Jeep Cherokee (XJ): Axle shaft. Axle shaft seal and bearing. Differential

Axle shaft

REMOVAL

(1) Raise and support vehicle. Ensure that the transmission is in neutral.

(2) Remove wheel and tire assembly.

(3) Remove brake drum. Refer to Group 5, Brakes, for proper procedure.

(4) Clean all foreign material from housing cover area.

(5) Loosen housing cover bolts. Drain lubricant from the housing and axle shaft tubes. Remove housing cover.

Fig. 18 Check Pinion Gear Rotation Torque

1 - PINION YOKE
2 - INCH POUND TORQUE WRENCH

(6) Rotate differential case so that pinion mate gear shaft lock screw is accessible. Remove lock screw and pinion mate gear shaft from differential case (Fig. 19).

Fig. 19 Mate Shaft Lock Screw

1 - LOCK SCREW
2 - PINION GEAR MATE SHAFT

(7) Push axle shaft inward and remove axle shaft C-clip lock from the axle shaft (Fig. 20).

(8) Remove axle shaft. Use care to prevent damage to axle shaft bearing and seal, which will remain in axle shaft tube. Also, exercise care not to damage the wheel speed sensor on vehicles equipped with ABS brakes.

Fig. 20 Axle Shaft C-Clip Lock

1 - C-CLIP LOCK
2 - AXLE SHAFT
3 - SIDE GEAR

(9) Inspect axle shaft seal for leakage or damage.

(10) Inspect roller bearing contact surface on axle shaft for signs of brinelling, galling and pitting. If any of these conditions exist, the axle shaft and/or bearing and seal must be replaced.

INSTALLATION

(1) Lubricate bearing bore and seal lip with gear lubricant. Insert axle shaft through seal, bearing, and engage it into side gear splines.

NOTE: Use care to prevent shaft splines from damaging axle shaft seal lip. Also, exercise care not to damage the wheel speed sensor on vehicles equipped with ABS brakes

(2) Insert C-clip lock in end of axle shaft. Push axle shaft outward to seat C-clip lock in side gear.

(3) Insert pinion mate shaft into differential case and through thrust washers and pinion gears.

(4) Align hole in shaft with hole in the differential case and install lock screw with Loctitet on the threads. Tighten lock screw to 19 N·m (14 ft. lbs.) torque.

(5) Install cover and add fluid. Refer to Lubricant Change procedure in this section for procedure and lubricant requirements.

(6) Install brake drum. Refer to Group 5, Brakes, for proper procedures.

(7) Install wheel and tire.

(8) Lower vehicle.

Axle shaft seal and bearing

REMOVAL

(1) Remove the axle shaft.

(2) Remove the axle shaft seal from the end of the axle shaft tube with a small pry bar.

NOTE: The seal and bearing can be removed at the same time with the bearing removal tool.

(3) Remove the axle shaft bearing from the axle tube with Bearing Removal Tool Set 6310 using Adapter Foot 6310-5 (Fig. 21).

Fig. 21 Axle Shaft Bearing Removal

1 - AXLE SHAFT TUBE
2 - NUT
3 - GUIDE PLATE
4 - GUIDE
5 - THREADED ROD
6 - ADAPTER
7 - FOOT

(4) Inspect the axle shaft tube bore for roughness and burrs. Remove as necessary.

INSTALLATION

Do not install the original axle shaft seal.

Always install a new seal.

(1) Wipe the axle shaft tube bore clean.

(2) Install axle shaft bearing with Installer 6436 and Handle C-4171. Ensure that the part number on the bearing is against the installer.

(3) Install the new axle shaft seal with Installer 6437 and Handle C-4171 (Fig. 22).

Fig. 22 Axle Shaft Seal Installation

1 - SPECIAL TOOL 6437
2 - SEAL
3 - AXLE SHAFT TUBE
4 - SPECIAL TOOL C-4171

(4) Install the axle shaft

Differential

REMOVAL

(1) Raise and support vehicle.

(2) Remove the lubricant fill hole plug from the differential housing cover.

(3) Remove the differential housing cover and allow fluid to drain.

