Newbie

[OkieJeep74]

Hey guys,

I'm new to the world of the CJ (Already found out i have a lot of work a head of me). I have a Q. about my front diff. I took off the drive shaft, the diff. cover and everything is nasty (not taken care off by PO), but the only thing that i found broke is a bearing (don't know what bearing). What would be your next step?? I have already replaced the Clutch,starter,header gaskets,drum breaks, so I kind off know my way around tools but as far as diff.s go i have no idea. Any help would be great.

 

[CJ]

Hello OkieJeep74 and welcome to our site!

Did you find a complete bearing or just a piece of one? Either way your going to have to pull it apart to figure out what went wrong.

If it is in as bad of shape as you say - I would replace all the bearings - no sense in taking a chance of blowing out that diff when you need it. I would also do a very thorough inspection of the ring and pinion.

If you do pull the carrier, be sure and mark the caps so you can put them back on the same way they cam off (side and orientation).

If it is all shot - might be time to think about a gear change (if you need it) also...

 

[coldwater]

By nasty, I assume you mean the oil is kind of milky and brown rather than a dark clean oil? Or was it dried out with just dry crud in there? Either way, one of 2 things has probably gone wrong. A seal failed, and the oil leaked out, or it has been submerged in water with a bad seal and or the breather tube was not vented properly, letting water into the dif case. Either way, It's going to have to be torn down and rebuilt. The pinion bearing and seal, and the side bearings, and the axle bearings and seals as well. Hopefully, the ring and pinion will not be too badly scarred up from water pitting or heat damage from running dry, and can be reused. Unless you're going to run it in 4x4 for extended periods of time at speed, like driving winter roads, and you want to keep the cost down, you can usually just keep the same ring and pinion dispite pitting. As long as you dont have an automatic tranny, the infrequent use it would get would never bother it.

 

[kicknjeep]

Agree with what both CJ and CW have already said and just too add, I would replace the 2-piece rear axles with alloy one piece if they haven't already while everything is torn apart. Specs on your CJ would be helpful also...

 

[coldwater]

Agree with what both CJ and CW have already said and just too add, I would replace the 2-piece rear axles with alloy one piece if they haven't already while everything is torn apart. Specs on your CJ would be helpful also...

It's on his front axle, prolly a Dana 30 unit I would imagine.

 

[Petescj]

... and a 74 should have a Dana 44 rear anyway.

Agree with what both CJ and CW have already said and just too add, I would replace the 2-piece rear axles with alloy one piece if they haven't already while everything is torn apart. Specs on your CJ would be helpful also...

 

[IOPort51]

I am going to suggest that you seek professional help. and not the kind that most of us in here need. In my humble opinion, of all the repairs that are done on a vehicle, rebuilding the differential is the most challenging, For a person that kind of "knows there way around tools" you could end up with a two wheel drive yard sculpture and a prime source of parts for the rest of us. I do not want to be discouraging but it requires not only a religious attention to detail but also a generous supply of tools, gauges and indicators that you will only need for this repair and with luck you will never need again. It will be very easy to "cost justify" the professional service.
I would say that it is a good time for a Limited slip, maybe a locker , depending on your intended use and new carriers and pinion bearing and seal. so your looking at 1500 to 2000 give or take.
There is also the possibility you can find a good used axle at a grave yard, make sure you take the cover off and check it out really well and be sure you have the right gear ratio. You could do this for 500 give or take.

Speaking of which does any body have a case spreader they would like to part with at a reasonable price??

 

[CJ]

I am going to suggest that you seek professional help. and not the kind that most of us in here need. In my humble opinion, of all the repairs that are done on a vehicle, rebuilding the differential is the most challenging, For a person that kind of "knows there way around tools" you could end up with a two wheel drive yard sculpture and a prime source of parts for the rest of us. I do not want to be discouraging but it requires not only a religious attention to detail but also a generous supply of tools, gauges and indicators that you will only need for this repair and with luck you will never need again. It will be very easy to "cost justify" the professional service.
I would say that it is a good time for a Limited slip, maybe a locker , depending on your intended use and new carriers and pinion bearing and seal. so your looking at 1500 to 2000 give or take.
There is also the possibility you can find a good used axle at a grave yard, make sure you take the cover off and check it out really well and be sure you have the right gear ratio. You could do this for 500 give or take.

Speaking of which does any body have a case spreader they would like to part with at a reasonable price??

