(3) Drive out pinion gear from housing with raw-
hide or plastic hammer (Fig. 33). Catch the pinion
with your hand to prevent it from falling and being
damaged.This will damage the front bearing
rollers and bearing cup. The front bearing and
cup must be replaced.Remove preload shims and
record the thickness.
(4) Remove front bearing from housing.
(5) Remove the front pinion bearing cup and seal
with Remover D-147 and Handle C-4171 (Fig. 34).
(6) Remove the rear bearing cup from housing (Fig.
35). Use Remover D-149 and Handle C-4171.
(7) Remove the inner bearing from the pinion with
Puller C-293-PA and Adapter C-293-39 (Fig. 36).
Place adapter rings so they do not damage
the bearing cage.(8) Remove the oil slinger from the pinion gear
shaft.Save the slinger it is used as select shim
for pinion depth.
CLEANING/INSPECTION
Wash differential components with cleaning solvent
and dry with compressed air.Do not steam clean
the differential components.
Wash bearings with solvent and towel dry, or dry
with compressed air. DO NOT spin bearings with
Fig. 31 Pinion Mate Gear Removal
Fig. 32 Pinion Yoke Removal
Fig. 33 Remove Pinion Gear
Fig. 34 Front Bearing Cup Removal
JFRONT SUSPENSION AND AXLE 2 - 37
compressed air.Cup and bearing must be re-
placed as a matched sets only.
Clean axle shaft tubes and oil channels with clean
cloth.
Inspect for;
²Smooth appearance with no broken/dented sur-
faces on the bearing rollers or the roller contact sur-
faces.
²Bearing cups must not be distorted or cracked.
²Machined surfaces should be smooth and without
any raised edges.²Raised metal on shoulders of cup bores should be
removed with a hand stone.
²Wear or damage to pinion gear mate shaft, pinion
gears, side gears and thrust washers. Replace as a
matched set only.
²Worn or chipped teeth to ring and pinion gears.
²Damaged bolt threads to ring gear. Replaced as a
matched set only.
²Pinion yoke for cracks, worn splines, pitted areas,
and a rough/corroded seal contact surface. Repair or
replace the as necessary.
DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY
ASSEMBLY
(1) Install the following components in the differ-
ential case (Fig. 37).
²Differential side gears and thrust washers
²Pinion gears and thrust washers
²Pinion gear mate shaft (align holes in shaft and
case)
(2) Install and seat the locking roll pin in the dif-
ferential case and mate shaft with a punch and ham-
mer (Fig. 37). Peen metal part of case over pin in two
places 180 degrees apart.
If replacement gears and thrust washers were
installed, it is not necessary to measure the
gear backlash. Correct fit is due to close ma-
chining tolerances during manufacture.
(3) Invert the differential case and start two ring
gear bolts. This will provide case-to-ring gear bolt
hole alignment.
(4) Install new ring gear bolts and alternately
tighten to 95-122 Nzm (70-90 ft. lbs.) torque (Fig. 38).
Fig. 35 Rear Bearing Cup Removal
Fig. 36 Inner Bearing Removal
Fig. 37 Mate Shaft Pin Installation
2 - 38 FRONT SUSPENSION AND AXLEJ
XJ SUSPENSION
INDEX
page page
Leaf Spring............................... 4
Leaf Spring Eye Bushing Replacement.......... 5
Shock Absorber........................... 4Spring and Shock Diagnosis.................. 3
Stabilizer Bar............................. 5
SPRING AND SHOCK DIAGNOSIS
A noise from the shock absorber or spring bushings
can be produced if movement between the rubber
bushings and the metal occurs. This noise can usu-
ally be stopped by tightening the nuts. If the noise
persists, inspect for damaged and worn bushings. Re-
pair as necessary.
The shock absorbers are not refillable or adjust-
able. If a malfunction occurs, the shock absorber
must be replaced. To test a shock absorber, hold it in
an upright position and force the piston into and out
of the cylinder four or five times. The action through-
out each stroke should be smooth and even.
The spring eye and shock absorber bushings do not
require any type of lubrication.Do not attempt to
stop spring bushing noise by lubricating them.Grease and mineral oil-base lubricants will de-
teriorate the bushing rubber.
If the vehicle is used for severe, off-road operation,
the springs should be examined regularly. Check for
broken and shifted components.
CAUTION: Suspension components with rubber
bushings should be tightened with the vehicle at
normal height. It is important to have the springs
supporting the weight of the vehicle when the fas-
teners are torqued. If springs are not at their normal
ride position, vehicle ride comfort could be affected
and premature bushing wear may occur. Rubber
bushings must never be lubricated.
