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Can I drive without my front axle shafts

gabe4

NAXJA Forum User
Location
upstate NY
Can I pull my front axles and drive around to try and trouble shoot a noise I'm trying to find will this hurt anything?
 
So just leave the short shaft in and remove the u joint and axle?
 
gabe4 said:
So just leave the short shaft in and remove the u joint and axle?
Being that the 'short shaft' (at least what I believe is general public view of the term) is the short side of the axle shaft that is splined into the carrier and the u-joint at the other end, the answer is no.

I think you were referring to what the posters above called "stub shaft" (also sometimes called the "outer shafts")which is the shaft that goes through the unit bearing. That must be left in.

So, in your case the u-joints, long side inner axle shaft (passenger's side in the XJ D30) and short side inner axle shaft (driver's side again for the XJ D30) can be removed, but like IntrepidXJ, shove a rag and some good duct tape over the end to prevent crud going in and gear oil coming out.
 
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If you remove the u-joints from the axle shafts, the inner shafts won't turn unless you're in 4wheel drive. So you can leave the shafts in to keep the diff oil from running out.
 
xjbubba said:
If you remove the u-joints from the axle shafts, the inner shafts won't turn unless you're in 4wheel drive. So you can leave the shafts in to keep the diff oil from running out.

Thats not the worst idea I've ever heard. But it's close...............
ugh2.gif
 
xjbubba said:
If you remove the u-joints from the axle shafts, the inner shafts won't turn unless you're in 4wheel drive. So you can leave the shafts in to keep the diff oil from running out.

If you do that the ears ont eh shafts would make contact while going straight and then once you make a turn they would end up binding on each other and then deform/destroy the ears.
 
I do mean leaving in the stub shaft and removing the axles
 
You're right, Canman, didn't think about what would happen in turns.
Oh, and 91 Jeep Project, learn a little manners.
 
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I thought I was plenty nice about it.................:dunno:

What if the guy took your advice and grenaded his axle shafts. How'd you feel about it then? Advice for you. Learn a little something about your rig before you start guiding others on what to do with theirs..............:cool:
 
What kind of noise are you getting? Maybey the folks here can help you troubleshoot without breaking your U-joints apart.
 
Don't get me wrong--my suggestion was idiotic, and I can only blame the pain killer I'm (was) taking for a very recent shoulder surgery. No, my point is, a simple statement that the ears on the axles would make contact would have instantly made me aware of my gaff.
 
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