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u-joint question.

C

cykaaro

NAXJA Forum User
Location
ontario, canada
Ok, so here's the situation. My dealership when going over my jeep when it was in for the recalls, said that the u-joints were worn and needing replacing soon. Of course, these aren't exactly cheap.
Well, at the wreckers yesterday, I found two brand new u-joints, which I believe at least at simple look is for the front wheels, which I need. The rod bearings and everything look fine, and the new gease still on them etc. The only thing is they have some surface rust is all, which I can easily clean off. [One has virutally none, the other has noticeably some but when cleaned down doesn't seem to be bad at all]
If these are infact the right ones I need, can I clean the surfact rust, and they'll be fine? or will there be some other problem I need to know about? If these are for the driveline instead, and they're ok, I'll just clean and keep them until needed.

Thanks for any help. I just don't know enough and don't want to use if there's definitely a reason they could give a safety problem at all.
 
You are speaking of the front axle joint between the axle and the hub? if so...these are fairly cheap brand new, why would you go used? I would avoid used u-joints.

Rev
 
I think so. I'm not sure what everything is called yet. Still learning that. [yep, I'm still very much a newb] But they're the ones right beside the front wheels, if that's any help.

With everything that's going on now, $200+ [cheapeset price I've gotten for getting them is $360 installed] for new ones is a lot of money for me, especially with needing to get all the tires replaced which is going to run me a few hundred, as mine have to go on the other XJ, and having to replace the waterpump I wasn't expecting when I just got the valve cover done.
The u-joints themselves though are new, and have never been installed and used. The were actually still in there boxes. Just that sitting in the XJ at the wreckers they've got a bit of surface rust. I gather they were bought, but never were put in for what ever reason. Was the same vehicle I managed to get a pratically new TPS out of. If the u-joints were used at all, I wouldn't have even bothered.
 
If that's what they're called, then yes. The dealership would cost me about $500 to do. I'd do them myself, but I don't have the no how or equipment, and need to save money wherever I can right now. Have to do the whole suspension system as well.
 
1st. Get a FSM (factory Service manual)
2nd. Do everything you can yourself. U-joint are pretty easy, the whole job with parts should be well under 50 bucks for you to do. It can be done with hand tools and a little sweat.

Good luck

Rev
 
I paid $160 for the local 4x4 shop to do mine. (I could'nt get my hubs off so I said screw it)
 
I'm confused about what you were looking at at the junkyard. Whole axles? Driveshafts? The axle u-joints are replaceable, and cost about 16 bucks apiece. Labor can be an issue, but much of that is in pulling the hubs off, and will be the same whether you replace the whole axle or fix the joints. Before you go ahead with the job you'd better be sure what you're looking at and what needs doing.
 
Rev Den said:
1st. Get a FSM (factory Service manual)
2nd. Do everything you can yourself. U-joint are pretty easy, the whole job with parts should be well under 50 bucks for you to do. It can be done with hand tools and a little sweat.

Good luck

Rev
Click to expand...
Yeah need to hunt down a '90 for mine. I've the '88 that's available online though printed out and has come in handy on a few occasions.
I'm definitely not adverse to doing things myself, but being new to this I am cautious of screwing things up and getting in over my head with something that may make something worse. I can't afford to make a mistake and really screw something up as I have no one to aid me if I do at all.
As for price, I was given was $100 per u-jiont. Are there any certain brand I should be looking at at all? and what type/part number are they? As of now I know none of that. Just that I'm going to need to replace them.
 
I didn't know how to do the u-joints either UNTIL TONIGHT!
The Haynes manual says use two sockets and a vice. Mine were way too tight for that! I got through it with one socket and a decent hammer.

Go for it yourself. They're not that difficult.
 
Matthew Currie said:
I'm confused about what you were looking at at the junkyard. Whole axles? Driveshafts? The axle u-joints are replaceable, and cost about 16 bucks apiece. Labor can be an issue, but much of that is in pulling the hubs off, and will be the same whether you replace the whole axle or fix the joints. Before you go ahead with the job you'd better be sure what you're looking at and what needs doing.
Click to expand...


ok, just found this. It's called a 'front axleshaft u-joint assembly' and the u-joint is what supposedly I need replacing.

