03 rear axle swap woes/questions

[Jdmurphy]

Hi new to the site and have a few questions.
I'm working on anew 03 kj renagade, this is my friends daughters. They took it to a repair shop when the rear-end started making some bad noises. They were told the pinion nut had loosened and caused the bering to explode and in sent chunks everywhere. My buddy took photos and yes there were some chunks out of ring gear.
So I told him just get a junkyard one since I don't own the dial gauge or proper torque wrench. So we ordered one 300 bucks 60 day warranty. When we went to pick it up it had a flange on it at the pinion not a normal pinion saddle. What year did they do that and what is the difference? TIA JIM

 

[Myke]

Hi new to the site and have a few questions.
I'm working on anew 03 kj renagade, this is my friends daughters. They took it to a repair shop when the rear-end started making some bad noises. They were told the pinion nut had loosened and caused the bering to explode and in sent chunks everywhere. My buddy took photos and yes there were some chunks out of ring gear.
So I told him just get a junkyard one since I don't own the dial gauge or proper torque wrench. So we ordered one 300 bucks 60 day warranty. When we went to pick it up it had a flange on it at the pinion not a normal pinion saddle. What year did they do that and what is the difference? TIA JIM

If it's for a ujoint I belive it's the earlier 03s with the 45rfe trans. 42rle would be with 4 bolts and flat face.

 

[tommudd]

Swap them over
Been done before

 

[Myke]

Swap them over
Been done before

What I did when I swapped axles. Could go by feel but I suggest picking up a the proper torque gauge if you like your pinion bearings. Click style wrench won't work.

 

[tommudd]

What I did when I swapped axles. Could go by feel but I suggest picking up a the proper torque gauge if you like your pinion bearings. Click style wrench won't work.

Ok,
but you don't need to
May not be the preferred way , but have seen many of them remove to even replace the pinion seal and never touch a torque wrench. The crush sleeve has already been set, tighten to where it was counting rounds and feel and good to go. Like mentioned maybe not the proper way but have seen it done at least 50-60 times over the years and I've done it 12-15 times .

Swapping axles ? Would not have to do anything to the pinion.

 

[JasonJ]

Just swap them... and from here on out, make sure owners know to change fluid regularly... do the front diff, t-case and transmission while you're helping them out. Not that it likely lead to the failure, but it is good maintenance that most ignore.

 

[TwoBobsKJ]

Ok,
but you don't need to
May not be the preferred way , but have seen many of them remove to even replace the pinion seal and never touch a torque wrench. The crush sleeve has already been set, tighten to where it was counting rounds and feel and good to go. Like mentioned maybe not the proper way but have seen it done at least 50-60 times over the years and I've done it 12-15 times .

Swapping axles ? Would not have to do anything to the pinion.

That's the way you did it on my 4.10 rear end and I seemed to have gotten a few miles out of that swap... :happy175::happy175::happy175:

The beauty of the KJ is it's so simple to work on - doesn't require super expensive tools to get things where you want them.

Bob

 

[Myke]

Swapping axles ? Would not have to do anything to the pinion.

The axle I got had a ujoint mount directly on the pinion and my drive shaft was the style with 4 bolts going into the pinion.

 

[tommudd]

The axle I got had a ujoint mount directly on the pinion and my drive shaft was the style with 4 bolts going into the pinion.

OH so the diff you got had a ujoint instead of the other
when you posted axle thought you had pulled the axles out for some reason
Axles go into the diff
So yes thats what we just swap over easily