View Full Version : Need help front cross thingy.....
Hey guys
Please excuse the language as I do not know the technical names.....
I was under the jeep today looking at the feasibility of installing the AEV control arm drop brackets. I noticed lot of play in the front drive shaft. The cross thingy in the driver side C thingy where the wheel connects to the axle has a lot of free play about 15 degrees, where as the same thing on the passenger side has virtually no play at all. I believe this cross thingy has roller bearings to guide it into the C thingy. Also can it be that installing the roller bearing will fix it???
I think this play is also responsible for the clicking sound (instead of a bad drive shaft) when I am at full flex with drivers side tyre tucked in.
Does someone know what it is called, how much the replacement costs and can I do it myself.
Thanks for the help guys....
Mani
Steve F
16-03-11, 12:58 PM
Sounds like you are talking about the Uni (the cross thingy ;) also know as a Universal Joint) and the C thingy (the axle C). If that's the case there should be no play, any play and the Uni is well and truly dead and will certainly click on rotation. Get it replaced ASAP as if they let go they can take the C on the axle with them and you'll need to replace the axle as well. You can do it yourself but you'll need to remove the hub from its mount and pull the axle out, then you'll need to press out the uni etc. Its not hard but is a bit fiddly, should be fairly cheap to get a mechanic to do it if you're not sure.
Cheers
Steve
Thats the one...... U guys are an asset to the club. I will try to get it fixed before next weeks trip or unfortunately I will have to miss another trip.....
definatly get it sorted asap..... like steve said, you could be up for a new axle
Any body has any idea roughly how much it costs...... This will be my first offroad related repair so am not very sure.........
The joint is around $30....should be about an hours work for somebody familiar with the task...
Cpage66
16-03-11, 06:26 PM
Just got 4 of the cross thingys shipped in for mine today. My two cross thingys for the front drive shaft are about dead and decided to replace the two cross thingys at the C thingy as well.
Repco should have the cross thingys in stock. I'd call them and ask if they have any U-Joints for the axle of a JK.
Steve F
17-03-11, 12:10 AM
I got a side done at my mechanic before Jambo as I ran out of time $80 for the uni and hub replacement, I supplied the parts.
Cheers
Steve
Thanks Steve U r a champion.........
Hey Guys,
Turns out other side was clapped out as well. So cost X 2 :(:(... Stock parts were really low quality. Although I wash the under body religiously after every trip still the unis were badly rusted and worn out, the ground finish was rougher than casting, the rubber seal was missing and half the needles in the bearings were missing. One of the caps was beginning to disintegrate. One of the ABS sensors was rusted in and broke when the mechanic tried to get it out. Thank god I got it to the mechanic in time before the cross thingy broke and took something else along with it. Got new heavy duty Hardy Spicers (I think that's what he said).
Guys with JKs get under the Jeep and try to turn the drive shaft. If it has any movement at all see where the play is, if it is at the cross change them. Things wearing out after 42000 Ks and moderate 4wding??? is that normal or bad quality.... I dont know????????? only thing I know my funds for the Camp coffs are gone between this ($340), Still have to pay for the ABS sensor, the parking fine ($201) I got 3 days back from Liverpool council and the red light fine ($344) I got just before Christmas :( :( :(....
Time to find some more Overtime shifts..........
On the brighter note going to Zig Zag with guys from work tomorrow :) .....
Mani
Sounds like you copped a few "Awh Awh's???:(" when inspection was done underneath... Otherwise like I said "highly recommended"...:)..... Good pricing?? Usually is......:)........
Steve F
18-03-11, 11:31 PM
42000kms for a uni isn't too bad, my factory axle ones lasted 150000km though ;) You need an older Jeep, enough random oil leaks to keep the underside nicely lubed and free of rust ;)
Cheers
Steve
Cpage66
19-03-11, 12:05 AM
The little green XJ had the stock ones in at almost 200,000 kays...no wonder they were buggered up quite a bit. Got AC/Delco replacements for the front four. Usually get the Spicer's as well but just trying something different this time.
Got one of Tom Wood's Gold Seal uni's coming for the rear drive shaft. Been running those on the Grand.
Btw...that's a heck of a parking ticket Mani! What was that one??
Sounds like you copped a few "Awh Awh's???:(" when inspection was done underneath... Otherwise like I said "highly recommended"...:)..... Good pricing?? Usually is......:)........
He was good. He showed me the old unis, I can tell u the stock ones were really low quality, with no hardening on the surface. Jeep needs to pickup their act. Place where the ABS sensor goes in is rusty and I was lucky he got atleast one of thd out without bfeaking..... John is a really nice guy. Explains everything as we go.... No complaints and great service.... :) . Just frustrated with Jeep build quality.... Hope this is a one off....
Btw...that's a heck of a parking ticket Mani! What was that one??
15 Minutes more than i was supposed to stay in the parking bay on Elizabeth st......... My bad nothing much I can do.....
Cpage66
19-03-11, 11:11 AM
15 Minutes more than i was supposed to stay in the parking bay on Elizabeth st......... My bad nothing much I can do.....
OUCH...15 minutes @ $210= $840 an hour! Hope they never look at it that way!
Hi guys
I was at Lake lyle again yesterday with some guys from work looking for tracks. We did our usual tracks and tracked along the Cox's River and eventually found a spot where it was narrow and shallow enough for us to cross to the other side. While on a narrow winding track that appeared unused for a long time I failed to see a tree stump and hit it with my left front wheel. The steering has been pointing about 30 degrees to the right since then. On the way back home the ESP tried to keep correcting me for about 2 Kms then gave up trying and threw ESP/BAS light along with the skidding car light (why couldn't they make a skidding Jeep light instead ?????????).
This morning I corrected the steering with the turnbuckle thing and inspected the underside. The light have gone off and nothing appears bent or damaged. But now everytime I go round a right hand bend in the road any thing more than 20 K/Hr the ESP kicks in. I am going in for an alignment and balancing next week.
What u guys think have I screwed something bad or will the alignment fix it......
Other than this it was a great day.......
Cheers
Mani
Jason(jbrad) had the same lights on the dash at the meeting I think from a rock though. No codes just the lights.
He may have made progress since the meeting & might be able to help.
Looks like recentring the steering and disconnecting the battery for 30 minutes worked. No loghts or ESP kicking in. Also fol economy seems to have improved.....
yeah probably jsut needed the re centering.... all youve done with disconectting the battery is reset the steering sensors to zero in the position they are in ( no biggie if the steering is centered) i used my procal when i changed my draglink to the high steer set up..... took a few goes, but once you get the wheel alignment done it sould all be good, if the lights on the dash come on after its done then just do the battery trick again................damn JK's and their computer gizmos
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