Pape

I'm planning on working on my maintenance list this weekend and well I have questions

Planning to do my front u-joint anything special I should know ?
specially on reinserting the shaft and the oil seal ?
What is the part number for the speed sensor, just in case ?
can you confirm the hub nut socket is 36mm ?

My TC is also up for oil change, atf+4 right ?

Thanks

ronjenx

When I remove front axle shafts, I disconnect the speed sensor at the plug located behind the plastic fender liner, leaving the sensor in the hub. There is a pretty good chance the sensor will break if you try to pull it out of a 4 or 5 year old hub. Speed sensor part number is 68003281AA.

I don't recall the axle nut size. I just grab the socket that fits.
Work on one side at a time so you can keep the disassembled side jacked a little higher than the differential. This will keep the diff fluid from spilling into the axle tube. Fluid residue in the tube is often mistaken for a leaking seal.

Regarding reinstalling the axle shafts...
Clean the inside of the axle tubes. Remove as much rust and debris as you can, being careful not to push anything farther into the tube. Clean around the opening, and the upper and lower C.
On the shafts, clean the splines and the smooth area the seal rides on.
There should be two plastic guides (2009 Dana 35 = 68004090AA; 2009 Dana 44 = 68017185AA) on each shaft, near the smooth area the seal rides on. The guides are slightly cupped. On the JKs I have worked on, I installed the guides onto the shafts with the concave sides facing each other. This will reduce the chances of the guides sliding on the shaft as you install it into the tube. It will also reduce the chances the guides will remain in the tube upon next shaft removal. Push the guides onto the shaft past the machined surface so they will not hit the seals.
Put a little grease on the splines and the machined surface. Carefully push the prepared axle shaft into the axle tube, and through the seal. You may have to jiggle the shaft a little to get it to engage the splines in the differential.

I keep the diff fluid level a little higher than the fill plug. I believe this keeps the seals wet, making them less likely to leak. (Same goes for the rear diff fluid level, too.)

The preceding steps are what I do to ensure the seals won't leak when all is back in service. So far I have been successful.

ATF+4 is the correct fluid for the t-case.

Mark Doiron

Most are 36, but there are some that are 35. One fellow even posted here years ago that he had one of each on either side!

Pape

[QUOTE=ronjenx;3933303]
There should be two plastic guides (2009 Dana 35 = 68004090AA; 2009 Dana 44 = 68017185AA) on each shaft, near the smooth area the seal rides on. The guides are slightly cupped. On the JKs I have worked on, I installed the guides onto the shafts with the concave sides facing each other. This will reduce the chances of the guides sliding on the shaft as you install it into the tube. It will also reduce the chances the guides will remain in the tube upon next shaft removal. Push the guides onto the shaft past the machined surface so they will not hit the seals.
Put a little grease on the splines and the machined surface. Carefully push the prepared axle shaft into the axle tube, and through the seal. You may have to jiggle the shaft a little to get it to engage the splines in the differential.
QUOTE]

This is the part I was not aware, so I should have 4 guides total and they should be placed around 1/2" of the smooth area that will be making contact with the seal ?
I should place the concave face to face to minimize the movement of seal while inserting and for next retreating ?
Are they easy "guide" to move ? should I try to keep the shaft from making contact with the axel while I insert it or I can just make the shaft rest on the guide and push it gently in the tube ?

We are doing 2 jeeps so got one front ABS censor just to be safe, but yes I plan to disco the connection instead of removing the censor.

Thanks guys

Pape

It done, took use close to 7 hours and a lot or arm grease. broke one break bolt and one wheel hub bolt.
The thing was well rested in rust, next time I will change them earlier rather then later lol.
We used the buffer to cut top cap head as they found their way in the middle of the assembly.
This is what happen when you have to smack the top cap really hard to get the bottom one out.
Easier to just cut it instead of trying to pass the cap from inside the yoke to outside.

I did not go the axel guide way, to much debris far away in the tube, instead I used the 36MM axel nut in the lower C as a pivot and rested the shaft on it, with the hub assembly it does a nice balance and you can slide the shaft in the tube without touching the wall fairly easy.
So far I did not notice any moisture in the lover C therefore my seal should be all good

was a interesting experience.

P.S My nuts are 35mm