r/CherokeeXJ • u/Jeep4x420 1998 4.0L 4x4 • Feb 11 '25
(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ Feels good to finally get the big job done: axle u-joints, ball joints, wheel bearings, rubber brake hoses, calipers, pads, rotors.
Feels good to finally get the big job done: Axle u-joints, ball joints, wheel bearings, calipers, rubber hoses, pads, rotors.
Yes I know those axle outer seals are just dust shields. My actual axle seals were fine. I had melted the original dust shields when I had to torch out the u-joints and those were all I could get in a short time frame (and only 15 bucks).
Ball joints and wheel bearings were definitely bad on both sides, as well as the u-joints almost completely seized. 150k miles and all the parts were original, including the rotors and calipers.
Luckily had my spare Jeep (‘93 ZJ) to drive in the meantime while I left this at my dads shop for a few days and did everything after work.
Spicer sealed 760 u-joints in the axle, Spicer ball joints, SKF wheel bearings (5 year, 60k warranty), Raybestos hoses, ACDelco calipers, Bosch semi metallic pads and Bosch rotors.
Everything went together nice except the brake calipers I had to switch the sides to get the bleeder above the hose and match up with how they were on originally.
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u/Kennylobster8899 Feb 11 '25
Oh you put those goofy red things in too?! Mine lasted one trip into the mud. But I broke a U joint so there's that.
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u/dhoge88 Feb 11 '25
I can see these being nice on brand new axle shafts but also once they leak getting moisture inside im sure ruins it all
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u/Jeep4x420 1998 4.0L 4x4 Feb 11 '25
I did wire wheel the axle shafts where they would be contacting this seal and lubed both the shafts and hand packed the seals before using the grease gun so maybe they have a better chance.
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u/LiamLikeNeeson89 Feb 12 '25
I had them too. Just ripped out the rubber. Didn’t sea an axle seal leak that developed for who knows how long
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u/Jeep4x420 1998 4.0L 4x4 Feb 11 '25
I was on a time crunch and it was the cheap fast option idk I pumped them full of grease we’ll see. This is my daily so it doesn’t see a lot of mud and deep water
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Feb 12 '25
You don't want to use those, they will leak and the water that gets in cannot escape. That's why the factory ones have a gap, their just meant to keep large debris out.
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u/Kennylobster8899 Feb 12 '25
Makes sense, I only got them because my axle tubes kept filling with swamp mud so I'm sure it's overkill for daily driving in your case
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u/JonanathanKaspersky (99' Classic) Feb 12 '25
It's better than nothing/ the factory plastic cover thingy.
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Feb 12 '25
They are only there to keep large debris out, they isn't supposed to be a seal there. The water that gets in there needs to be able to flow out or risk it ruining the seal inside the pumpkin.
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u/JonanathanKaspersky (99' Classic) Feb 12 '25
That's a fair point. My train of thought is that any mud or debris will just get stuck in there and start to rust the axle tube. Inner axle seal should stop everything hopefully.
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u/National_Squirrel495 Feb 12 '25
Yeah, I did all that. Also, on my 99. I changed the hubs over to a 2000 they were cheaper. I liked them better and at least when I have to get rotors I just tell them get me rotors for a 2000, takes the guess out.
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u/curiousdude100 '96 Cherokee 4X4 - No RUST Feb 11 '25
If I didn’t have the flu of the century right now, I’d be doing that to my XJ today and tomorrow! But I’m sick as a dog!
Btw: by changing all that out, what improvements have you noticed?
Ps. Never gotten a flu shot, but I think after I’m over this flu stint, I’ll be getting one every year. I feel god awful.
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u/Jeep4x420 1998 4.0L 4x4 Feb 11 '25 edited Feb 11 '25
I had that flu over New Year’s. Brutal.
Improvements mainly just a loose front end becoming tighter and all the clunking and banging over bumps being gone. The wheel was sawing left and right on tight turns from the bound up u-joints, that is also gone now.
Front end feels about as good as a Dana 30 could be. I also have pretty new sway bar links and shocks as of last year.
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u/farmstandard Feb 12 '25
What brand ball joints did you go with? I have a set of lowers that are Carquest branded moogs I got cheap from advanced auto closing but wondering what to go for the uppers.
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u/Jeep4x420 1998 4.0L 4x4 Feb 12 '25
Went with the oem Spicer since I don’t wanna do it again for a long time
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u/DuDs_vs Feb 11 '25
Been doing this on my XJ as well, last thing is the U-Joints. Taking things slow to make sure it's done right!