Rear axle problem... dang it!

[Joopin]

I heard a noise in my 91 YJ 5spd 4.0 the other day, it was in the back when I hit the gas. Anyway I took it to get checked out and the mechanic said that my rear axle has to be reuilt or replaced! So I looked at getting a used wrangler rear axle and the place wanted 600 bucks... So the options I have are: buy the used 600 dollar full axle, buy a rebuild kit and have someone do it (who knows what that will cost), or I could get an axle out of the junkyard... which someone told me that if I couldnt find a YJ axle I could use a Cherokee, Wagoneer, or even full sized ford axles which would widen the stance of the jeep but who cares it will look mean.

I haven't got prices on all these options yet but I just was wondering what my fellow jeepsters would have to say. A cheaper solution is always good since I JUST BOUGHT IT but if I can upgrade I will shell out the cash. Any comments or advise would be great. Thanks.

Oh and does anyone know what the gear ratio is for a 91? I looked on the pumpkin and I THINK it said 3.08 but i could only make out the 08 clearly... is that sound right? [addsig]

[Quik8slvr]

i think the 4.0 gears are 3.07 gears, your cheapest option would probably be to have it rebuilt, unless you can find a rear out of another 4.0 wrangler...if you want to upgrade axles keep in mind that you have to do front and rear at the same time, that is if you want to be able to use 4wd, if you go the junk yard approach make sure its a 4.0 wrangler its coming out of because the 2.5's came with 4.11 gears (much better gears) but you'd have to swap front and rear axles if you wanted to go with the 4.11 gears...check the forsale board and see if there are any up for sale[addsig]

[Joopin]

Thanks, I think your right about the ratio... Ive been making calls and looking on the net for info and I believe it is 3.07. I think I am going to end up getting a used one out of a junk yard if i find one, it seems to be the cheapest way. I just hope the one I find has low miles! I would love to get the 4.11 gear axles but to install one axle the guy said he was going to charge me 300 bucks!! I have no idea if it is a big job or not, I do some work on my cars but never changed an axle on a 4x4. Thanks for the help though.[addsig]

[Snitty]

Changing and axle is easy... especially if its the same axle, and not swapping to something else. The ratio is most definitely 3.07... I changed my gears once already... check in your differential housing... drain your axle fluid. If the teeth are broke on your gears, then chances are... thats all you have to replace. Its most likely that you don't need an entire axle. maybe a bearing, a carrier, a gear, or a shaft. It seems quite strange that you have an entire broken axle. When you are in your differential... you can remove the clips that hold in your axle shafts, and you can pull your shafts out and check them... you can do an entire diagnostic in less than 2 hours with your rear jacked up. Everything goes in the same way it comes out. So when checking stuff... if you need to replace it... just toss the new one in. [addsig]

[aajetmech]

Changing a complete axle assy is pretty easy if your comfortable working on your brakes you wont have a problem. The brakes will need to be bled after the lines are reattached and the parking brake cables will need to be disconnected and then reattached.Everything else is just unbolting and rebolting. [img]modules/phpBB_14/images/smiles/icon_cool.gif[/img] [addsig]

[Joopin]

Ok, I have no problem working on my own cars, but this jeep is the only means of transportation for me. I do have a garage at where I work I could work in... but the only way I would be able to jack up the rear would be a couple of ramps that would give me maybe a foot further off the ground do you think that would be sufficiant? The mechanic did say he thinks there was some metal chips in the housing, would that mean that it was just a stripped gear? This would be friggin awesome if I could do this myself, I just hope I can get the parts at a local parts store like pep boys or something. Thats the only way I could pull this off succesfully. Thanks for the help![addsig]

[wildbill]

good luck [img]modules/phpBB_14/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] [addsig]

[1bigmf]

hey joopin.....today is your lucky day

i have upgraded my 91yj and guess what????



i have a set of axles 200$$ each with 410 gears

( its a dana 30 and a dana 35 )

you need the set or you will have mix match gears....

its all set up for a spring over or under.,,,,,both sets of perches still on there...

i also have lengthened rear drive shaft for SOA.....let me know if u need them.

