Time for a 241OR rebuild

Mike_H

autos are better - WRWD508
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Grand Rapids, MI, United States
Been noticing some driveline vibs lately. Started at 80 (hey, we drive fast here in Mi) and after my last wheelin trip, had become noticable at 65. Decided to grab hold of the front driveshaft and giver a wiggle...sure enough I have play at the T-case end. Thinking its the U-joints in the Driveshaft, I pull it and if feels pretty good. Grab the yoke on the T-case and that is where the play is coming from. Not rotational, like slack in the chain, but translational, like a worn bearing.

I found this kit on Ebay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2726838530...d=link&campid=5337789113&toolid=20001&mkevt=1
but well, its ebay, and who the hell knows. Anyone know of a reputable, name brand place that sells a rebuild kit or am I destined to go through the part numbers and painstakingly cross reference the mopar numbers to generic name brand numbers?
 
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Been noticing some driveline vibs lately. Started at 80 (hey, we drive fast here in Mi) and after my last wheelin trip, had become noticable at 65. Decided to grab hold of the front driveshaft and giver a wiggle...sure enough I have play at the T-case end. Thinking its the U-joints in the Driveshaft, I pull it and if feels pretty good. Grab the yoke on the T-case and that is where the play is coming from. Not rotational, like slack in the chain, but translational, like a worn bearing.

I found this kit on Ebay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2726838530...d=link&campid=5337789113&toolid=20001&mkevt=1
but well, its ebay, and who the hell knows. Anyone know of a reputable, name brand place that sells a rebuild kit or am I destined to go through the part numbers and painstakingly cross reference the mopar numbers to generic name brand numbers?

JB conversions - give those guys a call

https://www.jbconversions.com/products/np241/rebuild.php
 
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Oh, and It looks like I'll probably end up replacing the Driveshaft too.

1666224604482.png


1666224626187.png

Normally, I'd pull this apart and just replace the centering ball and boot...However, I also checked for play in the slip section and there is rotational play there. Not sure how much is too much...its enough to hear and feel, but not enough to "see"

@Shawn at Tom Wood's what say ye? I've rebuilt the DC joint a few years ago (probably less than 10,000 miles). Not sure why the rubber is all cracked and torn like it is....probably means I did something incorrectly.
 
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Thanks for the link. Unfortunately, I believe that is a rebuild kit for the "standard" 241, not the 241OR. I'll give them a call to verify though.

Ah, could be the case .. but yeah, give them a call and see if they have anything for the 241OR.
 
Oh, and It looks like I'll probably end up replacing the Driveshaft too.

View attachment 368421

View attachment 368422
Normally, I'd pull this apart and just replace the centering ball and boot...However, I also checked for play in the slip section and there is rotational play there. Not sure how much is too much...its enough to hear and feel, but not enough to "see"

@Shawn at Tom Wood's what say ye? I've rebuilt the DC joint a few years ago (probably less than 10,000 miles). Not sure why the rubber is all cracked and torn like it is....probably means I did something incorrectly.

It looks like the boot came loose from its seat which would cause it to get pinched between the yokes. There is a little metal ring on the weld yoke that the little metal ring of the boot is supposed to press onto. There's not a lot of surface contact area between the two things so it is not too surprising when/if they come loose. It's a real bugger to press the boots onto the weld yokes. When we do it we use a special tool that I've machined that is basically just a piece of steel tubing that I've bored out to have the perfect inside diameter

Side note, when using a booted weld yoke it is important to use a non-greaseable socket yoke. It looks like that's what you have in the picture so everything is good there. When using a greaseable socket yoke you need to eliminate the boot. I've taken a photo of the two different systems below.

socket yokes exploded view.jpg
 
It looks like the boot came loose from its seat which would cause it to get pinched between the yokes. There is a little metal ring on the weld yoke that the little metal ring of the boot is supposed to press onto. There's not a lot of surface contact area between the two things so it is not too surprising when/if they come loose. It's a real bugger to press the boots onto the weld yokes. When we do it we use a special tool that I've machined that is basically just a piece of steel tubing that I've bored out to have the perfect inside diameter

Side note, when using a booted weld yoke it is important to use a non-greaseable socket yoke. It looks like that's what you have in the picture so everything is good there. When using a greaseable socket yoke you need to eliminate the boot. I've taken a photo of the two different systems below.

View attachment 368637

Thanks Shawn...I actually talked with John at my lunch time and ordered a new front driveshaft, due to some slop in the slip joint. I may still repair this CV, and just keep it on the shelf as a back-up.
 