SPRING AND SHOCK ABSORBER DIAGNOSIS
JREAR SUSPENSION AND AXLES 3 - 3
YJ SUSPENSION
INDEX
page page
Leaf Spring............................... 7
Leaf Spring Eye Bushing Replacement.......... 7
Shock Absorber........................... 7Spring and Shock Diagnosis.................. 6
Track Bar................................ 8
SPRING AND SHOCK DIAGNOSIS
A noise from the shock absorber or spring bushings
can be produced if movement between the rubber
bushings and the metal occurs. This noise can usu-
ally be stopped by tightening the nuts. If the noise
persists, inspect for damaged and worn bushings. Re-
pair as necessary.
The shock absorbers are not refillable or adjust-
able. If a malfunction occurs, the shock absorber
must be replaced. To test a shock absorber, hold it in
an upright position and force the piston into and out
of the cylinder four or five times. The action through-
out each stroke should be smooth and even.
The spring eye and shock absorber bushings do not
require any type of lubrication.Do not attempt tostop spring bushing noise by lubricating them.
Grease and mineral oil-base lubricants will de-
teriorate the bushing rubber.
If the vehicle is used for severe, off-road operation,
the springs should be examined regularly. Check for
broken and shifted components.
CAUTION: Suspension components with rubber
bushings should be tightened with the vehicle at
normal height. It is important to have the springs
supporting the weight of the vehicle when the fas-
teners are torqued. If springs are not at their normal
ride position, vehicle ride comfort could be affected
and premature bushing wear may occur. Rubber
bushings must never be lubricated.
SPRING AND SHOCK ABSORBER DIAGNOSIS
3 - 6 REAR SUSPENSION AND AXLESJ
AXLE NOISE/VIBRATION DIAGNOSIS
INDEX
page page
Driveline Snap........................... 10
Gear and Bearing Noise..................... 9
General Information........................ 9
Limited Slip Differential..................... 10Low Speed Knock......................... 10
Rear Axle Alignment....................... 10
Vibration................................ 10
GENERAL INFORMATION
Axle bearing problem conditions are usually caused
by:
²Insufficient or incorrect lubricant
²Foreign matter/water contamination
²Incorrect bearing preload torque adjustment
²Incorrect backlash (to tight)
When serviced, the bearings must be cleaned thor-
oughly. They should be dried with lint-free shop tow-
els.Never dry bearings with compressed air.
This will overheat them and brinell the bearing
surfaces. This will result in noisy operation af-
ter repair.
Axle gear problem conditions are usually the result of:
²Insufficient lubrication
²Incorrect or contaminated lubricant
²Overloading (excessive engine torque) or exceeding
vehicle weight capacity
²Incorrect clearance or backlash adjustment
Insufficient lubrication is usually the result of a
housing cover leak. It can also be from worn axle
shaft or pinion gear seals. Check for cracks or porous
areas in the housing or tubes.
Using the wrong lubricant will cause overheating
and gear failure. Gear tooth cracking and bearing
spalling are indicators of this.
Axle component breakage is most often the result of:
²Severe overloading
²Insufficient lubricant
²Incorrect lubricant
²Improperly tightened components
Overloading occurs when towing heavier than rec-
ommended loads. Component breakage can occur
when the wheels are spun excessively. Incorrect lu-
bricant quantity contributes to breakage. Loose dif-
ferential components can also cause breakage.
Incorrect bearing preload or gear backlash will not
result in component breakage. Mis-adjustment will
produce enough noise to cause service repair before a
failure occurs. If a mis-adjustment condition is not
corrected, component failure can result.
Excessive bearing preload may not be noisy. This
condition will cause high temperature which can re-
sult in bearing failure.
GEAR AND BEARING NOISE
GEAR NOISE
Axle gear noise can be caused by insufficient lubri-
cant. Incorrect backlash, tooth contact, or worn/dam-
aged gears can cause noise.
Gear noise usually happens at a specific speed
range. The range is 30 to 40 mph, or above 50 mph.
The noise can also occur during a specific type of
driving condition. These conditions are acceleration,
deceleration, coast, or constant load.
When road testing, accelerate the vehicle to the
speed range where the noise is the greatest. Shift
out-of-gear and coast through the peak-noise range.
If the noise stops or changes greatly, check for insuf-
ficient lubricant. Incorrect ring gear backlash, or
gear damage can cause noise changes.
Differential side and pinion gears can be checked
by turning the vehicle. They usually do not cause
noise in straight-ahead driving. These gears are
loaded during vehicle turns. If noise does occur dur-
ing vehicle turns, the side or pinion gears could be
worn or damaged. A worn pinion gear mate shaft can
also cause a snapping or a knocking noise.
BEARING NOISE
The axle shaft, differential and pinion gear bear-
ings can all produce noise when worn or damaged.