good luck

[img]modules/phpBB_14/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]modules/phpBB_14/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [addsig]

[Snitty]

BMF... how much you want for the driveshaft???[addsig]

[Joopin]

Here is another qestion, since I am going to try to tackle this axle thing, I need to know if my jeep is a DANA is 30, 35, or 44...? I know the ratio is 3.07 but not the DANA... does anyone know if the ratio pairs up with a certain DANA? Once I find this out I plan on just opening the pumpkin up and (hopefully) finding a stripped gear somewhere, put a new gasket and the cover back on (cause I need a car) and order the new part. Then when it comes replace the part... does that sound dooable?? Some of you guys pumped me all up to take this on myself! Oh and what kind of Oil should I put back in the Axle??



and Sorry bigMF, My funds are so limited right now I am almost forced to take on this project myself. Thanks though...[addsig]

[Quik8slvr]

should be a 30 in the rear and a 35 up front, or maybe i have them backwards but one of them is def. a 30 and the other is a 35, no 44 unless you've previously swapped axels[addsig]

[erhild]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>should be a 30 in the rear and a 35 up front, or maybe i have them backwards but one of them is def. a 30 and the other is a 35, no 44 unless you've previously swapped axels</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>



Yep, you got em bass-ackwards... 30 up front, 35c in the rear... [img]modules/phpBB_14/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [addsig]

[Snitty]

Its a 30 in the front and a 35 in the rear. I've been inside mine a few times. You don't have to be really picky on axle gear oil... 80/90 or so should work just fine. Just make sure its kept to a proper level. While you're in there.. its probably good to change your oil seals... they are not expensive, nor tough to change. [addsig]

[Joopin]

Okay here is an update on my situation... I talked to my mechanic that rebuilt a motor for my mustang, and he said that once one gear starts to strip and get metal chips in there, the shavings cause the other gears to chip, strip or break apart. He said that I probably have to replace all the main gears in the axle... He said he could rebuild the whole axle for around 850, thats parts and labor, he is giving me a break though, it would cost 1000. This option beats buying a full rear from a junkyard which costs 600 bucks, who knows how long that will last. And buying a rebuilt one cost 1500 bucks UNINSTALLED... Thanks again for all the info on the oil and the DANA etc. Still unsure what Im going to do ... [img]modules/phpBB_14/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img] [addsig]

[Snitty]

I had flakes in my rear.... there are not many gears in the rear end... one ring, one pinion.. and 3 small spider gears... all of which are easy to replace. my ring and pinion were shot... and my spider gears were fine.... go ahead... jump in there... save them money

[addsig]

[MudderChuck]

Pop the cover off and do an inspection. Look at the ring gear (the big round one) the pinion (cone shaped) if the edges are sharp and not round looking and there are no chips chances are they are good. Grab the outside of the pinion (the U-joint yoke and shake it around a little there should be almost no play up or down or in and out. The spider gears (set of four) should also have sharp edges and very little up and down play. The whole works, with the ring gear and spider gears rides on two big bearings called carrier bearings (the assembly carries the ring and spider gears) with a big screw driver or pry bar try moving the carrier up and down, there should be no play in the bearings behind the caps at either end of the carrier. Most often in the 35C the carrier bearings are whats bad and can be bought for less than a hundred (last set cost me $60) and changed in a few hours. If the pinion bearing is bad, it gets a little more complicated but it´s still doable. The hardest part of the whole job is getting the locking bolt out of the large pin for the spider gears, with out breaking it. I´ve never broken one, but alot of my friends have. My first rear end gave me the willies (or Willys), after reading all the books, sounded like vodoo, but they are really pretty simple. Every one I have done has turned out OK. Chiltons (the older books at the library) does a pretty good job of step by step for Dana rear ends. If you get into trouble my E-mail is Gaud44@aol.com.[addsig]

[Snitty]

yeah sorry... i said 3 spider gears... wrong key... don't want to mess you up there[addsig]

[Joopin]

Remember this problem? It ended up being the carrier berrings, they are getting replaced now along with the rest of the berrings in the rear... thanks for the info though![addsig]