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The following article
discusses in detail on how to upgrade to the larger and stronger Spicer
5-297X
u-joint axle shaft as well as replacing the inner axle seals.
This article was written with the relative "beginner"
in mind, i.e. someone who has not yet replaced a front axle shaft. The
knowledge gained from this article may also help to avoid awkward
situations on the trail after you have successfully broken one of your
front axle shafts. Now it is time to look cool and tear that front end
apart as if this was a daily routine.
For the proficient wrencher, this article may contain some valuable
information regarding the replacement parts that were used in this procedure.
The article below not only covers the axle shaft upgrade, but also --and perhaps this is
more significant for many-- the procedure to replace the axle seals. This procedure
can be especially challenging on earlier XJs and MJs equipped with the vacuum-disconnect
Dana 30 front axle. Nevertheless, with a bit on improvisational skills,
even this procedure can be done with ease. Some tips to make this quite easy are
shown below.
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Earlier XJs were originally equipped
with the smaller front axle shaft u-joint, also sometimes referred to as
the 5-260X (these are the Spicer numbers), or a CV joint. Somewhere around
the mid-90's Jeep switched to the larger 5-297X u-joint. All
CV/5-260X/5-297X are all interchangeable, since they all use the exact
same unit-bearing hub. A new style u-joint is now replacing the 5-297X
u-joint. Strength is probably the same, or slightly better. The new
u-joint is the Spicer is: 5-760X
Quick Jumps:
[Parts]
[Tools]
[Procedure I: Axle Shafts]
[Procedure II: Inner Axle Seals]
[Summary]
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The Parts: |
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These are the new front axle shafts containing the larger 5-297X u-joint.
Part numbers:
(Dana Spicer) 75588-18 "D30 Passenger side YJ Front Axle, 95/up"
(Dana Spicer) 75814-18 "D30 LH Front Axle, XJ"
These axle shafts can be purchased from
DriveTrain Direct for $139.00 each (as of summer 2001).
[Large image]
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Here a close-up of the left (driver's side) inner axle seal. This seal is seated in the
differential housing directly behind the differential bearing race. The axle shaft(s)
themselves are exposed to "the elements" beyond that point. This is also the reason why
the axle tubes are usually full of mud and dirt. There are now new seals available that
seal the axle tubes at the outer flange, but they are expensive and need a lot of regular
attention. In addition, they are currently not available for the vacuum-disconnect side
(if equipped with vacuum-disconnect, otherwise no problem).
The Spicer part number for the passenger side seal
for the vacuum-disconnect axle is:
The Jeep/Mopar part number for the OEM seal
(driver's side) is: 4874477
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This is the right side/passenger side seal for the vacuum-disconnect Dana 30. This is a
different seal than for the non-vacuum disconnect axle! For non-vacuum disconnect axles,
the above shown seal should be either identical or at least very similar.
The Spicer part number for the passenger side seal for the
vacuum-disconnect axle is: 42500
The Jeep/Mopar part number for the OEM seal
(passenger side) is:
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This image shows the old (top) and new (bottom) driver's side (left) axle shafts
The difference between the two axle shafts is not immediately noticeable. A closer
look does reveal the difference in u-joint size, however. (Not really visible in this image.)
[Large image]
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The Tools: |
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The tools required for this procedure are for the most part just the typical tools
that most wrenchers already should have. Some of the tools needed are shown here.
On top in this picture a slide hammer kit is shown. This tool might help a lot to loosen up
the hubs.
Underneath the slide hammer kit, several other tools are shown. From left to right:
Paper towels (always good to have plenty!), C-clamp, mallet, socket wrench, breaker bar, three
sockets (36mm, 13mm 12-point, 7mm Allen), Vice-Grip, pliers, and gloves. On the bottom, some
anti-seize (high-temp/silver), and some "PB blaster" to pre-treat rusted bolts.
Not shown: torque wrench(es), and other miscellaneous tools.
[Large image]
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The Procedure I: Pulling the axle shafts |
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Pull the parking brake, chock the rear wheels. Place the front of the
vehicle securely on jack stands. Remove the tires.
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Remove the front brake calipers. A 7mm Allen wrench is needed for earlier XJs. |
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To remove the calipers, open the two caliper bolts all the way. |
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Sometimes it helps to use a mallet to open the caliper bolts. |
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Pull the caliper bolts out far enough so that the calipers can be removed. |
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To remove the front calipers, a relatively large C-clamp can be used
to compress the caliper enough to slide it off the discs. The brake fluid gets
pushed back into the master cylinder reservoir and may overflow. Keep an eye on
it. In most cases nothing will happen.
