Tiffster
08-10-2003, 01:44 PM
<B>By Jim "Yucca-Man" Langdon</B>
There are two type of universal joints used in the Jeep Cherokee and Wrangler driveshafts; the standard "u- joint" and the more complex Constant- Velocity, or CV-joint. The CV-joint is used to cut the operating angle of the u-joint at the end of the shaft. Since excessive operating angles will destroy a u-joint fairly quickly, the CV-joint cuts those angles in half to promote longer joint life.
<P>This CV-joint is NOT the same as an axle CV joint, which is an entirely different assembly and requires a flexible boot surrounding it to retain the grease. <P>When the CV- joint on my 96 Cherokee started to go bad, it made noises described by some as an angry sparrow, or constant chirping. Since this Cherokee does not have a front axle disconnect, the front driveshaft turns at all times, even if no power is sent to it through the transfer case. <p>I priced out some of the options available, and eliminated most based on cost.
<ul>
<ul>
<li> Have a driveshaft shop rebuild the entire shaft: about $220</li>
<li> Have a driveshaft shop rebuild the CV- joint: about $85</li>
<li> Find a driveshaft from the Jeep graveyards: $25 and more</li>
<li> Buy a centering kit and do the work myself: $18 plus three u-joints</li>
</ul>
</ul>
I picked the fourth option, which also allowed me to document part of the process.
While buying a driveshaft from a Jeep graveyard may be good if you want a spare, I decided against it since there was no guarantee the replacement shaft would have a good centering kit. The same driveshaft shop that offered to rebuild the shaft sold me a centering kit, and the tech also checked the driveshaft to make sure it was in good shape before he let me leave.
<b>Disassembly:</b>
Remove the driveshaft from the Jeep. This can be done without jacking the Jeep in most cases. Block the tires and leave the transmission in 'N' to allow you to rotate teh driveshaft if needed. After it has been removed, collapse the driveshaft but watch for the excess grease to run (or squirt) out the relief hole at the end of the shaft. Catch this on an old rag and dispose of properly.
<a href="art/cvjoint/Jan06_04.JPG"><img SRC="art/cvjoint/Jan06_04t.jpg" ALT="CV-joint cage One cap has been removed already." height=72 width=96 align=left></a>Use a pair of needle-nose pliers to remove the snap-rings surrounding the u-joints. The picture is slightly out-of-focus but you can see the snap-rings and one cap removed.
<a href="art/cvjoint/Jan06_07.JPG"><img SRC="art/cvjoint/Jan06_07t.jpg" ALT="Centering assembly" BORDER=0 height=72 width=96 align=right></a>Press the u-joint over to one side, and use the Vise-Grips to remove the cap from the cross. Press the u-joint back to the other side and then it can be pulled out of the cap and centering assembly. Lift the centering assembly away from the pin it rests on.
<a href="art/cvjoint/Jan06_08.jpg"><img SRC="art/cvjoint/Jan06_08t.jpg" ALT="Centering pin" BORDER=0 height=72 width=96 align=left></a>Clean the cup surrounding the centering pin, and ensure the pin is not worn. The driveshaft shop checked this for me, but if needed a new pin can be presssed in place. This is the step they wanted to charge about $85 for. All mine needed was an emory cloth rubdown after removing the dirt and grease from the cup.
Remove the inner u-joint and then the cage. <p><a href="art/cvjoint/Jan06_09.JPG"><img SRC="art/cvjoint/Jan06_09t.jpg" ALT="Centering kit with bearing cup open." BORDER=0 height=72 width=96 align=right></a>The centering kit itself consists of a spring that sits in the centering pin, and a needle bearing assembly that surrounds the pin.
<b>Reassembly</b>
Reassemble in reverse order, taking care not to knock the needle bearings out of place in the caps, as this can damage the cross-pin or the bearing cap quickly.
When placing the centering kit in the cup, put the spring into the pin first and then genty set the centering portion onto the pin. Mine was pre-greased and required nothing other than pulling a red shipping cap out before installing it.
<a href="art/cvjoint/Jan06_05.JPG"><img SRC="art/cvjoint/Jan06_05t.jpg" ALT="Taped u-joint" BORDER=0 height=72 width=96 align=left></a>Tape the ends of the u-joint in place after assembly or if the driveshaft is not going to be installed immediately. I ran 2-3 laps of electrical tape around mine while working on the CV- joint end.
<b>Tools used:</b>
<a href="art/cvjoint/Jan06_11.JPG"><img SRC="art/cvjoint/Jan06_11t.jpg" ALT="The tools I used" height=72 width=96></a>
C-Clamp with a 6" opening.
This is optional, but since I found it on the side of the road a few years ago I've kept it around
Vise-Grips.
