Went to Tellico 2 weeks ago and managed to break both of my CV axel shafts. At least this is all I thought was broken. Finished installing the U-297 conversions from South Bay Driveline last night. Put it back together today and went for a drive.

Straight is fine but in the turns I get wheel hop like the VC is trashed. Loud clunks and pops sometimes. NOT GOOD! 5 yo daughter says "Ouch that's gonna hurt. " Noise is audible inside and outside. Turned some neighbors heads. Removed front DS, noise still there sometimes. So not 249 VC issues.

Drained the D30 and oil was black with real fine particles in it. Assumed normal wear and tear on new OX locker ect. Removed the cover for closer look. Found some chunks of something in the bottom. Looks like a washer thickness or something.

NOW MY QUESTION

Since the front is a full floating axel can I remove the OX locker and put the shafts back in and drive it to work/back no wheeling? Actually now that I think about it the shafts need a carrier to rest in don't they? Or should I park it until this is resolved? I will most likely need to send the OX back so they can look at it. Only had it about 1.5 months.

My understanding on those front ends is they need the outer axles on to hold the wheel and hub on, so just pull the ox and inner axle shafts. Definatly sounds like you broke something in the differential!

Yeah I'm thinking the OX destroyed something. I'm really impressed with it but am considering selling it and replacing it with a No SLip or something. I dont want to have to think about activating it or not.

I did drive all the way home to Cincinnati from Tellico, Tn with broken CV shafts. When you say inner and outer shafts I'm not sure I follow you. The axels I put in are 1 piece with a 297 joint just before the hub. The vehicle is supported by the hub right? The hub has the lugs ect on it and the wheel bolts to that so no shafts are needed at all right?

Originally posted by CincyZJ
Yeah I'm thinking the OX destroyed something. I'm really impressed with it but am considering selling it and replacing it with a No SLip or something. I dont want to have to think about activating it or not.

I did drive all the way home to Cincinnati from Tellico, Tn with broken CV shafts. When you say inner and outer shafts I'm not sure I follow you. The axels I put in are 1 piece with a 297 joint just before the hub. The vehicle is supported by the hub right? The hub has the lugs ect on it and the wheel bolts to that so no shafts are needed at all right?

NO!!! INCORRECT!!! DO NOT DRIVE THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT THE OUTER SHAFTS!!! I hope I can describe this acurately... Okay, here goes: The hub is held to the rest of the axle via a pressed on bearing. The whole assembly is "sandwiched" together by the outer axle shaft (the part outboard of the u-joint). Without the nut on the end of the outer shaft the bearings can (will) come apart and the wheel will FALL OFF. This happened to my bro's TJ on the highway, and it is not pretty. It is much better to drive with a broken u-joint than to take out the axles and have your wheel fall off.

Thanks for the info. I was leaning towards parking it anyway. If in doubt err on the side of safety. I took the OX out and it looks like the bearings were toast and it ate a shim. Gonna have the OX steam cleaned at friends shop and inspect it closer. Looks OK to me.

Now the hub thing. WHat do the 3 bolts do the go thru the back of the steering knuckle and into the hub do? I see the sandwhich you speak of. It looks like the axel nut holds that in place. Can the flange with the lugs on it pull out of the hub assembly and let the wheel fall off? Not trying to be a smart aleck just trying to understand how it works as a whole assembly.

Originally posted by CincyZJ
Thanks for the info. I was leaning towards parking it anyway. If in doubt err on the side of safety. I took the OX out and it looks like the bearings were toast and it ate a shim. Gonna have the OX steam cleaned at friends shop and inspect it closer. Looks OK to me.

Now the hub thing. WHat do the 3 bolts do the go thru the back of the steering knuckle and into the hub do? I see the sandwhich you speak of. It looks like the axel nut holds that in place. Can the flange with the lugs on it pull out of the hub assembly and let the wheel fall off? Not trying to be a smart aleck just trying to understand how it works as a whole assembly.

If I remember right (just from looking at my bro's after the accident) the whole assembly is a pressed to gether two peice kinda thing. The three bolts hold on the back side of it (which will remain with the vehicle when the wheel departs) and the big nut holds the front side to the back side.

The three bolts go thru the steering knuckle into the bearing/hub assembly. Its all one unit...when you buy a replacement, you get the whole flange/bearing/hub assembly. The nut on the front side is the axle nut..undo this to pull your shafts.

Just rying to understand if the vehicle can be driven without axel shafts? With the hub bolts hold the wheel on without the 36mm nut. Looks like the big nut :) handles the HD forces the hub bolts just hold it to the knuckle.

What do you guys think of Truetrac vs No Slip?

a Tru-trac is a limited slip and thats all itll do is limit slip.
a No-slip is a locker and while someone has questioned the durability as of late i have them front and rear with 35s and havent had any trouble w/ them. I have a 4.0 w/ auto and 4.56s oin a XJ.I wheel for keeps with it and i like them.

yeah you could drive it....how far you would get is another thing. Instead of the axle supporting the weight all you got if you pull the shafts are three bolts and a lip that goes inside the knuckle. BTW...if its a stock D30 its semi not full float.

Yeah I figured I had that term wrong. Well it's sitting on stands in the driveway. OX looks fine to me. Wonder what died.

Looks like its time to see that thread about Toy axles up in here... Now get rid of that damned JU Signature :flipoff2: :flipoff2: Fix your damned chrome muffler bearings and change that blinker fluid while your at it...

Punkskater: Did I offend you somehow? If you read the above posts I was questioning whether or not it can be driven without front axels. NO SHIT the bolts hold the hub to the knuckle. But can those 3 bolts handle the stress of driving without an axel assembly to help as well. Another guy said the thing would come apart.

Pull your pants up I think you stepped on your dick.:flipoff2:

Well, those bolts will hold the hubs on yes, because the shaft itself does not carry any physical attachment to the housing... Gotta leave those stub shafts in though, as they do hold the bearing together... Basically pull the u-joint from the shafts and bolt in the stub to the hubs (36mm) You may also want to cut the end of a coke bottle off and put some type of sealer around it and jam it in the axle tube to keep the gear oil from running all over the place... I was just giving some random shit tonight, no one ever pays any attention, don't take it to seriously over here...

Hey how is that Valentine V1 on the trails DEEK!!!!!:smokin: :smokin:

well, lets see if the VC is going south on a 249, well I know that driving mine with no front shafts kinda f'd it up. But that's a pre 96 one, so who knows. My friend's XJ did that when he fried his spider gears but you got a locker in there I bet thats tweaked!
-Nate

For the past three weeks or so I've been driving around in "crippled mode" similar to what you should be doing. First a friend of mine destroyed the pinion on my new 4.10 gears just when I was almost done, then the pinion bearing fell apart after I bought the replacement set. So, while I was waiting on parts, etc. I still needed to get to work since this is my daily driver. Pull the diff out, disconnect your driveshaft (if you have a 242) and pull out the shafts, hubs, etc. Remove the u-joint that connects the stub shaft to the inner shaft. Now assemble everything with just the stub shaft in place and no inner shafts or joints. Stuff a rag in the axle tube and duct tape it in place. There you go, all done and good as new.

Man I hate limping around with duct tape keeping the water and muck out of my frontend... Thank God I finally got around to fixing it :flipoff2:

Heck on my last trip to wellsville OH. I blew the left front axle,

I pulled that broken puppy. left in the stub part, locked up the ARB and 3 wheeled the rest of the day!.

Noproblem... with a spool... :D

You do need the stub part or your bearing will fall apart. Badassjeepguy had this happen in Tellico ..

UGLY mess. Make sure you have the stubby in there..