Replacing ujoints?

[jwebb1998]

I just found out my u Joints are gone on both ends of my front axle, and I'm planning on attempting the replacement myself.

Anyone have any pointers, or maybe a reason I should avoid doing this myself? I wouldn't say I'm a great mechanic, but I'm pretty good at turning a wrench, I mean I installed my lift and only had experience doing oil changes before it. I would love to save myself a couple hundred bucks by doing it myself, but this is my DD and I'm trying to avoid any potential problems that could stop me from making it to work Monday morning.

If anyones done this themselves and would even liket o lend a helping hand that would also be greatly appreciated. My mechanic (when I can't do it) said it can be done with the proper tools, and it's not extremely difficult, but I just want to make sure I'm not getting myself in over my head.

Any insight will not go over looked.

Thanks, J

[seanbignut]

U-Joints are easy. You need a BFH and a vise. When you pull the snap rings out where glass's they fly good. It's not a big deal to change.

[jps4jeep]

It is pretty simple and straight foward but is time consuming. Just like doing a clutch, easy but a pain in the a**

Take the tire off, two bolts hold the caliper on, take the off and suspend it from the frame, don't let it hang my the hose. slip the rotor off and now your left with the spindle and axle assembly. all jeeps are slightly different from here out. but drain the diff and release the axles, are the D30 in GC's C-clipped??

any how you will have to pull the axles. take off the castle nut on the knuckles and bang the spindle up, while your at it, good time to replace the ball joints, they are fairly cheap. and pull out the axle. You suposed to use a press to get these u joints out. You can use the BFH and vise trick but can be a little tricky trying to hold the axle all by your self. another method is to use different sized sockets and a vise and press the caps out. but you can also go to autozone or pep boys and have them press them out.

If you pick up a shop manual or a Hayse manual, should not be too bad.

[jwebb1998]

Thanks for the insite, I've heard it can be a pain getting the 3 bolts that hold the "hub?" on loose, but my mechanic/friend said it can be done, as long as you don't damage the seal in the axle when you try to put the shaft back in. Now I just need to manage to get a Saturday off to go to NH and rip this thing apart.

I've been keeping my eyes open around here for a Haynes for my ZJ but all I've found are the Chiltons, and they don't give you any help with the U-joints.

This is quite depressing I'm missing my damn trip to VA over U-joints and the angry squirrels in my front driveshaft. I need to buy a house so I'll have my own garage, hell I should just buy a garage.

Stay tuned, there might be a cry for help when I get my front end torn apart and forget how to put it back together. I've got a BFH, a vise and lots of sockets I'm not to worried, as long as I can get everything back together I should be all right.

If no one hears from me for awhile, just assume I'm stuch in NH fixing this rig. Or on one hell of a ride through the woods of VA.

Thanks, J

[xdgedgex]

if you need any help i only live in woburn and have plenty of tools and air tools and a 2 car garage. i swaped out my cv shafts for u-joint shafts so i know how to do the shafts, and it looks like the u-joint replacement is pretty simple, i also have a Haynes ZJ manual. what joints are you putting in? the dana 44 ones, i think there like the 740's or something, i forget, its what i have in mine now, and i think they make even heavier duty ones to. let me know i have most of saturday and sunday free.
later,
Doug