HOW TO REMOVE A FRONT AXLE FROM A JEEP CHEROKEE

Video Transcript

Hey guys, this is Matt with BleepinJeep.com. Today, we're going to do a quick DIY and Drive tutorial with Pull-A-Part Used Auto Parts. Let's get started. OK, so what we're after today is the front axle shaft. This is out of a '95 Jeep Cherokee. The front axle shaft is what drives the front wheels when you're in four wheel drive. It's got a u-joint in it, and everything spins, so that you can get traction up front. Now, sometimes when you're off-roading you can break one of these things. It's very popular to go grab a new one from a '95 or a later Cherokee. Those have the bigger u-joints. So let's take this one out.

OK, so here's all the tools that you're going to need for this. You'll need a lug wrench or something to get the wheel, the lug nuts, off. You're going to need a big hammer, a couple of socket wrenches, with a 12-point, half-inch socket. Depending on the year, you'll need a half inch socket or a seven millimeter Allan socket. These are for the earlier Jeeps, like '90 and earlier. Something like that. I like to use wire cutters, for the axle nut, a breaker bar. And if your brakes are stubborn, you might need a six-inch clamp, and a hat, if it's hot. First, we need to do is pull this wheel and tire off. Next up, we need to pull the axle nut off. There's a little retainer, so I like to use a pair of dikes, or wire-cutters, and get in here and pull this sucker out. There's a cotter pin, so use it like that. Get some leverage on it, and you can pull it out. And that retainer pops off.

Now, we need to remove that nut. On the Cherokees, that's a 36 millimeter nut, but you'll notice that it spins, so I've got the screwdriver I like to use just an old, beat up, big screwdriver. Stick it in your breaks like that. It'll keep it from spinning. All right, so if you're having trouble getting that off, because it's been on there forever, here's what you do. Find yourself a makeshift breaker bar. This is a tail pipe breaker bar. Let me go in there and lock the steering down that way it doesn't try to turn on me. Here we go. Got it! Now, that's a 36 millimeter socket. That's very specific to the front axle on a Jeep, the Dana Next order of business is to remove the brake, so that's either going to be a 13 millimeter or it's going to be a seven millimeter Allan, if it's an older Jeep. There's only two bolts holding those in, and then, you should be able to pull it off. So if your brake caliper is being tight and stubborn like this one, what you can do is take the C-clamp, and you just put it over there, and then clamp that down. It'll push the brake fluid back out the other side and loosen it up for you. Once you get it in a ways, back it off again, and it should pop right off. Now, just take this and set it on the control arm there, to keep it from hanging on the brake.

Now, we'll just go ahead and remove the rest of the brakes, set that aside. Now, we've got to get the unit bearing or the hub off here. So what we need to do is just turn it one side or the other, and then, there is a special So you need a 12 point, half-inch socket just means it has 12 points on the inside there. And we're going to take these bolts off. They might be pretty tight on there, so you might need to use your breaker bar again. All right, so there's three bolts holding this thing on, two over here, and then, we'll turn the wheel the other way and get the one on this side. Once you get all three bolts out, this thing is just loose. But it's going to be stuck on there with rust and whatnot. So grab you a small sledge, or a big hammer however you want to look at it and we're gonna knock it this way. We might have to go around several times.

There it is. That's what we're after. That's the axle shaft. At this point, you can just go ahead and pull it on out. OK, well, thanks for watching, guys. I appreciate it. Hope you learned something there. Again, this is Matt with the YouTube channel BleepinJeep. We'll see you next time.