What now?

C

ChillyWilly72

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Sacramento
What's up fellas,

Ive been doing all sorts of reading and there's lots of great info out there but it's almost like the Internet there's so much information it gets a little overwhelming cant really figure out where to start.

Just got a 1991 jeep Cherokee Limited. It's got the NP242 transfer case and a Dana 35 rear end. I don't have tons of money so I can't just throw five grand At it and get out there, I'm going to have to do this little by little which I know these two items make a lot more difficult but the good thing is this is not my daily driver.

The previous owner put 4.5" spings and blocks on it in an attempt to give it more curb appeal, it was stock when he first put it on craigslist. Three problems now, first is that the track bar no longer fits but I've got this taken care of with a Rubicon express track bar that I found for 50 bucks. Ive also got a line on some Rubicon express upper and lower control arms and sway bar discos for a buck and a half if the stock will not do.

Second, now I need a slip yoke eliminator and my only choice is Tom Woods which costs a fortune so I can't do that right away, I have to save up. But I need to get this thing smogged so I can get it registered. I'm worried about any damage that I could cause by not having a slip yoke eliminator. What's everything that I need to worry about when I've got 4.5" springs and no SYE?

Third is a bad ujoint, what do i need to worry about with this issue. I dont want to create more damage holding things off but i dont have alot of money right now. Shaft is currently out. I need to get this streetable asap to take care of dmv crap.

Thanks

Jerry.
 
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a u-joint at many moe and jack is 12 bucks get it done....
 
MrShaft696 said:
a u-joint at many moe and jack is 12 bucks get it done....
Click to expand...

I was just downstairs looking at them and I noticed that there's three of them, how do I know which one is bad? As for being bad I'm taking the word of the previous owner I don't really know myself. When a u joint goes bad is it normal practice just to replace them all?

sorry for the stupid questions but I'm completely new to messing with cars, it's a new adventure I'm taking on. I'm actually looking for the best resources so that I can have some help I don't care about buying manuals from the manufacturer just as long as they're very detailed with lots of pictures... Maybe written in crayon:spin1:
 
Yes, replace them all.

You also have the option of doing a Hack-N-Tap SYE instead of the Tom Woods replacement SYE. A HnT SYE and junkyard shaft should cost you well under $250.
 
Once you replace the bad u-joint(s), you can probably get away with not having an SYE at least long enough to take care of inspections and DMV paperwork. You'll go through u-joints more quickly and may get vibrations, but short term its not a huge deal.

As mentioned, hack n tap SYEs are available for the 242, that and an appropriate front DS can be had for 200-250 bucks.

150 for RE upper and lower control arms and swaybar quick discos is a good price as long as they aren't trashed (replacing all the joints at once is going to be expensive if you have to do it). Anything over 3" of lift in the front should have aftermarket control arms of some sort, and a set of adjustable uppers would be even better.
 
I've run an Iron Rock Offroad Hack n Tap for three years on my trail rig without problems.

Since you noted that there are three U joints in your drive shaft with the bad joint, I will assume you are referring to your front drive shaft. Here's my suggestion for a ultra low budget fix...

First, go get your rig smogged. The vibrations wont damage anything at the speeds they run it at.

Second, find another front drive shaft with good joints and throw it in the front of your rig. I've bought a couple for $50 each because they were close to me. I could have found them cheaper if I drove a bit or was a little more patient. Post up a wanted ad in the For Sale Forum of your chapter, these guys are great about hooking up a fellow Jeeper.

Third, when you can afford it, order the HnT from IRO along with the jig, drill bit and tap. Put new joints in your old front shaft and install it in the rear. It's not a tough job at all and the jig makes it much easier.
 
Thanks for the suggestion conejo. Btw, how bad have you beat up that hnt?

No vibrations.

Something else i noticed is that there is some sort of broken ring in between the two joints that are near the diff. Os this something else i need to order? If so what is it?

Also, i checked the joints see what size they are but found nothing, two are the oem spicers and one is a cheapy that says heavy duty. You're can i find out what size i should be using?
 
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ChillyWilly72 said:
Something else i noticed is that there is some sort of broken ring in between the two joints that are near the diff.
Click to expand...
There should only be one u-joint near the diff. Do you have a pic?
 
My rig is primarily off-road and it spends a lot of time in the technical stuff/rocks. We run between 20-50 miles a day, a combination of desert washes at speed, two track and rocks. When I was under it the other day I noticed I had dragged the rear shaft across a rock, with damage to the u joint retainers, but the rest is fine. We do most of our wheeling in the desert with my wife and kids on board, so I build my stuff with reliability in mind. I wouldn't be going this way with my current build if I was at all concerned about it.
 
Here is a pic of the area I'm talking about, there is something in between the two joints that is broken, what is it and what should i replace it with. If I'm fixing it, i wanna make it as strong as possible.
evuha3y4.jpg
gybyhuse.jpg
 
That look like the centering ball for the CV/double 'U' joint. If that is true, you should take the shaft to a good shaft rebuilder so they can weld in a new piece. I though would go to a junk yard and get an OEM replacement if that shaft is OEM length.

Short answer: It could only be repaired by cutting the bad part off and welding on a new part then balance the shaft afterwards.
 
Yes, thats the centering ball. But it should be on the transfercase side, not at the axle.

However, they typically have a dust shield there so that may be all that is damaged. It doesn't look like the ball side is damaged. A good driveshaft shop should be able to get either part separately.
 
if thats on the rear, you already have an SYE, if its on the front, you can leave it off for now until after SMOG. If its the front, go to picknpull and grab a new one. you just need 40$ and a 5/16" wrench to get a front one off.



I see youre in sacramento, like me.
West Sac driveline (off harbor BLVD) will charge you around 160$ for a new CV and Joints with labor and balancing. You can also buy 4 stock front shafts for 160$ and have lots of good spares and for when you finally do the hack n tap in the rear. food for thought.


If you have no vibes then dont worry about a SYE right off the bat. Do some other mods and plan on doing it eventually. there are hackntap kits for under 200$ all day long. You can get the front shafts at picknpull for pretty cheap like stated above.
 
The sickness begins.

Finally got all my parts to install the track bar so I'm drivable now. Gonna take her to work so i can get an oil change and to see if one of the service techs can go through it and pre smog it.

I was told by someone to check oil pressure and make sure it reads 40, which out does, but while testing her out today i noticed it drops sometimes, what does that indicate? Anything?

7udubase.jpg
sugy9eqe.jpg
 
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Oil pressure specs for the 4.0 are a minimum of 13 psi at hot idle, and between 37-75 OVER 1600 rpms

Common numbers are 15-25 psi at hot idle, and 40 psi above 1600 rpms.

Sounds like your numbers are fine. Keep in mind that filter choice has an effect on oil pressure as does oil weight and brand.
 
I recommend you go ahead and replace the driveshaft all together. By the time you get it rebuilt it will cost only a little less than buying one from Tom Woods or JE Reel.
 
ChillyWilly72 said:
I was told by someone to check oil pressure and make sure it reads 40, which out does, but while testing her out today i noticed it drops sometimes, what does that indicate? Anything?
Click to expand...
It will start off higher, around 40 psi, on cold start. Then as the engine warms up the oil will get thinner and idle pressure should drop off to around 15-20 psi.

sugy9eqe.jpg
[/QUOTE]

I had a 91 XJ Limited in white. Just like that minus the lift and wheels. Best Jeep I had. I miss it.
 
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