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Slide the calipers off. Place them on the lower control arm. Don't let them dangle
on the brake hoses.
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Push the anti-rattle clips out of the way. Remove and label the brake pads. |
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Slide the disc off and label it (left or right). |
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Now you have your front brakes off. Here they are
labeled with "Liquid Paper".
R = right side, Ri = right/inner, Ro =
right/outer. <
BR
>
Same for the left side parts.
Your labeling habits/preferences may vary, of course.
The only important issue is that you install the previously
used pads on the same side. Pads are seated (i.e. "worn in") and therefore
should not be interchanged. If you use new pads, then this does not apply
until they are seated (i.e. carefully "broken in").
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Now to the hub...
Remove the cotter pin and then remove the nut retainer.
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Remove the nut retainer. |
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The 36mm nut. |
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Remove the nut using a 36mm socket and a breaker bar... may take some "uumph". |
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Remove the nut and washer. |
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Now you should have taken out the cotter pin (discard), the nut retainer,
the washer, and the 36mm nut.
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Time to get the hub out...
Here the 12-point 13mm socket.
The hub is held in by three 13mm 12-point bolts. Typically these bolts are
fairly tight and perhaps a bit seized up. The hub itself is pressed into the
steering knuckle with these three bolts. It is therefore possible that during
the next step you might encounter some resistance from your hub assembly...
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Open the three hub bolts. Use the help of the mallet again, if necessary. |
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Pull the hub out. If the hub offers resistance, use a slide hammer to pull it
out. If a slide hammer is not available, install a wheel backwards and try
to pull the hub out that way.
The silvery stuff in this image is a very light coating of high-temperature anti-seize.
Using a little bit of anti-seize might make this procedure considerably easier in the future.
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[A] after the hub assembly was removed
(with a 12-point 13mm socket [B]). Pull the hub with a puller or
use a slide hammer to remove it. The picture shows the hub already
removed [D] and the 36mm socket resting on the tire
[C].
Notice that the steering linkage is partially disconnected. This will make it
easier to access the differential later-on. Ideally use a tie rod end puller to do this, but
perhaps you may be able to leave the steering linkage connected.
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Now you should have the three hub bolts and hub out. |
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Carefully pull the axle shaft out. On the passenger side of a
vacuum-disconnect axle it is also necessary to remove the vacuum shifter. Open the four bolts
of the vacuum shifter housing, drain the differential lube, and pull the
vacuum motor out. After removing the outer axle shaft, remove the connector collar and
then pull the inner axle shaft out.
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The inner axle shaft of the vacuum-disconnect D30. Next to it the connector collar. |
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Now compare your axle shafts (or examine your existing ones if you do not replace
them). In my case, I noticed some pretty severe grooves (at least 1mm deep!).
This explains why my front axle kept leaking even after I replaced the seals some
time ago. Here the passenger side vacuum-disconnect axle shafts are shown. The
red arrow points to the grooves.
[Large image]
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This image shows the old (top) and new (bottom) driver's side axle shafts.
Again, notice the grooves. No wonder this axle kept leaking and leaking...
[Large image]
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Interesting! Notice that the new (left) axle shaft (passenger side of the vacuum-disconnect
axle) does no longer have the little needle bearings inside.
[Large image]
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The Procedure II: Replacing the axle seals |
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To access the inner axle seals, it is necessary to remove the differential carrier.
To do this, open and drain the differential fluid, then remove the carrier by opening the four
carrier bearing cap bolts.
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Yikes! The differential cover popped off without much prior warning even though I was trying to carefully
pry it off. The differential lube jumped right at me...
Also notice the steering linkage (tie rod) being in the way a bit. I dropped it to
gain better access to the differential.
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It is about time to get started with the work on the axle seals! Here a home-made tool. Basically
all this is, is a long threaded rod. Here the skinny object between the two red lines, are two
rods bolted together to reach through the entire axle housing from opposite sides. A three foot
rod and a 1 foot rod would make the handling a bit easier, though.
[Large image]
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A couple of typical hardware store washers (big ones) are also needed. Here I found some that were
almost perfect. Very little grinding was necessary to make this one fit perfectly inside the
axle tube. With a bench grinder I took off even amounts all around this washer. The grinding
is not a precision issue here, just so it will fit inside the axle tube.
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I clamped this big washer between two smaller washers (on the threaded rod) to increase
its strength a bit, but this was not enough, --read on.
[Large image]
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Perfect fit! The modified washer slides into the
axle tubing as intended. You are looking directly at the axle tube and
axle yoke in this image.
