints + 33's + Aussie = 3wd

Today at Hollister Hills I broke my driver side U-joint and the ears on the VERY FIRST OBSTACLE of the day.

Keep going and did almost everything in 2 or 3 wheel drive. Well now it is time to upgrade. What do you recommend? something cheap and perferably strong?Will the never shafts and joints work well?
Click to expand...

That sucks!
What kind of obstacle and what were you doing when it broke?
 
I searched, but I could not find a write up on how to change shafts. Also I am leakings some diff fluid. When I replace the shaft will it stop or is there something else that i need to address?
 
Shaft seals at the diff will need to be changed to stop the leak.
 
94xjstud said:
I searched, but I could not find a write up on how to change shafts. Also I am leakings some diff fluid. When I replace the shaft will it stop or is there something else that i need to address?
Click to expand...

The 297x/760x shafts from a XJ/TJ are a direct replacement.

To remove the shafts;
pull the wheels/tires
remove rotor then remove the caliper and hang to the side
remove the cotter pin and lock ring from the axle nut and remove the nut(36mm)
on the back side of the knuckle there are 3 bolts with 12 point heads on them. Use a 13mm 12 point socket and loosen them up and with an old socket ontop of each bolt give them a whack with a minisledge to loosen the unibearing up.
after the uni-bearing comes out then you can pull the shafts.

If you need new axle seals you then need to remove the diff cover and drain
mark the carrier bearing caps as to which side they are on and what is the top, remove the 4 bolts and pull out the carrier/ring gear.
drive the old seals out, I use a piece of PVC pipe through the axle tubes and a small hammer.
Install the new seals using some washers, threaded rod and a couple of nuts and basically "press" the seals into place.
re-install the carrier/ring gear and torque the caps to spec
install the new shafts, bearings. tighten everything to spec
 
Actually, to save pain and suffering, step 1 should be to loosen the stub shaft nuts(axle nut) before you jack up the truck to remove the wheels. It's a LOT easier that way

94xjstud said:
Will a shaft with the bigger joint fit if the other one is still the smaller shaft?
Click to expand...
You swap the inner and outer as a pair on each side, but you can run Rt big/Lft small or vice-versa.
 
tbburg said:
Actually, to save pain and suffering, step 1 should be to loosen the stub shaft nuts(axle nut) before you jack up the truck to remove the wheels. It's a LOT easier that way

You swap the inner and outer as a pair on each side, but you can run Rt big/Lft small or vice-versa.
Click to expand...

True! I'm use to using a air impact for removing those axle nuts. Thanks for pointing that out!
 
So I am replacing the shaft with an whole hub and shaft. Took me less 1.5 hours to get the hub/shaft and diff cover off. I am draining the diff and I will use some brake cleaner to completely clean it; there was no mud in there like I had thought there would be, but there is some in the tube. I put a rag on a stick and tried to clean it out, but there is still some in there.
What is the best way to get the mud out of the tube? Is it ok to leave it in there?
 
94xjstud said:
I searched, but I could not find a write up on how to change shafts. Also I am leakings some diff fluid. When I replace the shaft will it stop or is there something else that i need to address?
Click to expand...

DeftwillP said:
Shaft seals at the diff will need to be changed to stop the leak.
Click to expand...

I believe he is leaking it because he removed the shaft thus there is a hole in his differential. Or it could just appear to be leaking because oyu had the shaft out temporarily and fluid came out, dontbe so quick to change those shaft seals

xjtrailrider said:
The 297x/760x shafts from a XJ/TJ are a direct replacement.

To remove the shafts;
pull the wheels/tires
remove rotor then remove the caliper and hang to the side
remove the cotter pin and lock ring from the axle nut and remove the nut(36mm)
on the back side of the knuckle there are 3 bolts with 12 point heads on them. Use a 13mm 12 point socket and loosen them up and with an old socket ontop of each bolt give them a whack with a minisledge to loosen the unibearing up.
after the uni-bearing comes out then you can pull the shafts.

If you need new axle seals you then need to remove the diff cover and drain
mark the carrier bearing caps as to which side they are on and what is the top, remove the 4 bolts and pull out the carrier/ring gear.
drive the old seals out, I use a piece of PVC pipe through the axle tubes and a small hammer.
Install the new seals using some washers, threaded rod and a couple of nuts and basically "press" the seals into place.
re-install the carrier/ring gear and torque the caps to spec
install the new shafts, bearings. tighten everything to spec
Click to expand...

tbburg said:
Actually, to save pain and suffering, step 1 should be to loosen the stub shaft nuts(axle nut) before you jack up the truck to remove the wheels. It's a LOT easier that way

You swap the inner and outer as a pair on each side, but you can run Rt big/Lft small or vice-versa.
Click to expand...

One thing should be noted is htat you will prob not get those axle nuts off without an impact, and when you do, separating the hub fromt he knuckle and shaft can be a trick too, so be careful or else you will split the bearing and then have to buy a new one.
 
and those cheap yukons are out of stock, but id buy em right now if they still had some, even though theyre yukons. does any one have any experience with motive gear's shafts?
 
I don't have an impact wrench, thats why I found a replacement with the hub. It went really quick and when I go grab some spares I will be taking the whole hub with it because it was so much easier.
 
emr1101 said:
and those cheap yukons are out of stock, but id buy em right now if they still had some, even though they're yukons. does any one have any experience with motive gear's shafts?
Click to expand...

what do those (motive) cost? link?
 
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