Bent one of the ears on my front axle shaft installing the u-joint

Belginsmith

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Dec 28, 2018
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Oakland, CA
So my Ball joint, Unit Bearing and U-Joint replacement project has hit a snag. The Ball Joints are in, but I bent one of the ears on my Stubby Axle Shaft pushing the U-joint in. This is a Dana 30, driver's side. It was a pain in the ass to get the joint back out. I've got a second one to use, but I don't want to damage it trying to get it in there.

Here's what it looks like:

IMG_9593.JPG


Anyways, I found this replacement shaft on Amazon: (sorry for the long link!)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0078U9GS2/?tag=wranglerorg-20

However, it looks different than mine. It has no flange that goes behind the unit bearing. Will this work as-is, or is the flange a separate part I also need?

Thanks,

-B
 
So my Ball joint, Unit Bearing and U-Joint replacement project has hit a snag. The Ball Joints are in, but I bent one of the ears on my Stubby Axle Shaft pushing the U-joint in. This is a Dana 30, driver's side. It was a pain in the ass to get the joint back out. I've got a second one to use, but I don't want to damage it trying to get it in there.

Here's what it looks like:

View attachment 114201

Anyways, I found this replacement shaft on Amazon: (sorry for the long link!)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0078U9GS2/?tag=wranglerorg-20

However, it looks different than mine. It has no flange that goes behind the unit bearing. Will this work as-is, or is the flange a separate part I also need?

Thanks,

-B
You should be able to tap the slinger off and install it on the new one.

Now you fully understand why we NEVER ever use any sort of a press to install u-joints. Strictly a hammer and the proper bits of round bar and tube under the hole in the yoke. Do not use a press to install u-joints regardless of how many folks tell you it is a good idea. It isn't.
 
Thanks, Blaine. I'll make sure to use a hammer next time.

I just googled Jeep axle slinger, and figured out what you were talking about. That's on the good axle shaft. I'm talking about this:

Old.jpg

Here's the image from Amazon, for the part I purchased.
:

New.jpg

Will this be a problem, or do I need to purchase anything else/different?

Thanks again,

-B
 
Thanks, Blaine. I'll make sure to use a hammer next time.

I just googled Jeep axle slinger, and figured out what you were talking about. That's on the good axle shaft. I'm talking about this:

View attachment 114214
Here's the image from Amazon, for the part I purchased.
:

View attachment 114215
Will this be a problem, or do I need to purchase anything else/different?

Thanks again,

-B
Technically, the slinger on your stub shaft is on backwards. The original purpose of the slinger was to carry the flanged V seal that goes between it and the back of the spindle that older 4 wheel drives had. Later versions with unit bearings use the slinger but flip it around to act as a debris guard against the back of the unit bearing. It isn't sealing anything like the other ones and with it installed the way it is on your original ones, it does absolutely nothing. Since it has been on there and doing nothing, the function will be identical if you install the new shaft without one or you can tap it off and move it over to the new stub if there is a spot machined for it. The picture doesn't show if there is or isn't a shoulder for it so hard to tell if it can be moved over.

This is a slinger. It gets pressed onto the machined journal to carry the flanged V seal that butts up to the back of a spindle.
1568030148876.png

This is how it installs on a stub shaft that uses the V seal. The V seal has a flat flange that goes against the flange on the slinger and the other leg of the V goes against the back side of the spindle to keep water out.


1568030432463.png


Unit bearings are sealed and don't need or use the V seal. There are a lot of stub shafts both factory and aftermarket that have the slinger on backwards.

This is how they are supposed to be.
1568030778507.png

No seal, just sort of a mud or debris guard. Since yours haven't been installed correctly, I can't see how not even having one will make any difference.
 
You should be able to tap the slinger off and install it on the new one.

Now you fully understand why we NEVER ever use any sort of a press to install u-joints. Strictly a hammer and the proper bits of round bar and tube under the hole in the yoke. Do not use a press to install u-joints regardless of how many folks tell you it is a good idea. It isn't.

Thanks. I had one of those OTC presses on the list for a future purchase.