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I rebuilt mine last year with this kit. Good quality and came with everything minus the chain. The best price I could find with quality bearings.

https://www.transmissionpartsdistri...fits-jeep-liberty-wrangler-rubicon-03-bk241j/


Some of the early cases don't have this drain back valley in them according to internet. I added one to mine and no issues since with any leaks. https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...-on-tj-rubicon-models.9314/page-2#post-908812

A good blind bearing puller saves some frustration on that small needle bearing. I have this one and it worked well for my rebuild. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BNMB42N/?tag=wranglerorg-20
 
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Working on my rebuild today. Got almost everything disassembled except the blind front output shaft bearing. That thing is being a real cocksucker. I have a blind bearing puller for it, and it hasn't budged. I have the rear case half clamped to my workbench and I've been hitting it pretty hard. @hosejockey61 @jjvw @mrblaine

Any other ideas? Forcing screw maybe...but then I'm afraid of blowing the back of the case out which would be disastrous. Maybe some heat from a propane torch? The aluminum should expand faster than the steel bearing and make things easier.

Anyway, enough about my problems. The tcase is in pretty good shape. When I first bought this jeep, I changed all the fluids. When I changed the T-case fluid, what came out looked like McDonalds Strawberry Milkshake before it's frozen. So, Its had some water in it. Not sure how or when...but there is evidence in the case on some of the components. Little spots of rust. Nothing concerning, but it's evident. I also found a LOT of RTV residue throughout the case. Most of it was near the oil filter and restricting flow there.

1668908416352.png


No metallic shimmer in the drained fluid though, so that is good. I'm not sure where this all came from. The only thing I've done to this case is remove the rear output housing for a seal change and to perform the drainback mod. I was really careful when I resealed the housing so I don't think the RTV is from me. Anyway, between the RTV restricting flow and the moisture that was in there for who knows how long, I'd say that's why I'm in here now. Also I'm glad I decided to do the chain. It was pretty stretched out.

I hope I remember where all these parts go

1668908593395.png
 
It's been so long ago, that I don't recall anything odd about pulling that bearing.
 
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I only asked because watching the video, Mike cut from getting the blind pulled set up right too pressing it in. That either means it was easy, or difficult and got cut.

For us, that likely meant it popped out easily. I think the only problem we had was when we assembled something in the wrong order and damaged a seal when we took it apart.
 
Well, I got that fuckin bearing out. Holy smokes it was in there...Had to clamp it to my VERY heavy welding and fab table, heat it with map gas and slam the ever livin shit out of it with the slide hammer. Took two rounds of heating too! It wasn't even galled or spun...dunno why the press was so tight. Maybe they used retaining compound or something...

1668964647128.png
 
Working on my rebuild today. Got almost everything disassembled except the blind front output shaft bearing. That thing is being a real cocksucker. I have a blind bearing puller for it, and it hasn't budged. I have the rear case half clamped to my workbench and I've been hitting it pretty hard. @hosejockey61 @jjvw @mrblaine

Any other ideas? Forcing screw maybe...but then I'm afraid of blowing the back of the case out which would be disastrous. Maybe some heat from a propane torch? The aluminum should expand faster than the steel bearing and make things easier.

Anyway, enough about my problems. The tcase is in pretty good shape. When I first bought this jeep, I changed all the fluids. When I changed the T-case fluid, what came out looked like McDonalds Strawberry Milkshake before it's frozen. So, Its had some water in it. Not sure how or when...but there is evidence in the case on some of the components. Little spots of rust. Nothing concerning, but it's evident. I also found a LOT of RTV residue throughout the case. Most of it was near the oil filter and restricting flow there.

View attachment 377972

No metallic shimmer in the drained fluid though, so that is good. I'm not sure where this all came from. The only thing I've done to this case is remove the rear output housing for a seal change and to perform the drainback mod. I was really careful when I resealed the housing so I don't think the RTV is from me. Anyway, between the RTV restricting flow and the moisture that was in there for who knows how long, I'd say that's why I'm in here now. Also I'm glad I decided to do the chain. It was pretty stretched out.

I hope I remember where all these parts go

View attachment 377975

I don't recall that bearing being an issue at all. I would use a Map torch.
 
I'm about 75% rebuilt at this point...maybe more. Ready to put the rear housing back on, I think. Took the most of the case pieces into work today and ran them through the parts washer to get the nasty dirt and scale off em. Not necessary, but its nice to work on clean stuff. I also wanted to get all traces of the extra RTv out of there. On thing I know I messed up is the input seal...so I'll have to get a new one of those. Drove it in crooked. I haven't pulled it yet, but those dumb seals are so finicky, I KNOW its gonna leak. Everything else seems to be going together well. Tomorrow, I'll get it finished up and test shift it. Then it will go on a shelf and wait to be mounted up to a new 42RLE transmission!

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