Topic: Replacing Dana 30 Axle U Joints

[SamsonJR]

So When my Rear Driveshaft ate a joint, I decided it was time to do the axle joint's as well. the pass side has some play. I'm going to order the joint's from Mopar Monday. I've never done them before. My dad gave me this specialty tool he used wile at Chrysler for the wheel bearings. Depending on cost, I'd like to replace them as well. Just thought I'd post about this, I'm going to be doing this by myself "like everything else I do" Just wanted to see if anyone can tell me what to expect/ Look out for. I'm going to start doing research on the assembly to understand it better before I dig in. any info would be appreciated!

[sharpxmen]

get spicer u-joints, absolutely no point on buying mopar branded ones probably made by spicer best case scenario

what bearing tool? you don't need any specialized tool to remove the bearing, there's the main bolt holding the axle to he hub and 3 bolts in the back of the knuckle, depending how rusted it is would come out with more or less convincing  but you can break it away by trying to rotate the bearing housing from the knuckle once you removed the 3 bolts. The axle stays in but dont try to bang the end in before you have the bearing coming out of the knuckle. also be careful to not mess up the axle seal.

[SamsonJR]

hey sharpmen, this is the tool I was planning on geting spicer joints, I thought I could get them threw Mopar. All the same if I can, I'll get a price from them.

[sharpxmen]

i have no idea what that tool is for but you don't need it with the D30, the housing, bearing and hub come pre-assembled, you don't need to take them apart just unbolt the old housing and bolt the new one back in, the axle end should come out of the hub fairly easy. You'll see what i mean when you get to it.

EDIT: as far as spicer u-joints, i just meant you get them more expensive from mopar that's all, quality will be the same regardless if they're both spicer.

[neale_rs]

Is that tool used to install seals in the diff housing?

[sharpxmen]

Is that tool used to install seals in the diff housing?

that could be

[SamsonJR]

ok, so the tool's I posted above.. the hexagonal tool is a miller p/n 6797. it's used to do inner axle seals. the long rod with threads is a miller 6288. that's for pulling two seals together. the other parts are for the two tools, there dummy bearings. My dad was under the impression I was tearing apart the whole axle. I would like to just do the  U joints. I told him that when I called him today, and he said "if you start messing with something that's been happy for the past 20 years, it will start to leak", so he thinks I should replace seals and bearings too. This puts me in a tight spot. I have a D30 out of a 95 yj sitting at my Mom's house I picked up for cheap not to long ago. I wanted to build that up over the winter and find a 8.8 for the rear and do the same. I really don't want to be throwing money at the axle I have in the jeep now b/c I'm ultimately going to be replacing it. The axle is NOT leaking right now. I DO need to replace the U joints in the one I have now. Shapmen, you said  it's pretty strait forward in your post. I apologize for all the confusion. My Dad is a great mechanic, and goes above and beyond whatever he builds or repairs. I don't have nearly as much experience as he does, and I'm doing this myself can I get around replacing seals, and just doing U joints?

[sharpxmen]

leave the seals,you'll need to take the cover off and i can't remember but i think at least for one side you need to pull the diff out, if you have a buddy helping or you're really careful taking the axle out (support it with one hand where it goes into the tube so it won't rest on the seal) and putting it back in you should be fine, afterall taking the axles out again to replace the seals would take little time compared to the rest if you really need to do that later.If your bearings are good don't replace them, put the money into the other axle you're building.

[neale_rs]

When I replaced the u joints I did not replace the seals and they didn't leak.  But you do need to be pretty careful.

[SamsonJR]

thanks guys, I'm doing some more research on the axle, I should be getting the parts by next weekend and start tearing into it

[SamsonJR]

OK back to the front axle.. So I'm getting ready to order parts for the D30, It seems there are different U joints. The D30 in the jeep is a 91. I plan to run a posi lock  on this axle until I finish the other D30 I have... Here's the question. The other D30 I have is out of a 95 YJ. I'm unsure of the gear ratio. does the 95 have the 5-760x  joints or the 297's? I Know the 91 has the 297's. my question is.. Can I take the axles out of my 95 D30, put new U joints in them "hopefully the Stronger ones" and put them in my 91 D30? this would one- save me time having my jeep apart, and two- hopefully upgrade what I'm running with now. also the 95 axle I plan to replace the shafts with chromo shafts anyway when I beef it up so I'd be using extra parts I have laying around.

[Jeffy]

5-760x is the replacement part for 5-297x.  Basically the same joint as Spicer discontinued the 5-297x.  Your '91 will have 5-260x while the '95 has 5-297x.  And yes, you can mix and match the shafts.  They are both 27 spline so use the 5-297x's.

[SamsonJR]

Hey Jeffy, I just stopped by my mom's and had a look at the 95 axle. it's a non ABS. Your right my 91 has 260's I was wrong, the 95 will still have the 297's even though it doesn't have ABS? If the 95 has 297's I can order the 5-760's for it then correct?

[neale_rs]

You can use the 5-760s with the '95 axle shafts.

Actually, you could just build up the '91 axle since the housing is the same as the '95.   You might want to look into getting an XJ D30 which is also high pinion with the advantage of not having the disconnect housing.   

[SamsonJR]

Right now I have the 91 axle in the jeep, I picked up the 95 to build. I wasn't expecting to have to do any work on the one I have in the jeep, but since the u joint is shot, I have to fix it so I can drive it. I'm in no rush to build up the other axle. I'm just thinking instead of having to tear apart the axle in my jeep, replace the joints and put it back together, I'd use the axles in the 95, replace the joints in them and swap them into the 91. When I do build up the 95 axle, I'll just use a block off plate for the vacuum disconnect, and would run manual hubs via a kit. But that's not for a wile. I think my best bet is to remove the axles from the 95, take them to my driveshaft guy, get a set of spicer u joints from him and install the axles into the 91. I've been reading a bunch of mixed answers online that ONLY the ABS 95's had the 297's, others say they all had them, the way I see it, if I have the 260's in my 91, even if the 95 has 260's its like I just replaced them right? It would be nice if the 95 I have has the 297's b/c I'd get to upgrade instead of just replacing what I'm using