rockethound
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Garland, Tx
Hi!! I’m a New B to the forum, a New B jeep owner, and a New B DIY mechanic. So please be patient with me as I have many questions.
My 91 XJ started making a real bad rough sounding grinding noise from the rear end and the diff housing smoking. I had it towed to a shop and dug into it. At first I thought it was brakes so I removed the wheels and drums and discovered the left axle shaft seal was gone. I removed the diff cover and the oil smelled burnt. I removed the left axle shaft and found that the bearing was fried and there where grooves at the wheel end of the shaft. The right side was fine. I had a pro mechanic walking me through everything and he suggested that the pinion bearing was fried. So I regretfully removed all the spider gears and tried to removed the pinion shaft. Several attempts where made by several people with various sized hammers to get the pinion to budge, but it didn’t The mechanic declared the axle fried and that I should be able to get another one from the junkyard/salvage for around 150 bucks.
Has anyone ever seen the pinion bearings weld to the shaft? If so, is it possible to remove it? Is my axle really fried?
I have also been seeing references to something called "preload" which is apparently very important. What exactly is this? Can a DIY guy do it?
I've been checking around for axles for sale and have found one locally. The only problem is that it came out of a manual, therefore geared at 3.07. i have an AW4 which is geared 3.55. Will the 3.07 work with my stock front end? How hard is it to regear to 3.55?
Another thing is that i don't know if I have a Dana 35c or a Chrysler 8.25. My rig is still in the shop so I can't look at it readily. It seems like a Chrysler, but I’m not sure.
I know it isn't ABS if that helps
Thanks a lot for the kind soul that take the time to answer me.
My 91 XJ started making a real bad rough sounding grinding noise from the rear end and the diff housing smoking. I had it towed to a shop and dug into it. At first I thought it was brakes so I removed the wheels and drums and discovered the left axle shaft seal was gone. I removed the diff cover and the oil smelled burnt. I removed the left axle shaft and found that the bearing was fried and there where grooves at the wheel end of the shaft. The right side was fine. I had a pro mechanic walking me through everything and he suggested that the pinion bearing was fried. So I regretfully removed all the spider gears and tried to removed the pinion shaft. Several attempts where made by several people with various sized hammers to get the pinion to budge, but it didn’t The mechanic declared the axle fried and that I should be able to get another one from the junkyard/salvage for around 150 bucks.
Has anyone ever seen the pinion bearings weld to the shaft? If so, is it possible to remove it? Is my axle really fried?
I have also been seeing references to something called "preload" which is apparently very important. What exactly is this? Can a DIY guy do it?
I've been checking around for axles for sale and have found one locally. The only problem is that it came out of a manual, therefore geared at 3.07. i have an AW4 which is geared 3.55. Will the 3.07 work with my stock front end? How hard is it to regear to 3.55?
Another thing is that i don't know if I have a Dana 35c or a Chrysler 8.25. My rig is still in the shop so I can't look at it readily. It seems like a Chrysler, but I’m not sure.
I know it isn't ABS if that helps
Thanks a lot for the kind soul that take the time to answer me.