Bearing noise can be either a whining, or a growling
sound.
Pinion gear bearings have a constant-pitch noise.
This noise changes only with vehicle speed. Pinion
bearing noise will be higher because it rotates at a
faster rate. Drive the vehicle and load the differen-
tial. If bearing noise occurs the pinion rear bearing is
the source of the noise. If the bearing noise is heard
during a coast, front bearing is the source.
Worn, damaged differential bearings usually pro-
duce a low pitch noise. Differential bearing noise is
similar to pinion bearing. The pitch of differential
bearing noise is also constant and varies only with
vehicle speed.
Axle shaft bearings produce noise and vibration
when worn or damaged. The noise generally changes
when the bearings are loaded. Road test the vehicle.
Turn the vehicle sharply to the left and to the right.
JREAR SUSPENSION AND AXLES 3 - 9
This will load the bearings and change the noise
level. Where axle bearing damage is slight, the noise
is usually not noticeable at speeds above 30 mph.
LOW SPEED KNOCK
Low speed knock is generally caused by a worn
U-joint or by worn side-gear thrust washers. A worn
pinion gear shaft bore will also cause low speed knock.
VIBRATION
Vibration at the rear of the vehicle is usually
caused by a:
²Damaged drive shaft
²Missing drive shaft balance weight
²Worn, out-of-balance wheels
²Loose wheel lug nuts
²Worn U-joint
²Loose spring U-bolts
²Loose/broken springs
²Damaged axle shaft bearings
²Loose pinion gear nut
²Excessive pinion yoke run out
²Bent axle shaft
Check for loose or damaged front-end components
or engine/transmission mounts. These components
can contribute to what appears to be a rear-end vi-
bration. Do not overlook engine accessories, brackets
and drive belts.
All driveline components should be examined be-
fore starting any repair.
Refer to Group 22, Wheels and Tires for additional
information.
DRIVELINE SNAP
A snap or clunk noise when the vehicle is shifted
into gear (or the clutch engaged), can be caused by:
²High engine idle speed
²Loose engine/transmission/transfer case mounts
²Worn U-joints
²Loose spring mounts
²Loose pinion gear nut and yoke
²Excessive ring gear backlash
²Excessive side gear\ase clearance
The source of a snap or a clunk noise can be deter-
mined with the assistance of a helper. Raise the ve-
hicle on a hoist with the wheels free to rotate.
Instruct the helper to shift the transmission into
gear. Listen for the noise, a mechanics stethoscope is
helpful in isolating the source of a noise.
REAR AXLE ALIGNMENT
MEASUREMENT
The following procedure can be used to determine
if abnormal rear tire tread wear is the result of a
bent or deformed rear axle shaft.
(1) Raise both rear wheels off the surface with a
frame contact hoist.
(2) Attach a one-inch long piece of masking tape at
the center of each tire tread for use as reference marks.
(3) Rotate the rear wheels until both reference
marks face the front of the vehicle. Measure the dis-
tance between the outside edges of the two pieces of
tape. Record this measurement as the front of tire
(FTR) measurement.
(4) Rotate the rear wheels until both reference
marks face the rear of the vehicle. Measure the dis-
tance between the outside edges of the two pieces of
tape. Record this measurement as the rear of tire
(RTR) measurement.
(5) Subtract the (RTR) measurement from the
(FTR) measurement to obtain the amount of wheel
toe. The acceptable rear wheel toe-in position is 1/16
inch (1.6 mm) to 3/16 inch (4.8 mm) toe-out.
(6) Rotate the rear wheels until the reference
marks are facing downward. Measure the distance
between the outside edges of the two pieces of tape.
Record this measurement as the bottom of tire (BTR)
measurement.
(7) Average the (FTR) and the (RTR) distance mea-
surements. Subtract the (BTR) measurement from
this average distance to obtain the camber. The ac-
ceptable amount of camber is 1/16 inch to 3/32 inch
(1.6 to 2.4 mm).
(FTR + RTR) DIVIDED BY 2 (TWO) MINUS
BTR EQUALS CAMBER
If the (BTR) distance measurement is less
than the average FTR and RTR distance mea-
surement, the camber will be positive(+).If
the (BTR) distance measurement is greater
than the average FTR and RTR distance, the
camber will be negative(-).
If the toe position or camber is not acceptable, a bent
or deformed rear axle shaft is most likely the cause.
LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL
Under normal traction conditions, engine torque is di-
vided evenly. With low-traction surfaces, engine torque
is transferred to the wheel with the most tire traction.
When diagnosing a limited-slip differential the wheel
with the least traction can continue spinning.
The most common problem is a chatter noise when
turning corners. Check for incorrect or contaminated
lubricant. Replace the gear lubricant if necessary.
