Locker abuse

TrailMarker · 2005-05-31T22:47:44+00:00

Well, I've had my front ARB a few weeks now. Yesterday, I actuallyneeded 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-Dreplacement - but hopefully this won't make some more expensive partthe weak link.I'm looking for advice on the replacement job. This is for an '85 CJ-7Dana 30 - passenger's side. Are there any gotcha's out there? Doesanyone know any special tricks that would help me out? Do I also needto replace any seals or gaskets while I'm at it? One thing that has meworried is the metal "ring" at the outer end of the axle tube. I guessit's just a pressed in seal or guide. It's been knocked loose by thewobbling 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 Ihave.I did a Google search and found a couple of posts by Jeff Stricklandthat 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 thehubs 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 thespindles 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 aroundseveral times and re-torque. Repeat until you are confident thespindles are tight.Torque the outer spindle nut to 50 pounds. DON'T FORGET the washerbetween these two nuts, and DON'T FORGET to bend one side over so itwill hold the outside spindle nut.; This washer is really a cleverlydisguised 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 someright slick and tricky stuff in 3-wheel drive.TrailMarker.

May 31, 2005 44 Replies

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Mike Romain 21 years ago

That is press fit just under the yoke and it is just what you think. They make a rubber ring for some of them, but the floating axle needs a loose fit.

I don't know if you have room, but they have a plastic two piece one that bolts on for YJ or TJ fronts.

When you go for the heater core replacement, I 'highly' recommend you put a GM blower motor in. It puts out more on low than the stock one on high. I could drive last winter with my coat off, let alone no gloves or boots! The windows defrost! I am in Canada....

Here is a link on the blower upgrade. If you have a choice of two motors, the cheaper one with the shorter shaft is the right one.

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Mike

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

TrailMarker wrote:

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Jeff Strickland 21 years ago

I had an occasion to look at a couple of short shafts in the garage over the weekend, this plate can be peened so that it stays where you put it. On my spares, I can easily pull it off by hand, but it fits snuggly enough to not fall off by itself.

Real Jeeps don't have heaters, ask Bill, he'll tell you ...

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L.W.( Ãill ) Hughes III 21 years ago

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Jeff Strickland 21 years ago

See?

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TrailMarker 21 years ago

That'a a great idea. Thanks. I'll put that on my list. TrailMarker

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