(4) Remove axle shafts.

(5) Note the installation reference letters stamped on the bearing caps and housing machined sealing surface (Fig. 23).

Fig. 23 Bearing Cap Identification

1 - INSTALLATION REFERENCE LETTERS
2 - INSTALLATION REFERENCE LETTERS

(6) Loosen the differential bearing cap bolts.

(7) Position Spreader W-129-B, utilizing some items from Adapter set 6987, with the tool dowel pins seated in the locating holes (Fig. 24). Install the holddown clamps and tighten the tool turnbuckle finger- tight.

Fig. 24 Install Axle Housing Spreader

1 - AXLE HOUSING
2 - DOWEL
3 - SAFETY HOLD DOWN
4 - SPECIAL TOOL W-129-B
5 - TURNBUCKLE

(8) Install a Pilot Stud C-3288-B at the left side of the differential housing. Attach Dial Indicator C-3339 to pilot stud. Load the indicator plunger against the opposite side of the housing (Fig. 25) and zero the indicator.

CAUTION: Do not spread over 0.38 mm (0.015 in). If the housing is over-spread, it could be distorted or damaged.

(9) Spread the housing enough to remove the differential case from the housing. Measure the distance with the dial indicator (Fig. 26).

(10) Remove the dial indicator.

(11) While holding the differential case in position, remove the differential bearing cap bolts and caps.

(12) Remove the differential from the housing.

Ensure that the differential bearing cups remain in position on the differential bearings (Fig. 27).

(13) Mark or tag the differential bearing cups to indicate which side of the differential they were removed from.

Fig. 25 Install Dial Indicator

1 - SPECIAL TOOLC-3339
2 - DIAL INDICATOR
3 - LEVER ADAPTER
4 - SPECIAL TOOL W-129-B
5 - SPECIAL TOOL C-3288-B

Fig. 26 Spread Axle Housing

1 - SPECIAL TOOL C-3339
2 - SPECIAL TOOL W-129-B

(14) Retrieve differential case preload shims from axle housing. Mark or tag the differential case preload shims to indicate which side of the differential they were removed from.

(15) Remove spreader from housing.

Fig. 27 Differential Case Removal

1 - AXLE HOUSING
2 - DIFFERENTIAL CASE
3 - BEARING CUPS

INSTALLATION

If replacement differential bearings or differential case are being installed, differential side bearing shim requirements may change. Refer to the Differential Bearing Preload and Gear Backlash procedures in this section to determine the proper shim selection.

(1) Position Spreader W-129-B, utilizing some items from Adapter set 6987, with the tool dowel pins seated in the locating holes (Fig. 28). Install the holddown clamps and tighten the tool turnbuckle finger-tight.

(2) Install a Pilot Stud C-3288-B at the left side of the differential housing. Attach Dial Indicator C-3339 to pilot stud. Load the indicator plunger against the opposite side of the housing (Fig. 25) and zero the indicator.

CAUTION: Do not spread over 0.38 mm (0.015 in). If the housing is over-spread, it could be distorted or damaged.

(3) Spread the housing enough to install the case in the housing. Measure the distance with the dial indicator (Fig. 26).

(4) Remove the dial indicator.

(5) Install differential case in the housing. Ensure that the differential bearing cups remain in position on the differential bearings and that the preload shims remain between the face of the bearing cup and the housing. Tap the differential case to ensure the bearings cups and shims are fully seated in the housing.

(6) Install the bearing caps at their original locations (Fig. 29).

(7) Loosely install differential bearing cap bolts.

(8) Remove axle housing spreader.

Fig. 28 Install Axle Housing Spreader

1 - AXLE HOUSING
2 - DOWEL
3 - SAFETY HOLD DOWN
4 - SPECIAL TOOL W-129-B
5 - TURNBUCKLE

Fig. 29 Differential Bearing Cap Reference Let

1 - INSTALLATION REFERENCE LETTERS
2 - INSTALLATION REFERENCE LETTERS

(9) Tighten the bearing cap bolts to 77 N·m (57 ft.

lbs.) torque.

(10) Install the axle shafts.