Quick Axle question???

Hi gang,

I am working on a 1990 XJ with a disconnect front axle (244,800 miles). I am replacing my u-joints ( along with brakes, rotors, etc)

I have some links that were sent to me a while back, ( thanks again by the way) but I had a few quick questions:

1. When removing the axle on the passenger side, do I need to open up the disconnect part where the vaccum actuator is?

2. If so, do I lose my axle oil or is it a different lube?

3. How do you know if the bearings are bad? Is it worth replacing since I gonna have them out?

Thanks again!!!:looney:

1: NO.

2: NO lube lost.

3: Don't replace the bearins till they fail. They are too expensive. When they do fail, get some at a junkyard. Folks have been known to put 300,000 on those and they still go strong.

To check if they are bad, jack the wheel off the ground, grab the top and bottom and try to wiggle it. If it wiggles, it's either your bearings or your ball joints.

We're not a gang.....

It's been awhile since I took a disconnect front axle apart. I always jacked up the side I was working on, pretty high (leaving the other tire on the ground), so the oil stayed in the differential.
I had some trouble fishing for the intermediate shaft, when trying to reinstall the stub, yoke and short shaft once. The shift fork got jammed up (or slipped of the shaft) and caused problems. I got so I took the cover off of the shift motor, the next time I did it, so I could make sure nothing slipped and the shift fork was where it was supposed to be. No big dreal really, just be carefull of the vacuum connections, if you remove the shift motor.
Spraying some light oil into the vacuum opening on the shift motor, seemed to keep mine shifting smooth. I never did have any trouble out of it, as long a I kept it lubricated and exercised it occasionally.