I broke it

I was trying to plow out a badly drifted driveway, and got pretty well stuck. In the process of extraction I heard some odd noises... Further along it dawned on me that the front axle isn't doing anything! Uh oh. Not good.

Eventually I gave up and called for the 74 Dodge to yank me out.

Spiders are gone. Is this a big pain to repair? I never done them before. Looks like I am going to have to, as more snow is on the way..... Egads!!!

Typical Dana 25, what you would expect in a 58....

I know, now would be the time to upgrade with a traction device (locker, LS)...

-Hill

 

I will give you my Dana 25, it's all there w/5.38. It's out of 59' cj. I'm just north of you.

 

"ya never know" where stuff can be found... However, it is probably easier and faster to change the gears than the entire axle. I have a "spare" parts jeep out there also with 5.38's...

I am hoping that napa can have a set in a day, and I can change them out in a few hours.

If (when) it snows some more, I need this thing going again.

If you happen to get down this way... I work at the hardware store.

-Hill

 

It took me longer to pull the diff apart than change the spider gears.

 

yup!, buy a new set of u bolts and swap the axle, much easyer and cheaper. You don't know what elts got messed up in there.

 

spiders no biggie, although it may be faster to change the whole front end, dont trash your front end, having to disassemble the axels is the only reason it takes longer than a swap

 

I got it apart

Oh..... isn't that a joy to do! Removing the shafts isn't so bad. I found conventional U-joints, I was expecting something else.... No matter, they are good. Then I knocked the holding pin into the bucket of slop... fish that out later. Pounded the cross pin right into the ring gear. Ratts... you guys were right. I called my friendly expert, can I remove the carrier?? Yes.
I managed to get that sucker out and stuck it in the vice. The bearings look like the same ones that Rommel was using back in WWII. pretty well pitted. They really don't spin that bad tho...

Now is decision time. The axle is a complete disaster. Isn't really gonna wreck anything else to run it the way it is. So I am going to toss the spiders in there, and slap everything back in. Meanwhile I will have to make arrangements to aquire the one from mt_jeep.

Probably be wrenching this mutha back together just in time for the next blizzard.
Ya think that maybe a 7 foot blade, 31's, chains, 5.38's, and a V6 is a recipe for wreckage?

Later!!!
-Hill

 

Bouncing? I have not managed that. Maybe dropped the clutch a few times at about 2500...
I think I am gonna take it a little easier on the machine. Right now I am wondering why the shafts didn't break.... ??

Anyway, it is all back together. Spiders are in, housing cleaned and re-filled. Re-packed the wheel bearings while I was there. $125 later.... I am going again.

-Hill

 

Well if you blow that again, I have done 3 of them!! before I went to I went to a dana 30 it is yours, wife wants stuff gone.
Doug

 

Re: I got it apart

as long as you don't plow with it like it's a D8 cat, or ballasted down like it's an artillery prime mover, you should be fine. The 7ft blade is a bit much for a jeep, but if it works for you keep it.

 

X2.
I went through two sets of spider gears before replacing the whole thing with a Power Lok.