I just pulled them both out, and one I have looks like the one in the photo but is black, not beige.
http://jeephorizons.com/news/images/ujoint.jpg
It doesn't have the metal nipple on it. Just a red plastic plub where that would go. It's only got a tiny amont of surface rust in a couple of spots and other than that has that shiny oily new metal look. On the ends sayd 'made in the usa 25' and across the front it says bottom to top, 2, 93JQ. There's also a threaded hole in the main body of it with nothing attached to it.

The other one is a bit different, and a surface rust on the end peices. The o-rings are the round type, and there's no holes for plugs or such anywhere on it. It actually seems to have a slight angled bezel on the edge leading into the center of it. on it in the body of it, the four corners read CR 4 IN 53.

Now I've really confused myself. What the hell do I have??
 
ok i dont really exactly know what your talking about

i think they are the axleshaft ujoints, just inside the front tires, right?
if you have a 96+
you need two spicer 760x ujoints @$20ea

if you have an eariler xj
you wold probably use two spicer 260x ujoints @ $20 ea


now if we are talking about the ujoint on the pumkin of teh diff, you would need some spicer 5-153x ujoints $10 ea

www.highangledriveline.com has all the parts you need

i would not pay more than $100 labor to fet the axleshafts done
 
It sounds like your u-joints have been replaced in the past. Maybe at different times. That's why they don't match. I would go to a local parts store and ask for two u-joints for your exact application. They shouldn't be that expensive. Do you have a repair manual? Mine is really helping me and I consider myself mechanically challenged.

Good luck!
 
If the replacement u-joints you're looking at are not in perfect new condition, I would not waste time putting them in. They're really pretty cheap to buy, and the effort of putting them in far outweighs that. If they're old enough to have gotten rusty, it's possible the grease in the needle bearings has also become contaminated or stiff, and they will wear out prematurely. Don't waste time on these. Go to an autoparts store, as suggested above, tell them exactly what model you have, etc. and get the right ones.
 
LouisianaZJ said:
ok i dont really exactly know what your talking about

i think they are the axleshaft ujoints, just inside the front tires, right?
if you have a 96+
you need two spicer 760x ujoints @$20ea

if you have an eariler xj
you wold probably use two spicer 260x ujoints @ $20 ea


now if we are talking about the ujoint on the pumkin of teh diff, you would need some spicer 5-153x ujoints $10 ea

www.highangledriveline.com has all the parts you need

i would not pay more than $100 labor to fet the axleshafts done
Click to expand...

DAMN!!! I might be more worth getting them online and shipped up here if I can't find them about the same price point at all. Thanks for the sizes. I'll check the link out. My XJ is a '90 custom........er pioneer LOL I'm talking cdn prices up here but still seems pricey? Seems everyone wants to charge $100cdn a side to do them. Would def like to do them myself if I could.
 
pcoakley5 said:
It sounds like your u-joints have been replaced in the past. Maybe at different times. That's why they don't match. I would go to a local parts store and ask for two u-joints for your exact application. They shouldn't be that expensive. Do you have a repair manual? Mine is really helping me and I consider myself mechanically challenged.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Knowing about the history of the jeep etc, wouldn't be surprised if they were the originals in it actually. The waterpump I just replaced was! The ones I have I came across at the wreckers.
One is kinda questionable, the other is in pretty good shape, grease looks in perfect condition etc. Just a couple surface rust spots on it where it was sitting in the wet box is all.

Dealership here charges $100cdn each for them. Will have to try good ol' crappy tire [Canadian Tire for those south of the border] and see what they say.
 
Matthew Currie said:
If the replacement u-joints you're looking at are not in perfect new condition, I would not waste time putting them in. They're really pretty cheap to buy, and the effort of putting them in far outweighs that. If they're old enough to have gotten rusty, it's possible the grease in the needle bearings has also become contaminated or stiff, and they will wear out prematurely. Don't waste time on these. Go to an autoparts store, as suggested above, tell them exactly what model you have, etc. and get the right ones.
Click to expand...

The grease and everything is great in the one like the pic. The other one is a bit questionable, and true, I don't want them to wear out prematurely. The ones in now are most likely the original ones to be honest. Going to have to see what I can do. There's Canadian Tire, NAPA which I find not as good as the one in Seattle I was going to, and Parts Source, but I think that is also Canadian Tire as well. Just more specific toward automotive is all.
 
if your going to be using anything other than spicer ujoints dont bother. all the generic crap at the autostores are just that, junk

the spicers i pointed out are 99% identical to the stealership part

and to find out if they are 760's or the 260's
the caps an the 760's are 1 3/16" diameter. the 260's are 1 1/16" diameter
 
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