Needle-nose pliers
1 1/4" socket
leftover 'key' for a tire lock
Jim "Yucca-Man" Langdon
96 XJ"
There are two type of universal joints used in the Jeep Cherokee and Wrangler driveshafts; the standard "u- joint" and the more complex Constant- Velocity, or CV-joint. The CV-joint is used to cut the operating angle of the u-joint at the end of the shaft. Since excessive operating angles will destroy a u-joint fairly quickly, the CV-joint cuts those angles in half to promote longer joint life.
<P>This CV-joint is NOT the same as an axle CV joint, which is an entirely different assembly and requires a flexible boot surrounding it to retain the grease. <P>When the CV- joint on my 96 Cherokee started to go bad, it made noises described by some as an angry sparrow, or constant chirping. Since this Cherokee does not have a front axle disconnect, the front driveshaft turns at all times, even if no power is sent to it through the transfer case. <p>I priced out some of the options available, and eliminated most based on cost.
<ul>
<ul>
<li> Have a driveshaft shop rebuild the entire shaft: about $220</li>
<li> Have a driveshaft shop rebuild the CV- joint: about $85</li>
<li> Find a driveshaft from the Jeep graveyards: $25 and more</li>
<li> Buy a centering kit and do the work myself: $18 plus three u-joints</li>
</ul>
</ul>
I picked the fourth option, which also allowed me to document part of the process.
While buying a driveshaft from a Jeep graveyard may be good if you want a spare, I decided against it since there was no guarantee the replacement shaft would have a good centering kit. The same driveshaft shop that offered to rebuild the shaft sold me a centering kit, and the tech also checked the driveshaft to make sure it was in good shape before he let me leave.
<b>Disassembly:</b>
Remove the driveshaft from the Jeep. This can be done without jacking the Jeep in most cases. Block the tires and leave the transmission in 'N' to allow you to rotate teh driveshaft if needed. After it has been removed, collapse the driveshaft but watch for the excess grease to run (or squirt) out the relief hole at the end of the shaft. Catch this on an old rag and dispose of properly.
<a href="art/cvjoint/Jan06_04.JPG"><img SRC="art/cvjoint/Jan06_04t.jpg" ALT="CV-joint cage One cap has been removed already." height=72 width=96 align=left></a>Use a pair of needle-nose pliers to remove the snap-rings surrounding the u-joints. The picture is slightly out-of-focus but you can see the snap-rings and one cap removed.
<a href="art/cvjoint/Jan06_07.JPG"><img SRC="art/cvjoint/Jan06_07t.jpg" ALT="Centering assembly" BORDER=0 height=72 width=96 align=right></a>Press the u-joint over to one side, and use the Vise-Grips to remove the cap from the cross. Press the u-joint back to the other side and then it can be pulled out of the cap and centering assembly. Lift the centering assembly away from the pin it rests on.
<a href="art/cvjoint/Jan06_08.jpg"><img SRC="art/cvjoint/Jan06_08t.jpg" ALT="Centering pin" BORDER=0 height=72 width=96 align=left></a>Clean the cup surrounding the centering pin, and ensure the pin is not worn. The driveshaft shop checked this for me, but if needed a new pin can be presssed in place. This is the step they wanted to charge about $85 for. All mine needed was an emory cloth rubdown after removing the dirt and grease from the cup.
Remove the inner u-joint and then the cage. <p><a href="art/cvjoint/Jan06_09.JPG"><img SRC="art/cvjoint/Jan06_09t.jpg" ALT="Centering kit with bearing cup open." BORDER=0 height=72 width=96 align=right></a>The centering kit itself consists of a spring that sits in the centering pin, and a needle bearing assembly that surrounds the pin.
<b>Reassembly</b>
Reassemble in reverse order, taking care not to knock the needle bearings out of place in the caps, as this can damage the cross-pin or the bearing cap quickly.
When placing the centering kit in the cup, put the spring into the pin first and then genty set the centering portion onto the pin. Mine was pre-greased and required nothing other than pulling a red shipping cap out before installing it.
<a href="art/cvjoint/Jan06_05.JPG"><img SRC="art/cvjoint/Jan06_05t.jpg" ALT="Taped u-joint" BORDER=0 height=72 width=96 align=left></a>Tape the ends of the u-joint in place after assembly or if the driveshaft is not going to be installed immediately. I ran 2-3 laps of electrical tape around mine while working on the CV- joint end.
<b>Tools used:</b>
<a href="art/cvjoint/Jan06_11.JPG"><img SRC="art/cvjoint/Jan06_11t.jpg" ALT="The tools I used" height=72 width=96></a>
C-Clamp with a 6" opening.
This is optional, but since I found it on the side of the road a few years ago I've kept it around
Vise-Grips.
Needle-nose pliers
1 1/4" socket
leftover 'key' for a tire lock
Jim "Yucca-Man" Langdon
96 XJ"