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Front Driveshaft Removal

Discussion in 'Intermediate CJ-5/6/7/8' started by Colorado CJ5, Apr 21, 2013.

  1. Apr 21, 2013
    Colorado CJ5

    Colorado CJ5 Sponsor

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    Didn't see this covered elsewhere, but I could have missed it. I need to replace the u-joint on the axle-end of my front driveshaft. I cannot get the driveshaft to come apart at the splines, so I was looking at removing the entire shaft. It looks like I would need to remove the skid plate and crossmember to access the nuts and u-joint straps on the transfer case end of the driveshaft. Is this the right approach? Any other methods I should consider here? Should I be able to get the driveshaft to come apart at the splines if I use a little more (blunt) force? Thanks in advance.
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2013
  2. Apr 21, 2013
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
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    You want to remove the complete driveshaft, not separate it at the splines. This leads to other issues. You should be able to remove the skid plate and access the u-bolt nuts with a short box end wrench.


    Sent from my iPhone
     
  3. Apr 21, 2013
    piffey263

    piffey263 Active Member

    Medford, OR
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    no you can't pull the drive shaft from the splines, there is a metal keeper that keeps it from coming apart which can be removed but don't.
    I would just remove the whole drive shaft. I would imagine you can remove it without removing the skid plate.
     
  4. Apr 21, 2013
    jossar

    jossar Member

    Freedom, WI
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    I had no problems getting mine off without removing the skid plate.
     
  5. Apr 21, 2013
    1960willyscj5

    1960willyscj5 Well-Known Member

    Mesa, Arizona
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    No need to take the shaft apart at the splines. Take the ujoint apart. They can be a real pain if you haven't done one before. There are little circlips that need to be removed with circlip pliers. Should be 2 for each u-joint. They are the drive shaft connection.
    The first one can be hard, then the one opposite is easy because you slide the u-joint through the hole a tad and can get to the other.
    The other two are captured by U-bolts. They are the axle yoke connection. Be aware also that the little caps can come off. Not a big deal on the one you are taking off to replace, but on the one you are putting in the little rollers inside can fallout and get lost.. Lotta guys take a long strip of electrical tape or equivalent and run that around the four caps to keep from loosing the caps.

    Then comes the fun part of replacing the circlips, which fit into little grooves that are in the holes in the shaft part. Put one of the clips in ( or leave it in when you remove the old joint), slide one cap of the joint into the other hole far enough to clear the cap opposite, slide that end into it's hole and press on the first one to seat the second against the circlip, and insert the second clip. It will either go in easy, or fight you all the way. Then you just set the other two caps into the valleys in the yoke, put in the ubolts and tighten the nuts evenly.

    All this can be done under the front of your jeep. If it is like mine, it sit high enough you can slide under on a crawler. Or you can chock, block and jackstand the front to have enough room.
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2013
  6. Apr 21, 2013
    Colorado CJ5

    Colorado CJ5 Sponsor

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    Thanks. Just realized I posted this in the wrong section. Should have posted in the Intermediate tech section. Is there any way to move this over there?
     
  7. Apr 21, 2013
    Colorado CJ5

    Colorado CJ5 Sponsor

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    Thanks. Sounds like I have some fun ahead of me.
     
  8. Apr 21, 2013
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    Thread moved to correct forum.

    H.
     
  9. Apr 21, 2013
    Colorado CJ5

    Colorado CJ5 Sponsor

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    Thank you. Still working on it. Just got the skid plate off. Now working on the nuts for the u-joint straps.
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2013
  10. Apr 21, 2013
    Colorado CJ5

    Colorado CJ5 Sponsor

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    got the driveshaft off and took it down to the man-cave. I'll swap out the u-joint tomorrow.
     
  11. Apr 21, 2013
    uncamonkey

    uncamonkey Member

    Greeley CO
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    If it were mine, I'd replace both u joints at the same time, maybe keep the good one for a trail spare.
    As long as you have gone to this amount of work already...
     
  12. Apr 21, 2013
    roadhog304

    roadhog304 Member

    Leon Kansas
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    Agreed. I will always replace both even if It still looks good.
     
  13. Apr 21, 2013
    Colorado CJ5

    Colorado CJ5 Sponsor

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    Great idea. I happened to have already picked up two Spicer 5-153X u-joints thinking I would keep one as a spare. Now, I might put both new ones on and keep the good one that I take off for a trail spare (that is if I can take it off intact . . . this is my first time swapping them out so we'll see how it goes).
     
  14. Apr 21, 2013
    Colorado CJ5

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    Nor would I if the studs were on the yoke and the nuts were facing the front of the jeep. But I've got the setup with u-joint straps so the nuts face the yoke which means I had to attack them from the back. Couldn't get to them w/o taking off the skid plate. Even then, I had to put it in and out of 4H so I could turn the shaft to line up each nut just at the right angle to get at it with my box wrench (lots of 1/4 turns at a time . . . makes me think about buying a set of those closed end box wrenched that work like a ratchet).
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2013
  15. Apr 22, 2013
    uncamonkey

    uncamonkey Member

    Greeley CO
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    2 years ago, my neighbor lost his front driveshaft on his 83 CJ7 on the Silver Stairs out of Needles District, south of Moab.
    He wasn't too worried, he has an Eaton e-Lock in both axles, it's not that tough of a trail, and he seemed to think I had a spare in my tool box.
    I had 2 new ones.
    It didn't take too much longer to fix it there than in his driveway and it was a good spot to have a sandwith.
     
  16. Apr 22, 2013
    Colorado CJ5

    Colorado CJ5 Sponsor

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    Good lesson to learn from . . . always have a spare sandwich with you on the trail. :) And a spare u-joint or two.
     
  17. Apr 22, 2013
    walterv

    walterv Member

    Yakima Wa.
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    Just replaced my rear ujoints. Watch the grease fittings when you remove or insert the universal. I boke mine off removing them.
     
  18. Apr 22, 2013
    Mr. Gangrene Jeans

    Mr. Gangrene Jeans I See Voices&Hear Visions

    Kansas City
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    Speaking of grease fittings, it has been recommended to put them in compression. That means figure out which way the driveshaft turns when the load is the most, forward usually, and install the joint with the grease fitting between the yokes to crush it, not rip it apart.
     
  19. Apr 22, 2013
    Colorado CJ5

    Colorado CJ5 Sponsor

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    Interesting. Anyone have any idea which way the front driveshaft turns? I was just planning on putting the grease fittings toward the shaft side of each joint (as compared to the yoke side) as it seems it would be easier to grease them that way.
     
  20. Apr 24, 2013
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
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    Install them so you can access the zerk fitting with a grease gun when the driveshaft is installed. Also make sure as the suspension cycles the zerk fitting won't hit a yoke when rotating.


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