I usually don't ever use mine (home made), never have had a bearing go bad in over thirty years of rebuilding diffs... Here is one on ebay -->> DANA 30 44 60 70 80 DIFF. HOUSING CASE SPREADER

But for just a few $ you can easily make one. I used two pieces of angle iron and two lengths of all thread.

The reason that I usually tell people to not use them is if you get a little overzealous with them you can spring the case...

 

[CJ]

Similar to mine...

 

[coldwater]

All true, If you are putting miles on a locked front end. On the other hand, I have put a lot of front ends together with little attention to lash because the use was strictly off the pavement. Slap in new bearings and seals, pop the carrier back in the hole, and fill er up. Good to go, provided it's not used heavily for 4wd street use. Setting a rear end, or a QuadraTrac , diferent story.

 

[IOPort51]

I'm with you on that one.
I have done a couple of AMS 20 and a couple of ford 9 inch in my youth and didn't use a spreader but I am still chasing the idea of the air lock in the front and rear. by the way I have no plans to change the pinion bearing in either, just align and set the load on the carrier bearings. Crush sleeves are a major PITA!!

I hope I did not sound too defeatist with my outlook on rebuilding differentials, the Okie sounds like he turns a fair wrench. just my opinion, unless you are into physical abuse and want to do this for fun or maybe prove something to the world. I would rather do 10 clutches and rebuild an couple of trannys and a carburetor than set the pre-load in a pinion bearing.

I do feel kind of bad about not being encouraging about any project that any body wants to try.

 

[IOPort51]

I usually don't ever use mine (home made), never have had a bearing go bad in over thirty years of rebuilding diffs... Here is one on ebay -->> DANA 30 44 60 70 80 DIFF. HOUSING CASE SPREADER

But for just a few $ you can easily make one. I used two pieces of angle iron and two lengths of all thread.

The reason that I usually tell people to not use them is if you get a little overzealous with them you can spring the case...

I think you are right!! for $190 I can get real creative.

 

[Old Dog]

Hey guys,

I'm new to the world of the CJ (Already found out i have a lot of work a head of me). I have a Q. about my front diff. I took off the drive shaft, the diff. cover and everything is nasty (not taken care off by PO), but the only thing that i found broke is a bearing (don't know what bearing). What would be your next step?? I have already replaced the Clutch,starter,header gaskets,drum breaks, so I kind off know my way around tools but as far as diff.s go i have no idea. Any help would be great.

I guess we need to know what you mean by nasty.

Also where did you find the broken bearing, and what do you mean by broken.

 

[CJ]

~~~
I do feel kind of bad about not being encouraging about any project that any body wants to try.

No reason to feel bad... Your just looking out for less experienced wrench turners who may or may not have the necessary tools to do a job.

My thoughts are to give them all the information they may need and let them make the determination - both are what I call 'helping out less experienced' people. The outcome is the same... - We help others that need and want our information!

You make some very valid points that many of us have learned through very expensive / time consuming processes!

 

[OkieJeep74]

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the info, by nasty I meen a brown milky "oil" in the case. The only way I knew a bearing was out is that I found about 20 cylinder shaped pieces of metal in the bottom of the case. I am in no way offended by the above comment about getting a macanic, I just cant afford one (injured and can't do electrical work right now). This is just a toy I picked up at an auction for $600 and want to work on it myself. I have already replaced the clutch and several other things including a ring job. The jeep runs great just no 4WD and if i takes some trial and error to fix thats fine. I apriciate all the help guys and from the sound of it i might need more.

 

[IOPort51]

the more I think about it I think I would clean it and see if you have damage to, ring, pinion and spyder gears and if every thing looks to be in one piece get a set of carrier bearings and a dial indicator from HF and have some fun. if the pinion bearing is still good you can let the good times roll, if those rollers are from the pinion bearing that changes things.



Then I Would look into the used axle possibility, that is going to be the least expensive route.

and see whats up with the air vent if it is even still there, it's just a hose that runs up to the fender well from the top of the axle tube with a "vent cap" on the end of it. Its supposed to keep the water out when it is above the floor boards, how was the oil in the transmision? thats where My 77 takes (took) on water.
Keep us informed

 

[Old Dog]

^^^^ I agree^^^^ if the pinion bearing is good and the gears are good than new carrier bearings are a piece of cake.
Hopfully the water in the oil didn't it all up.
Otherweise a used 30 can be found pretty cheap, the only thing would be finding one with the same gears.