How to Remove a Rear Axle from a Jeep Cherokee

Applies to: JEEP All Models (1984-2001)

 

Jeep Cherokee (1984-2001)

Pull Tip: Always remember that the front axle needs to have the exact same gearing ratio as the rear axle. Most of the time you can find the gear ratio on a tag on the axle diff cover.

Estimated Pull Time: 15 Minutes

Recommended Tools

  • Use a socket when finding parts at Pull-A-Part. 1/2" Socket
  • Lug Wrench Lug Wrench
  • Breaker Bar Breaker Bar
  • Use a socket when finding parts at Pull-A-Part. 8mm Socket
  • Use a socket when finding parts at Pull-A-Part. 1/4" Socket
  • Use a ratchet to make your repair with help from Pull-A-Part. 13mm Ratchet
  • Flathead screwdriver at Pull-A-Part Flathead Screwdriver
  • image of needed tools wire cutters at Pull-A-Part Wire Cutters
  • Use a socket when finding parts at Pull-A-Part. 3/4" Socket

Instructions

  • 1

    Remove the Wheels and Tires.

  • 2

    TIP - Using Penetrating Oil on all the nuts and bolts first will really help the process. If you forgot your penetrating oil at home use anything handy like transmission fluid or brake fluid. 3

  • 3

    Remove the shock bottoms with a ¾” socket.

  • 4

    Remove the rear driveshaft end from the axle with an 8mm socket wrench and a screwdriver to hold the shaft from spinning.

  • 5

    Release the emergency brake cables by turning the nut with a 13mm ratcheting wrench until it becomes loose. Then use a ½” drive ½” 12 point socket to release the tabs and free the E-brake cables.

  • 6

    Pull the axle breather tube free and unbolt or cut the brake line free.

  • 7

    Use a ¾” deep well socket and breaker bar to unbolt the U-Bolt nuts from the leaf springs.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Hey, guys. This is Matt with the YouTube channel Bleepin Jeep. And this is a DIY and Drive video tutorial here at Pull-A-Part Used Auto Parts. Let's get started. Bonus, I just found a set of Cragar wheels. But the real reason we're here is to pull this rear axle. Let me show you how to do it. First, let's remove the wheels to make things a little easier on us. So the next thing I want to do is put some penetrating oil on top of these u-bolts, because sometimes they can be hard to get off. So PB B'laster or something like that would be the best solution. But if you forgot it, you can always use something else that you find in the yard, like transmission fluid, oil. Even brake fluid will work. Whatever you can get your hands on. While that's taking effect, let's go ahead and remove some other stuff, like the shocks. It's a / inch bolt, I believe. Next, let's remove the drive shaft. If you put it in neutral, you'll be able to spin the drive shaft, which will help get to all sides of the bolts. These are eight millimeter. But if you do that, you'll need to put some kind of screwdriver or something in there to lock it down when you go to remove these. Once you get both the straps loose, you should be able to push the drive shaft forward on the slip yoke and get it off of there. You might need to pry it a little bit. There we go. You can even take that out if you want.

So our next order of business is to take the emergency brake cables loose. So make sure that your emergency brake isn't on. And then it's really going to help if you have one of these ratcheting wrenches. This one happens to be a millimeter. And we're just going to slide it up on here. When we turn this nut, it's going to loosen the emergency brake. And then we should be able to slip these out and slide them through so that we'll take those with the axle with us. All right. It'll take quite a while, but once you do get that off of there, you can just take this bracket, and you turn it up like this. And it'll pull off through those holes. Now, there's two of these little buggers that you'll need to take off. And they can be tricky because there's three little prongs on there. What it does is it goes through the hole, and then those prongs spread out to keep it from coming back out. So if you are lucky, you can get a screwdriver and kind of get on all three of those, or anything. But what I've found is that if you take a half inch socket with points, it's just the right size to slip over there. And if we're lucky, it'll close those tabs enough for us to get it through. There. Got it. There's one more right here. Then we can move on.

So pretty much all that's left is the brake line and the breather tube. So just follow that breather up as high as it'll go, pull it off. Now, the brake line, I'm not going to try to fight with that, because those suckers are going to be rusty, and it's going to break anyway. So I'm just going to cut it. We'll replace the brake line when we put the new axle in to the Jeep. Now we're just going to break the ubolts free right here. Let's see if we can do that. Oh, yeah, not too bad at all. I'll make sure they're broke free with the breaker bar here, and then move over to the socket wrench. Whew. So once you get the ubolts from both sides, it'll just drop right out of there. And now we can pull it apart. OK. Thanks for watching, guys. Again, this is Matt with the YouTube channel BleepinJeep. I appreciate it. We'll see you next time.

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