²With Trac-LokŸ differentials add a container of
MOPAR Trac-Lok Lubricant.
This will correct the condition in most instances. If
the chatter persists, clutch damage could have oc-
curred.
After changing the lubricant, drive the vehicle and
make 10 to 12 slow, figure-eight turns. This maneu-
ver will pump lubricant through the clutches.
3 - 10 REAR SUSPENSION AND AXLESJ
CAUTION: Overfilling the differential can result in
lubricant foaming and overheating.
Trac-Lok Differentials; A container of Trac-Lok lu-
bricant (friction modifier) should be added after re-
pair service or a lubricant change.
(9) Install the fill hole plug and lower the vehicle.
LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL vehicles should
be road tested by making 10 to 12 slow figure-eight
turns. This maneuver will pump the lubricant
through the clutch discs to eliminate a possible chat-
ter noise complaint.
DRIVE AXLE ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENTÐXJ
VEHICLES
REMOVAL
(1) Raise the vehicle and position support stands
under the frame rails slightly in front the springs.
(2) Remove the rear wheels.
(3) Mark the drive shaft yoke and axle pinion yoke
for alignment reference. Disconnect the drive shaft
from the axle.
(4) Disconnect the axle vent hose.
(5) Disconnect the parking brake cables at the
equalizer or backing plate.
(6) Disconnect the shock absorbers from the axle
brackets.
(7) Disconnect the brake hose at the axle junction
block.Do not disconnect the wheel cylinder tub-
ing fittings.
(8) If equipped, disconnect ABS wiring connections
at the axle.(9) Support the axle with a hydraulic jack under
the differential.
(10) Remove the spring U-bolts from the plate
brackets.
(11) Lower the jack enough to remove the axle.
INSTALLATION
CAUTION: Suspension components with rubber
bushings should be tightened with the vehicle at
normal height. It is important to have the springs
supporting the weight of the vehicle when the fas-
teners are torqued. If springs are not at their normal
ride position, vehicle ride comfort could be affected
and premature bushing wear may occur. Rubber
bushings must never be lubricated.
(1) Support the axle on a hydraulic jack under the
differential. Position the axle under the vehicle.
(2) Raise the axle and align the spring center bolts
with the locating holes in the axle pads and plate
brackets.
(3) Install the spring U-bolts through the plate
brackets and tighten to 70 Nzm (52 ft. lbs.) torque.
(4) Install ABS wiring connections (if equipped) at
the axle.
(5) Connect the brake hose at the axle junction
block.
(6) Install the shock absorbers to the axle brackets
and tighten to 62 Nzm (46 ft. lbs.) torque.
(7) Connect the parking brake cables at the equal-
izer or backing plate.
(8) Connect the vent hose to the tube fitting.
(9) Align the reference marks and connect the
drive shaft to the axle yoke. Tighten the U-joint
clamp bolts to 19 Nzm (14 ft. lbs.) torque.
(10) Check differential lubricant and add if neces-
sary.
(11) Install the wheel and tire.
(12) Bleed the brakes.
(13) Remove the supports and lower the vehicle.
DRIVE AXLE ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENTÐYJ
VEHICLES
REMOVAL
(1) Raise the vehicle and position support stands
under the frame rails slightly in front the springs.
(2) Remove the rear wheels.
(3) Mark the drive shaft yoke and axle pinion yoke
for alignment reference. Disconnect the drive shaft
from the axle.
(4) Disconnect the axle vent hose.
(5) Disconnect the parking brake cables at the
equalizer or backing plate.
(6) Disconnect the shock absorbers from the plate
brackets.
Fig. 1 Typical Housing Cover With Sealant
3 - 14 REAR SUSPENSION AND AXLESJ
(7) Remove the collapsible preload spacer (Fig. 20).
(8) Remove the inner bearing from the pinion with
Puller C-293-PA and Adapter C-293-39 (Fig. 21).
Place adapter rings so they do not damage
the bearing cage.
(9) Remove the depth shims from the pinion gear
shaft. Record the thickness of the depth shims.CLEANING/INSPECTION
Wash differential components with cleaning solvent
and dry with compressed air.Do not steam clean
the differential components.
Wash bearings with solvent and towel dry, or dry
with compressed air. DO NOT spin bearings with
compressed airCup and bearing must be re-
placed as a matched sets only.
Clean axle shaft tubes and oil channels in housing.
Inspect for;
Fig. 17 Remove Pinion Gear
Fig. 18 Front Bearing Cup Removal
Fig. 19 Rear Bearing Cup Removal
Fig. 20 Collapsible Spacer
3 - 20 REAR SUSPENSION AND AXLESJ