Front axle trouble

[FastDemise]

Recently purchased this Comanche and got around to the diff fluid. Found the front was just muddy water. I can't rotate the pinion gear without great force and a hammer. Like a lot of sand and junk in bearings or it grenaded. The main carrier bearings rotate freely and easily. Both axles are of the 3.73 gear variety from a Cherokee. I also have the D44 that I got welded to fit truck. If I grab a newer axle I can upgrade to bigger joints and get rid of the vac-disco. But I believe only early models had the 3.73 gearing.

 

What kind of options do I have? Comanche are very uncommon around here in the Oregon and I have never seen them in local yards. Can I just repair the bad bearing and be good?

 

Here is a photo of the wear on the teeth due to bad pinion bearing.

[docivy]

You can use a tj or xj Dana 30 up front with no problems. The only thing to think about is high pinion vs low pinion

[FastDemise]

I'll take your response to mean replace not rebuild.

[Incommando]

XJ fronts are a dime a dozen around here. It would be a much cheaper option then a rebuild. It is true that 3.73 is unusual in an XJ/MJ though. It is more common in a TJ but they use the weaker low pinion design. Everything is a trade off.

[xjrev10]

3.73 was common in ZJs. Swap the shafts out to the u-joint style (or keep the cv style) and run it. $150 for a used axle, 500ish to rebuild the one you have.

[Eagle]

3.73 was common in ZJs. Swap the shafts out to the u-joint style (or keep the cv style) and run it. $150 for a used axle, 500ish to rebuild the one you have.

ZJs were also low pinion, IIRC.

 

I would just rebuild the one you just bought. You'll need a bearing, a seal, a crush sleeve, and a pinion nut. If that doesn't work out, you can always buy another axle later, but you already know that 3.73 isn't a common gear ratio.

[xjrev10]

 

3.73 was common in ZJs. Swap the shafts out to the u-joint style (or keep the cv style) and run it. $150 for a used axle, 500ish to rebuild the one you have.

ZJs were also low pinion, IIRC.I would just rebuild the one you just bought. You'll need a bearing, a seal, a crush sleeve, and a pinion nut. If that doesn't work out, you can always buy another axle later, but you already know that 3.73 isn't a common gear ratio.

That's correct. Low pinion.

 

Remember LP 30s where used in wranglers too!

[Crash]

Do you really want 3.73 gears, or is that just what you got? If the rear axle is fine and that gear and what you want. Find a non-disco 30 for cheap and have it geared. OR, if you want a different gear ratio. Find a 30 with the gears you want, and have the rear axle geared to match. 

Although, you post does seem kind of confusing. Is the D44 in it now, and has 3.73's. Or, is there a different rear axle in it that has matching 3.73's? If your D44 is not in the vehicle, what gears does it have? Pending on those gears, find a D30 to match. Bolt it in and go. OR, gear your D44 and find a D30 to match.

[FastDemise]

So I was able to get a good deal on a 97 D30.  I get the stronger Ujoints, good unit bearings, and best of all gears that match the D44.  Thanks for the advice and help.