Drivers side front axle universal

Was doing new rotors and pads, noticed that there is quite a bit of play in the u-joint on the outer axle shaft behind the rotor. How much of a job is it to do and are there any shortcuts. Do I have to pull the axle shaft. Is it something I can do while the rotors and stuff are off, just run out to the store and pick up a universal ?

just pull the calipers and rotors off, unbolt the hub bearing and pull the shafts then it's just a matter of beating the old joints out and hammering in the new ones.

while you're in there it's worth cleaning out your axle tubes with a piece of allthread with a big washer on the end.

I have non-disconnect front hubs in my '94 Cherokee. Do I have to drain the Differential Fluid before pulling the front axle shafts out? The factory and haynes manuals did not specify this. In other words, do the axles go all the way into the differential pumpkin (through the inner seal) or just push into some sort of slip joint receiver?

I dont reccomend using a hammer on those u-joints. go buy an 8 inch c-clamp, and use your socket set to "press" the new ones in. tapping on them can cause a needle to fall out of place, and you will be stuck with 1/16" of the cap sticking past the yoke thinking that one more tap will get it.

when you're at the store after you've broken that cap buy a c-clamp and do it the easy/right way.

sflier said:

I have non-disconnect front hubs in my '94 Cherokee. Do I have to drain the Differential Fluid before pulling the front axle shafts out? The factory and haynes manuals did not specify this. In other words, do the axles go all the way into the differential pumpkin (through the inner seal) or just push into some sort of slip joint receiver?

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You do not need to drain the fluid. Yes the shafts go all the way into the diff, when pulling the shafts just becarful not to damage the inner seal, slightly lift the shaft up in the axle tube.

And Rich, you serious..?

Yes you pretty much have to drain the oil. Though for a road repair you can jack one side up really high and save most of the oil. I usually change it later, I'm always afraid some mud or junk worked it's way into the pumpkin from the empty axle housing.
I have a twelve volt pump (actually a water pump), that will drain the diff pretty quick if the oil is warm. I've used a battery filler squeeze bulb, to drain the diff. which also works pretty good. You don't actually have to drain the whole diff, just get the oil level below the bottom of the axle housing, by a combination of partially draining and raising one side of the front diff assembly.
I haven't torn up an inner seal yet while replacing an axle, I'm always careful and reinstall the axle with feeling, lift the inner end a little and try not to force anything.

Geepfreak said:

You do not need to drain the fluid. Yes the shafts go all the way into the diff, when pulling the shafts just becarful not to damage the inner seal, slightly lift the shaft up in the axle tube.

And Rich, you serious..?

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It has been MANY years since I've pulled a front axle apart and have never had to do it on any of our jeeps, this is the first one. Doing it tomorrow nite at my friends shop w/lift and all the tools including a puller he has just for this job, he says it takea bout 20min each side once the jeeps up, wheels and brakes off. I just did not want to get into it on a sunday when she needs the TJ for monday. Well, gotta go finish up the last of the 8 computers that got dropped off here with virus's on friday....Been a good weekend money wise

RichP said:

It has been MANY years since I've pulled a front axle apart and have never had to do it on any of our jeeps, this is the first one. Doing it tomorrow nite at my friends shop w/lift and all the tools including a puller he has just for this job, he says it takea bout 20min each side once the jeeps up, wheels and brakes off. I just did not want to get into it on a sunday when she needs the TJ for monday. Well, gotta go finish up the last of the 8 computers that got dropped off here with virus's on friday....Been a good weekend money wise

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Didn't mean to imply anything. Just with reading about your TJ's being reworked after crashing, and installing lifts on the Jeeps. I thought pulling an axle would be second hand..

Hit Autozone for their tool loaner program. Get their ball joint press. It makes ujoints a breeze. If nothing is stuck and you know what you are doing, it should be less than an hour job. While you are at it, pick up the slide hammer tool to help get the unit bearing / axle out. Also do not remove the axle nut while using the slide hammer or you will end up buying a unit bearing.

rich i did my u joints last fall, the hubs were frozen on, a real pita. wound up wrecking my passenger side. hit em with anti seize on reinstall.

Just got done, 2 hours total for both sides counting BS time, started at 6:30pm, finished around 8pm. Parts store delivered the wrong universals so warren pulled a precision gear set out that he had squirrled away for his J10. I can see where taking apart could be a major PIA in the driveway. Once up on the alignment lift I got tires, calipers and rotors off used a 3ft 1/2 breaker bar w/1/2" adapter and a 12 point impact socket to break the 3 bolts loose then used a wrist breaker air ratchet and I mean a wrist breaker, this baby wouldn't stall then put the bolts back in about 8 turns, grabbed and air hammer and used a special bit that looks like a socket but has no points, fits right over the bolt heads, 10 seconds on each bolt and the axle flange about fell out. The universals were shot, one was pretty broken up on the drivers side, the passenger side pin bearings were nothing but a rusty memory. The biggest PIA to me was getting the old C clips off, they were pretty rusted on but a few blows with a hammer on each end cap freed them up. Cleaned everything up with a 3m pad in the air grinder, copper anti-seized the whole thing and reassembled. All in all, not bad WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS, would not want to do it in the driveway unless I had it apart within the last 2 years, getting under there with hammers and slide hammers, nope. Oh, I did not remove the axle nut, cotter pin, took the whole assembly out. Learned alot so it was a good evening...
Even learned a trick for getting those damn caliper bolts to line up, I've always wiggled the caliper, tried lining the holes up with a small phillips head, found out tonight the I need to WIGGLE THE FRIGGING ROTOR and they pop right in. Like I said, it was a good nite.... :sunshine:

RichP said:

would not want to do it in the driveway unless I had it apart within the last 2 years, getting under there with hammers and slide hammers, nope.:sunshine:

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Two hours...sheesh. Next week I'm doing my hubs and u-joints without air tools, in the driveway. Actually the more I think about it, I just might buy an impact wrench...better not to be penny wise and pound foolish.

driveway....are you crazy!?!

naw man, you do that on the trail, while halfway on the obstacle that broke it.

I have come to think of owning my cherokee as a sport. "Find the most difficult spot to fix your junk, because that is where its gonna break."

removing my brakes is a little more complicated than yours though, one of the caliper bolt holes stripped out on my knuckle, I have a half of a nylock between the knuckle and the rotor, which I have to grab with very small needle nose pliers............now thats fun on the trail!

glad it was easy for you. the right tools make all the difference