98 XJ Rear Ring and Pinion

Hey,

Does anyone have any instructions or advice on replacing the ring and pinion on the rear diff of a 98 XJ?

Some pics would be helpful.

Thanks!

if you need to ask, then my advise is to have a professional do it.

the rear could be an 8.25 or a dana35 and if you dont know what you have, then a ring and pinion install is beyond your experience.

89xj said:

if you need to ask, then my advise is to have a professional do it.

the rear could be an 8.25 or a dana35 and if you dont know what you have, then a ring and pinion install is beyond your experience.

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Geez it could be a Dana 44 too? I wasn't asking what I might have. I was just looking for some tips and usually someone on here has pics which is always helpful. Thanks for assuming my experience is so low??!!

batplus4 said:

Geez it could be a Dana 44 too? I wasn't asking what I might have. I was just looking for some tips and usually someone on here has pics which is always helpful. Thanks for assuming my experience is so low??!!

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only if you swapped the 44 in.

8.25 does not get set up the way as a d35. 35 uses shims for preload and 8.25 uses side adjuster.

so, which do you have

Considering the year it should be a 8.25

Considering the year, it could be either the 8.25 or D35.

Randy's Ring and Pinion does have a tech help section that answers a few questions.

http://www.ringpinion.com/Default.aspx

xjboy said:

Considering the year it should be a 8.25

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usually, if it has abs, it will have the d35

There was no mention of ABS. IF it has ABS, it's a D35. If it doesn't (and it's not a swapped-in D44), then it could be a D35 or a 29-spline C8.25 for that year.

Hey! Here's a thought...we could have a section with questions like this, so you could see which axle you have by comparing photos! Yeah...that would sure help. It would sure help even more if that FAQ section actually used pics though...

Barring that, check my FAQ to see which axle looks more like yours.
http://www.yuccaman.com/jeep/history.html#axles

D35


C8.25

And if you have to ask for instructions or advice on replacing the ring+pinion, you're going to hear the advice, "seek help from a professional." It's not a place you want to "try your hand" assembling. Tolerances are too fine to guesstimate, and when your r+p fails on the highway, locking your rear wheels...don't blame us. (Been there when the D44 in my CJ5 failed because of "try my hand" work from the previous owner.)

Jim www.yuccaman.com

Yucca-Man said:

There was no mention of ABS. IF it has ABS, it's a D35. If it doesn't (and it's not a swapped-in D44), then it could be a D35 or a 29-spline C8.25 for that year.

Hey! Here's a thought...we could have a section with questions like this, so you could see which axle you have by comparing photos! Yeah...that would sure help. It would sure help even more if that FAQ section actually used pics though...

Barring that, check my FAQ to see which axle looks more like yours.
http://www.yuccaman.com/jeep/history.html#axles

D35

C8.25

And if you have to ask for instructions or advice on replacing the ring+pinion, you're going to hear the advice, "seek help from a professional." It's not a place you want to "try your hand" assembling. Tolerances are too fine to guesstimate, and when your r+p fails on the highway, locking your rear wheels...don't blame us. (Been there when the D44 in my CJ5 failed because of "try my hand" work from the previous owner.)

Jim www.yuccaman.com

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Thanks for the feedback

Its a 98 XJ Classic 4.0 Auto 2'' lift with 31"s 121,000miles No Abs it has the 8.25

Nice FAQ site

I have a friend who is a mechanic who will be helping out. Not 100% sure that the Diff is the problem now. We had it up on stands tonite and it appears the rear axle is rotating forward underload, wondering if the leaf springs are getting weak with the shackle lift. The lift has been on about two years approx 30,000miles.

Any thoughts?

Thanks again

You need to learn how to ask a question. We can't all look into our crystal balls and figure out how to solve your problem without know a few details about the problem. If your mechanic thinks it is rotating forward under load, get a new mechanic. Pinions tilt up, ie. backward under load.

So, what are the symptoms of your problem?

98stocker said:

You need to learn how to ask a question. We can't all look into our crystal balls and figure out how to solve your problem without know a few details about the problem. If your mechanic thinks it is rotating forward under load, get a new mechanic. Pinions tilt up, ie. backward under load.

So, what are the symptoms of your problem?

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You are right I have been chasing my tail trying to figure out one symptom. (also when I said forward I guess I meant up as the bottom went reaward).

Here is the symptom; in 2 whl drive when I accelerate hard off the line I get a clunk/bang with an ocsillating feel in the drive train.
I have gone through the front end checked all ujoints, ball joints, removed the front drive shaft to try and eliminate that and still had the issue. Thought it might be the TCase chain, went on some dirt ran through 4whl Hi and Low with no issues. Also in the dirt the tires spin with no clunk/ocsillation. Again it only happens on dry pavement 2 whl drive.
Jacked the Jeep on four jack stands and thought I had isolated it to the Rear diff banging. After doing it again last night with and extra set of hands we determined some of the noise to be loose leaf spring clamps making the normal reverse to drive engagment sound problematic. Also my mechanic (certified) friend thought the reverse to drive noise was normal.

So now we are back to Pinions tilt up, ie. backward under load. In your opinion could weak leaf springs combined with the 2" shackle lift cause the rear axle movement resulting in my symtom of clunk with an ocsillating feel in the drive train?

Thanks

With a shackle lift I would look for broken spring leaves first. Those shackle lifts are 3x's harder on leaves than the stockers are. I have close to 400,000 on my 98 and the leaves are starting to go up, time for a new set I'm thinking. Must have been that 5,000lb trailer I towed back from philly in Aug

"Clunk/bang" and oscillation feeling makes me think of:
- Broken leaf
- Bad transmission (and possibly motor) mount
- Dry/worn slip-yoke.

Jim www.yuccaman.com

RichP said:

With a shackle lift I would look for broken spring leaves first. Those shackle lifts are 3x's harder on leaves than the stockers are. I have close to 400,000 on my 98 and the leaves are starting to go up, time for a new set I'm thinking. Must have been that 5,000lb trailer I towed back from philly in Aug

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Thanks for the feedback I will have to do a closer inspection of the leaf springs.
Funny you brought up the trailer towing, I towed my snowmobiles home from upnorth last month and it was after that when I started having the issue.

Yucca-Man said:

"Clunk/bang" and oscillation feeling makes me think of:
- Broken leaf
- Bad transmission (and possibly motor) mount
- Dry/worn slip-yoke.

Jim www.yuccaman.com

Click to expand...

Thanks for the input!

- Bad transmission (and possibly motor) mount - Both have been checked, and my trans mount was replaced previously

- Dry/worn slip-yoke. - Already checked and greased recently

- Broken leaf - Need to inspect could be the problem

Thanks again!

batplus4 said:

Thanks for the input!

- Bad transmission (and possibly motor) mount - Both have been checked, and my trans mount was replaced previously

- Dry/worn slip-yoke. - Already checked and greased recently

- Broken leaf - Need to inspect could be the problem

Thanks again!

Click to expand...

Update - Broken leaf spring. Had the leafs reconditioned (I'm on a budget) and problem solved.

Thanks to everyone for your help!!