Spicer WJ 44-4 User Manual

X5001-CVSP

SERVICE MANUAL

Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ 44-4

X5001-CVSP August 2002

X5001-CVSP

Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................ 1

Getting Started....................................................................................................................... 2-15

Carrier Disassembly .................................................................................................................................................. 2

Carrier Inspection and Reassembly ....................................................................................................................... 7

Differential Case Disassembly .............................................................................................................................. 12

Differential Case Reassembly ................................................................................................ 15-25

Standard Case .......................................................................................................................................................... 15

Trac-Lok

Hydra-Lok

................................................................................................................................................................... 16

............................................................................................................................................................... 23

Carrier and Differential Case Reassembly ..............................................................................26-31

Using Existing Spacers ........................................................................................................................................... 27

Setting Backlash ....................................................................................................................................................... 29

Setting Differential Preload ...................................................................................................................................29

Checking Gear Pattern............................................................................................................................................ 30

Axle Reassembly ...................................................................................................................31-34

Lubrication ................................................................................................................................................................ 33

Lubrication Specifications ..................................................................................................................................... 34

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Axle Teardown and Rebuild

Getting Started

WARNIN

individuals attempt to perform axle service and/ or maintenance procedures for which they have not been trained or do not have the proper tools and equipment.

1. ALWAYS wear safety glasses that meet OSHA requirements when performing maintenance or service. Failure to wear safety glasses can result in personal injury and/or partial or complete vision loss.

2. ALWAYS be careful handling gears or other sharp components, so you do not cut your hands.

3. ALWAYS be sure to follow torque specifications carefully. Failure to do so may lead to premature component failure or damage to other vehicle components.

Under no circumstances should

This will help determine what parts can be saved and how the axle should be rebuilt.

Carrier Disassembly

1. Remove the cover bolts and use a rubber mallet to remove the cover plate (Figure 2).

Figure 2

2. Turn the axle over and drain the oil.

Introduction

Figure 1

Proper care during the teardown and rebuild of the WJ44-4 (Figure 1) is critical to improved service as well as customer satisfaction.

In addition, failure analysis is an important component of the entire procedure. First, a thorough failure analysis of the axle and axle components must be completed to determine the cause of failure.

Figure 3

NOTE: During drainage, strain the oil to see if it contains metal shavings (Figure 3). Be sure to place a bucket under the stand to catch the oil so it can be disposed of properly. If the axle is being rebuilt because of a major problem such as gear set breakage or excessive bearing wear, a sample of the oil should be sent to a lab for spectral analysis to help determine the root cause of the failure.

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3. After the axle is drained, remove the axle shaft retainer nuts, using a swivel adapter (Figure 4).

Figure 4

4. Remove the brake drum/rotor unit, and pull the axle shafts from the assembly (Figure 5).

5. Inspect the seal and bearing; then set the shaft aside.

6. Check the total torque to rotate, using a 50 in. lb. torque wrench and a 1-1/8" socket (Figure

7). With the nose of the axle pointing up, turn the

end yoke by hand in a clockwise rotation four or five revolutions. Using the torque wrench, turn the pinion nut clockwise, and take a reading while spinning the end yoke. This torque reading will be used only as reference if bearings and cups can be reused.

Figure 5

NOTE: It may be necessary to carefully pry them loose using a pry bar or slide hammer (Figure 6).

Figure 6

Figure 7

7. Check the backlash, using a .001" dial indicator and a magnetic base, with the plunger set on the ring gear tooth (Figure 8). The dial indicator should be facing towards the O.D. of the ring gear.

Figure 8

8. Move the ring gear back and forth in a smooth motion. Look at the indicator and take a reading. Then take three equally spaced readings.

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9. Remove the bearing caps using an air gun or hand ratchet with the appropriate socket (Figure 9).

Figure 9

Figure 11

13. Check your pinion torque to rotate. This must

be done.

10. Use a pry bar to remove the differential case (Figure 10).

Figure 10

11. Set the outboard spacers by the proper bearing cap.

12. Measure and record both outboard spacers, including the case side or gear side location (Figure 11).

14. Remove the pinion nut and use the yoke puller to remove the end yoke. (Figure 12)Inspect the

yoke for signs of damage, such as a groove that is cut into the end yoke by the pinion seal. Deep scratches and nicks are causes to replace the end yoke (Figure 13).

Figure 12

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Figure 13

15. After inspecting the end yoke, grab the pinion head and hit the top of the pinion with a soft faced mallet to remove the pinion from the carrier.

Figure 14

16. Pull the bearing off the pinion, using Miller tool C-293 (Figure 14). Inspect it for signs of damage.

Figure 15

17. Remove the slinger and outer pinion bearing and set it aside (Figure 16).

Figure 16

NOTE: If there is no oil leakage from the pinion seal during use, there will be no damage now. If there was leakage, look for a cut in the rubber where the seal ran on the end yoke or check to see if the garter spring on the seal fell off. (Figure 15) Other leakage could be the result of a seal that was not properly installed and the sealant on the outside lip did not seal. Following this inspection, remove the seal and discard it.

