Front axle replacement

[Nater Bean]

I have a 1991 pioneer longbed, I am tired of messing with the actuator and the 4x4, I am wondering if I can put a straight axle in so when I engage the 4wd on the transfer case that's all that needs to be done for it to stay in 4wd. I already moved the collar over and pinned it to keep the front wheel locked in and that keeps breaking so there probably other problems as well. If I can put a different axle in it to get rid of the actuator what year make and model could I pull one from?

 

Thanks

[64 Cheyenne]

You could change to 1 piece axle on the right side, or you could change the whole thing (axle) to get the 1 piece axle right side.

I did the previous cause I like the strength that the actuator housing gives, plus I get to keep the cast in upper control arm mount.

I could say this year or that for axles, but there are so many, basically you need to look for same gear ratio, big u joints are a plus (later years and anti lock equipped), and high pinion. Search is your friend.

[Nater Bean]

Ok thanks

[mvusse]

I have run one non-disconnect axle housing on the trail pig because it was all I had left laying around after I grenaded the 4th differential. Took about a month before the sheet metal passenger upper control arm mount ripped off the tube. Never had thris problem with the cast mounts on the disconnect axles.

 

Keep your current axle housing, install an oil seal in the passenger side axle tube right at the differential (part number that fits is in the first post of my build thread, linked in my sig), pull the guts out of the disconnect hoising, and install a single piece axle shaft, either larhe u joints, or V8 ZJ CV shaft.

 

After thrashing on my daughter's XJ which runs the CV shafts (on 33x14.00 boggers at the time) I have found them to be much stronger than people give them credit for.

[Pete M]

which method did you use?  what part keeps breaking?  there are a few different ways to get it done.

 

http://comancheclub.com/topic/17377-cad-fix-1/

[skerriltj]

2 piece axle shaft to 1 piece swap will solve your problem and is super easy. I did mine and never looked back. Bleepin jeep has a 2 part vid that shows you step by step.

 

 

All you need is some XJ axle shafts (TJ works also but you'll need different rotors)

[Crash]

If you want to keep the 2-piece shaft setup, you can swap to a posi-lok or other cable actuated setup. Then the vacuum crap is out of the equation. 

I swapped in a non-CAD housing with 4.10's into my XJ. Got the whole axle cheaper than it would have been to have someone install gears. Otherwise I probably would have just had the front end geared. 

[mvusse]

2 piece axle shaft to 1 piece swap will solve your problem and is super easy. I did mine and never looked back. Bleepin jeep has a 2 part vid that shows you step by step.

All you need is some XJ axle shafts (TJ works also but you'll need different rotors)

No difference between the axle shafts except for abs/no abs. Brake rotors depend on unit bearings. Some unit bearings do not work with the abs tone ring, but that tone ring can be removed with two good hits of a hammer.

[Eagle]

All you need is some XJ axle shafts (TJ works also but you'll need different rotors)

???

 

This doesn't make sense. Rotor mismatches are because of changes in the knuckles and the calipers for different years. I've never heard that TJ axle shafts are different from XJ, YJ and ZJ shafts in any way other than that some ZJs had CV joints rather than u-joints.

[skerriltj]

I just noticed when I threw TJ shafts in my MJ rotors wouldn't fit. I don't know what year TJ the shafts were from. I've never looked into....just my experience

[Eagle]

I just noticed when I threw TJ shafts in my MJ rotors wouldn't fit. I don't know what year TJ the shafts were from. I've never looked into....just my experience

Did you use just the TJ shafts, or did you also try to use the TJ hubs and/or rotors? Did you use the TJ inner shafts, or also the outer stub shafts?

[mvusse]

Or did you throw in the tj unit bearing with the axle shaft.