'99 Cherokee U-Joint Replacement-

Good Morning!
My '99 Cherokee has a bad U joint on the driver side front axle. It's getting bad, but we are just about ready to move and I have way too much to do before then as it it (Who Doesn't?!). How involved is replacing the u joint? Is it pressed in? Any specific tools I'll need? Is the U joint the only parts I'll need? Although I don't wrench (on cars) for a living, I know my way around. I am just trying to research the job some first. If this joint seperates while driving... Will my wheel come off? I don't think so, and hope not!

 

Not sure what type of joint it is, if its a CV joint , it will have a rubber boot on it, (on this style you replace the axle) the other style is like what you see in a driveshaft. Both are hard to do with the proper tools. The wheel wont come off but it could make a big mess of the front end. Im sure you dont have lock out hubs but if you do if you unlock them then the axle wont turn. Get it fixed before you do more damage and $
Good luck


QUOTE=Milemaker13;1395058]Good Morning!
My '99 Cherokee has a bad U joint on the driver side front axle. It's getting bad, but we are just about ready to move and I have way too much to do before then as it it (Who Doesn't?!). How involved is replacing the u joint? Is it pressed in? Any specific tools I'll need? Is the U joint the only parts I'll need? Although I don't wrench (on cars) for a living, I know my way around. I am just trying to research the job some first. If this joint seperates while driving... Will my wheel come off? I don't think so, and hope not![/QUOTE]

 

Friend had a similar issue. He took it to a shop and they just pulled that axle pretty cheaply he said. He never drove it off road and hadn't used the 4WD in years (he had other toys for that). Not sure what year, but it was a Cherokee also.

Might explore that option, just remove it til you have time to fix it.

 

It is a standard type universal joint, dogbones, not a CV axle. I know that it isn't that hard to do, but time is a major thing right now... I'll probably buy the u-joint and tear into it.


Question- How did they just pull the axle? The diff will leak out, no? On IFS cars, the axles are open, but this has a solid axle inside a tube. There is oil inside from the diff.