Locker abuse

The seals are inboard at the pumpkin. You have to be clean and careful putting the axles back in.

I use a sacrificial bolt and alternate cutting the steering side to side so I can beat the crap out of it as I move it around the holes to remove the spindle by pounding with a BFG, preferable 5 lb. They can be an SOB to come off first time.

I hate those 'heavy duty' U-joints, they didn't last 8 months for me because they can't be greased so got water contamination.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

TrailMarker wrote:

Go directly to

then click on Index of Mods & Writeups, then click on "Axleshaft U-Joint Replacement". There is no better single source of Jeep help than Stu's website. The only additional thing I can suggest is replacing your D30's axleshafts with hardened axleshafts like the chromolly 4340 axleshafts from Warn, Alloy USA, or Superior Axle. Those are what will do more to prevent u-joint failures than anything else other than going to some uber-strong/expensive u-joint like CTM makes. These axleshafts have heat-treated hardened ears that hang onto the u-joints FAR more securly under stress so they don't break free and then break, taking everything with it. What few people understand is that it's more likely that the axleshaft ears have let go of the u-joint which caused the failure, than the u-joint itself failing first which is extremely rare.

Jerry

TrailMarker wrote:

There are outer seals too, Mike. I think I was referring to these outer seals when I wrote that procedure.

It has got to be the salt because my spindles come off pretty easily.

That ring is a circlip. I don't recall right now, but I think that you can do fine without the circlip. If you haven't got it, it's no biggie, if you have got one, put it back on. You can put a bolt into the hole in the outboard end of the axle shaft to pull the axle out far enough to get to the groove for the clip.

There are the wheel bearings to think about, and there is a grease seal where the hub goes onto the spindle. There are small needle bearings inside the spindle that the axle shaft rides on. And, Mike Romain reminds us there is the inner seal where the axles go into the pumpkin. If you manage to keep the alxes clean when you put them back in, you should be OK with the inner seal, and can avoid taking the diff cover off which will require a new gasket.

I guess

I have lost track, are you still talking about the circlip?

WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK THE TORQUE SPEC FOR THE INNER SPINDLE NUT? Now that I am reading this, I seem to recall that the 80 ft pound figure is in error.

Not on mine. Mine only has inboard seals and his is a CJ D30 too. Even the YJ D30 has inboard seals.

The CJ axle has a dust flange or metal ring just under the yoke that is fixed onto the axle. I have never seen one loose, but it likely can be tapped back into place. If not, then a new axle might be needed. The YJ has a plastic one, but still no seals.

Mike

Jeff Strickland wrote:

There's a trick, using power steering and a strategically-placed socket (or other piece of metal)... wedge something hard in there, then turn the steering... pops the hub assy right out.

Caveat... mine came out easy, I didn't ever actually do this procedure... they went back in with anti-seize, hopefully I'll never have to find out if this works! __ Steve .

Thank you Captain BesideThePoint. The OP was asking specifically about an 85 CJ, there is an outer seal on the hub, where the hub and spindle meet.

Really? My hubs have an inner and outer bearing, and the inner bearing is protected by a grease seal between the bearing and the spindle.

Am I missing something? Bill also said something about how a YJ is different, but I thought the OP asked about an '85 CJ.

Not on any I have taken apart....

Mike

Jeff Strickland wrote:

We are talking apples and oranges. Bill and I are talking the D 30 differential, not the outer hubs. The axles are floating with only one inboard bearing and seal each side.

My outer hubs have a dust seal, then a grease seal, then a bearing, my spindles have a grease seal and a needle bearing set.

I don't normally mess with the hubs if doing the u-joint, I save the hubs for brake time. The whole hub pops out to do the u-joint, why have the rest in pieces. Last u-joint job was on the Cherokee and took an hour including going to get the parts.

Thinking about it, if he was banging around hard enough to pop the dust seal off the axle, he might want to think about all of the seals and the spindle bearing and seal....

Mike

Jeff Strickland wrote:

The Original Poster asked, "... I'm looking for advice on the replacement job. This is for an '85 CJ-7 Dana 30 - passenger's side. Are there any gotcha's out there? Does ..."

I don't know what you are smoking, but I could use some.

>

Naw, your stuff is better Jeff.... ;-)

"One thing that has me worried is the metal "ring" at the outer end of the axle tube."

LOL!

Mike

Jeff Strickland wrote:

> >

Very strange, my newsclient decided that it would be fun to post in HTML, even though I have it set to post in Plain Text, and to disregard what the other people post with and convert it to Plain Text. Maybe my PC is has the latest in Virual Enhancements. These are automatically installed, you know ...

How can you do ujoints on a CJ7 front axle without messing with the hubs? The spindles have to come out to get the axles out, the hubs have to come off to get the spindles off.

I am set for plain text, don't know where it grabbed that.

I obviously have as good a drugs as you guys and am mixing CJ and YJ/TJ hubs up. Those I leave alone. I don't touch the big nut.

I still lube the hubs at brake time.

Mike

Jeff???????????? WILL YOU REREAD IT!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!! "Well, I've had my front ARB a few weeks now. Yesterday, I actually needed it for the first time. I was climbing a steep rock hill. And so, naturally, I just busted my first front axle U-joint. I bought a H-D replacement - but hopefully this won't make some more expensive part the weak link. I'm looking for advice on the replacement job. This is for an '85 CJ-7 Dana 30 - passenger's side. Are there any gotcha's out there? Does anyone know any special tricks that would help me out? Do I also need to replace any seals or gaskets while I'm at it? One thing that has me worried is the metal "ring" at the outer end of the axle tube. I guess it's just a pressed in seal or guide. It's been knocked loose by the wobbling axle shaft. Does it press in place? Is it just a splash seal? I don't see this part on the exploded views in the books or catalogs I have. I did a Google search and found a couple of posts by Jeff Strickland that make the job sound pretty straight forward. He says

"Remove the hub locks. Remove the brake rotors. Remove the large spindle nuts from inside the spindles and pull the hubs off. Remove 6 nuts holding the dust shield on and remove the shield. Use a large rubber mallet, or a board and a hammer to nudge the spindles off. Slide the axle shafts out and replace the UJoints. Assemble in reverse order. Torque the inner spindle nut to 80 pounds and spin the tire around several times and re-torque. Repeat until you are confident the spindles are tight. Torque the outer spindle nut to 50 pounds. DON'T FORGET the washer between these two nuts, and DON'T FORGET to bend one side over so it will hold the outside spindle nut.; This washer is really a cleverly disguised locking device; use it. Torque the dust shield nuts to 50 pounds."

Is there anything else I need to know? And yes, I still made it up the rock face, and back out through some right slick and tricky stuff in 3-wheel drive. TrailMarker."

THIS IS FOR AN '85 CJ-7 DANA 30

Where does it say that he is working on a YJ, or anything other than an '85 CJ?

I don't know what you are smoking, but I could use some.