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Another big washer, this time unmodified, is used to center the rod. This is
not really necessary. The idea is to keep the rod aligned in the center for
an even pull.
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Here the arrangement on the opposite side to the seal that is about to be pulled. A
washer slightly recessed in the axle tube to center the rod and another stronger
backing plate to offer enough resistance to pull the seal out by turning the nut
on the threaded rod.
[Large image]
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The Vice-Grip helps to prevent the threaded rod from spinning inside the axle
tube while turning the nut to pull out the axle seal.
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Ooops...
The big modified washer did not quite have the strength to pull the seal out! Instead
it pulled right through the seal pulling out amazing amounts of some nasty stuff. A
thorough cleaning of the axle tubes suddenly moved up high on the agenda of things to
do before the next attempt.
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After cleaning up the modified washer, here it
is. All bent, like a dish!
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Time for some strength! Here the arrangement that worked beautifully:
Using the same threaded rod, I used a fairly big socket and clamped it right
behind the modified washer. The washer is a tad bigger than the socket,
allowing to freely slide into the axle tube, without the socket interfering.
[Large image]
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Here again the same set-up as above from a different view. |
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OK, this time it ought to work! The modified washer (flattened again) now sits
inside the axle tube with the big socket behind it for strength.
[Large image]
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Time to start cranking at the opposite axle side. The set-up is similar to the one
mentioned above (during the first attempt).
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Plop --here it is! This time the inner axle seal on the passenger side on this
vacuum-disconnect axle came right out. This image shows a view into the vacuum
motor housing. The threaded rod is visible on the left, then the old seal hanging
partially across the washer/backing socket.
[Large image]
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Pull both seals. The vacuum-disconnect seal is the more difficult one.
The driver's side seal sits right inside the differential housing behind
the differential bearing caps. On a non-vacuum-disconnect axle, the entire
procedure of pulling the seals out should be somewhat easier.
Here the two old seals are shown in the middle of the image. To the left is
the puller contraption once again. To the right a set-up similar to the puller
is shown, only with a smaller washer in use. This combination is used to
clean the inside of the tubes. A messy, but important step. The smaller washer
allows to tightly wrap a shop towel around it and then clean the insides
(after the worst has been scraped out already with the help of the washer).
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It is about time to install the new inner axle seals. Here the mess on my hood. New
and old parts, along with some tools lined up for the installation.
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To install the new seals, a similar method could be used as described above. However,
the washers I had at hand were not big enough and I did not feel like going
to the hardware store again for another, even bigger, set of washers. I improvised
a little and used this little custom machined disc (ball joint kit). I placed the
new seals inside the axle and with a long solid steel rod (not the threaded rod used
above) I had a helper tapping the new seals in while I was holding the rod centered
against the steel disc. This allowed me to watch over the proper seating of the
new seals and would let me be in control so that they would not bind up during
the install.
[Large image]
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After both seals have been properly installed, it is now time to put the axle
back together. Reinstall the differential. Make sure to use the correct bearing caps
on each side. They are marked by the factory with little stamped letters. One side
may have a "J" (or whatever) stamped up-right, the other side has the same letter stamped
sideways. Match that with the stamped letter on the differential housing (sealing
surface). Tighten the bearing cap bolts using a torque wrench set to the correct
torque rating. (Check your Haynes, Chilton, or FSM. I am not sure if all D30 use the same
torque specifications).
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Install the axle shafts. Don't forget the collar on the vacuum-disconnect side. Install
the differential housing cover, the shifter motor (vacuum-disconnect only). Don't
forget to refill the differential with proper lube. More than one mechanic forgot
about that... (not me --so far!) |
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Re-install the bearing hubs. I usually give them a light coating of high temperature
anti-seize.
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A little grease here and there during the re-install. |
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A bit of anti-seize on the hub bolts and new cotter pins for the hub nut. |
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Hubs reinstalled. |
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Getting ready for the brakes. |
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Brakes are on, wheels, etc. next, --and all done! |
Summary: |
[Back to Quick Jumps]
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There is always a first to everything. After this procedure has been done at
least once, even the relative novice back yard wrencher will feel comfortable to
replace a broken axle shaft on the trail.
The new axle shafts with the 5-297X/5-760X u-joints will help to reduce such damage
but will certainly not eliminate it. The upgrade is worth the expenditure,
especially if the u-joints are worn and are in need of replacement anyway.
If the original shafts have deep grooves similar to the ones shown here, it
will become nearly impossible to eliminate axle leaks, even with new seals.
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©Copyright 2001 Andreas Ritterbusch
All Rights reserved.
Photos: Andreas Ritterbusch
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