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18. Remove the inner pinion cup, using a Miller tool C-4307 and handle C-4171 (Figure 17).

Figure 17

NOTE: Be careful not to damage the pinion cup bore when removing the cup (Figure 18).

CAUTIO

DO NOT use a punch to pound out the cup. This will damage the bore where the cup sits, making it impossible to reseat the new cup during installation. Eventually, poor seating can lead to improper loading on the seal and bearing, leading to premature axle failure.

NOTE: If the axle doesn’t have too many miles, the axle shaft bearings may be reused. If the axle has high mileage on it, the bearings and seals should be replaced.

To determine if the seal and bearing should be replaced, inspect the following. At the oil seal, check for:

■ signs of leakage prior to teardown

■ tears in the rubber at the sealing surface

■ the garter spring in the proper location; and

■ improper installation that resulted in leakage.

At the wheel bearing, check for:

Figure 18

■ complaints dealing with wheel noise

■ pitting on the rollers, caused by particles rolling

through the bearing; and

■ spalling on the rollers, caused by excessive load

and poor lubrication.

If there is any doubt whether the seal or bearing can be reused, it is best to be safe and replace these components. Always replace the bearing and seals on both sides of the axle.

Carrier Inspection and Reassembly

1. Inspect the housing for signs of stress cracks that are the results of overloading the axle (Figure 19).

Figure 19

2. Check the axle housing spring seats and shock brackets for cracks or elongated holes (Figure

20).

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Figure 21

NOTE: Spicer recommends replacing the yoke any time the pinion and bearings are replaced. Perform a visual inspection inside the housing to check for damage or wear.

3. Apply liquid graphite to the inner and outer pinion cup bores before installing new bearing cups (Figure 22).

Figure 20

CAUTIO

If wear is detected, DO NOT reuse the housing. After cleaning the axle, inspect the unit for damage. Look for damage in the pinion bores, the pinion yoke and the differential bores (Figure 21).

Figure 22

4. Measure pinion position, using the Miller pinion height gauge. To use this tooling, first install both pinion cups using installer D-129 for the outer pinion cup, and C-4308 for the inner pinion cup. Use handle C-4171.

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5. To install the pinion height tooling, use the threaded rod 6741 (Figure 23).

Figure 23

Figure 25

NOTE: This set up should rotate freely in the pinion bores.

6. With the outer pinion adapter threaded onto the rod, slide the rod through the outer pinion bearing and cup.

7. Turn the carrier and put the inner cone in the cup, and slide the threaded rod through the carrier and through the inner bearing (Figure

24).

Figure 24

9. Zero the scooter gauge to the top of the measuring block (Figure 26).

Figure 26

8. Slide the height block 6734 over the threaded rod and position it on top of the bearing. Screw the measuring block 6739 on the threaded rod until it is snug (Figure 25).

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10. Place the metal rod D-115-2 through the arbor disk 6927, and place the assembly in the differential bore. Put the other disk into the bore, and slide the metal rod through the disk. (Figure 27).

Figure 27

NOTE: Be sure the arbor disks are flat against the differential backup to ensure an accurate reading.

NOTE: If the procedure is done correctly, the metal bar should slide freely back and forth inside the disk. If the bar does not move freely, check on the bearing cap to make sure the disks are seated in the bore. Retighten the bearing cap bolts.

12. Snug the threaded rod assembly.

NOTE: DO NOT tighten the assembly to the point it cannot be turned, but so it turns with slight resistance. This puts a preload on the pinion bearing for a more accurate reading at the gauge.

13. Slide the gauge to the top of the bar, and look for the lowest reading. This is the first number needed to determine pinion position.

NOTE: Check this reading a few times to be sure it is accurate. When the number is confirmed and written down, the setup can be disassembled.

11. Place the bearing caps over the disk and tighten the bolts to no more than half of the original torque specification (Figure 28).

Figure 28

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NOTE: All Dana gear sets are marked with a set number and an etch number. The etch number may look something like plus 1, minus 3, or 0 for example (Figure 29). This number tells what is required to build the axle at zero; the ideal running position for the gear. If, for example, the etch number is plus 2, it means to subtract .002". If the pinion height gauge measures .040", for example, subtract .002" and install a .038" shim.

Figure 31

NOTE: This can be done by tapping the installer with a steel hammer until the bearing is seated on the pinion. If a press is available, use it to seat the bearing. To be sure the bearing is seated properly, try to turn the position shim. Also try to slide a .0015" shim between the bearing and the shim. If the shim does not fit , the bearing is properly seated.

Figure 29

14. Place the correct pinion position shim on the pinion stem (Figure 30).

Figure 30

15. Slide the inner pinion bearing cone on the pinion stem, and press the bearing tight to the shim using the bearing installer 6448 (Figure

31).

16. Rotate the axle unit so that the pinion nose is facing up, and put the outer pinion bearing in the cup (Figure 32). Do not put grease on the bearing.

Figure 32

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