u-joints and ball joints on 93 cherokee sport
 

Hi all,

I just figured out that my front left u-joint is busted (the one by
the wheel). It is the bearings that are broken and not the actual u-
joint. The other one is binding up a little bit. The jeep is a 93
cherokee sport (v6 4-wheel drive) with 130k in Massachusetts (rust!).
The guy who was looking at mentioned that there was a little bit of
play in the front right left ball joint when leveraged with a crow
bar. I proceeded to get a quote and it totaled up to 1300 dollars for
the both ball and u-joints. Does this sound reasonable (approx. 650
parts and 650 labor)? I'd try to handle the u-joins myself (I've done
water pump, brakes, suspension, etc.) but I do not have any air tools
and I've heard getting the hub/bearing assembly off is really
difficult. Can anyone recommend a good garage in the boston area? I
bought this jeep for a few hundred and I really can't spend so much on
it considering the body has some rot etc. Any help would be
appreciated. I'm not so concerned about having it run like a dream.
I'd just like to make sure it is safe on long drives.

Thanks!!
Breton

Re: u-joints and ball joints on 93 cherokee sport
 

On 26 Apr 2007 14:12:46 -0700, breton <bretonh@gmail.com> wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>I just figured out that my front left u-joint is busted (the one by
>the wheel). It is the bearings that are broken and not the actual u-
>joint. The other one is binding up a little bit. The jeep is a 93
>cherokee sport (v6 4-wheel drive) with 130k in Massachusetts (rust!).
>The guy who was looking at mentioned that there was a little bit of
>play in the front right left ball joint when leveraged with a crow
>bar. I proceeded to get a quote and it totaled up to 1300 dollars for
>the both ball and u-joints. Does this sound reasonable (approx. 650
>parts and 650 labor)? I'd try to handle the u-joins myself (I've done
>water pump, brakes, suspension, etc.) but I do not have any air tools
>and I've heard getting the hub/bearing assembly off is really
>difficult. Can anyone recommend a good garage in the boston area? I
>bought this jeep for a few hundred and I really can't spend so much on
>it considering the body has some rot etc. Any help would be
>appreciated. I'm not so concerned about having it run like a dream.
>I'd just like to make sure it is safe on long drives.
>
>Thanks!!
>Breton


This is just a though but you might be money ahead to swap out the
whole front axle with a good one from a bone yard. It would only take
maybe a few hours of labor at most if mech knew what they were doing
and it would likely cost you less overall. You could tea into that one
and find damage in hub assemble and cost more money to fix and those
ball joints are a pain to change and could cost more in a rust belt
area if they are fused in there with rust.
-----------------
TheSnoMan.com

Re: u-joints and ball joints on 93 cherokee sport
 

On 26 Apr 2007 14:12:46 -0700, breton <bretonh@gmail.com> wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>I just figured out that my front left u-joint is busted (the one by
>the wheel). It is the bearings that are broken and not the actual u-
>joint. The other one is binding up a little bit. The jeep is a 93
>cherokee sport (v6 4-wheel drive) with 130k in Massachusetts (rust!).
>The guy who was looking at mentioned that there was a little bit of
>play in the front right left ball joint when leveraged with a crow
>bar. I proceeded to get a quote and it totaled up to 1300 dollars for
>the both ball and u-joints. Does this sound reasonable (approx. 650
>parts and 650 labor)? I'd try to handle the u-joins myself (I've done
>water pump, brakes, suspension, etc.) but I do not have any air tools
>and I've heard getting the hub/bearing assembly off is really
>difficult. Can anyone recommend a good garage in the boston area? I
>bought this jeep for a few hundred and I really can't spend so much on
>it considering the body has some rot etc. Any help would be
>appreciated. I'm not so concerned about having it run like a dream.
>I'd just like to make sure it is safe on long drives.
>
>Thanks!!
>Breton


This is just a though but you might be money ahead to swap out the
whole front axle with a good one from a bone yard. It would only take
maybe a few hours of labor at most if mech knew what they were doing
and it would likely cost you less overall. You could tea into that one
and find damage in hub assemble and cost more money to fix and those
ball joints are a pain to change and could cost more in a rust belt
area if they are fused in there with rust.
-----------------
TheSnoMan.com

Re: u-joints and ball joints on 93 cherokee sport
 

On 26 Apr 2007 14:12:46 -0700, breton <bretonh@gmail.com> wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>I just figured out that my front left u-joint is busted (the one by
>the wheel). It is the bearings that are broken and not the actual u-
>joint. The other one is binding up a little bit. The jeep is a 93
>cherokee sport (v6 4-wheel drive) with 130k in Massachusetts (rust!).
>The guy who was looking at mentioned that there was a little bit of
>play in the front right left ball joint when leveraged with a crow
>bar. I proceeded to get a quote and it totaled up to 1300 dollars for
>the both ball and u-joints. Does this sound reasonable (approx. 650
>parts and 650 labor)? I'd try to handle the u-joins myself (I've done
>water pump, brakes, suspension, etc.) but I do not have any air tools
>and I've heard getting the hub/bearing assembly off is really
>difficult. Can anyone recommend a good garage in the boston area? I
>bought this jeep for a few hundred and I really can't spend so much on
>it considering the body has some rot etc. Any help would be
>appreciated. I'm not so concerned about having it run like a dream.
>I'd just like to make sure it is safe on long drives.
>
>Thanks!!
>Breton


This is just a though but you might be money ahead to swap out the
whole front axle with a good one from a bone yard. It would only take
maybe a few hours of labor at most if mech knew what they were doing
and it would likely cost you less overall. You could tea into that one
and find damage in hub assemble and cost more money to fix and those
ball joints are a pain to change and could cost more in a rust belt
area if they are fused in there with rust.
-----------------
TheSnoMan.com

Re: u-joints and ball joints on 93 cherokee sport
 

On 26 Apr 2007 14:12:46 -0700, breton <bretonh@gmail.com> wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>I just figured out that my front left u-joint is busted (the one by
>the wheel). It is the bearings that are broken and not the actual u-
>joint. The other one is binding up a little bit. The jeep is a 93
>cherokee sport (v6 4-wheel drive) with 130k in Massachusetts (rust!).
>The guy who was looking at mentioned that there was a little bit of
>play in the front right left ball joint when leveraged with a crow
>bar. I proceeded to get a quote and it totaled up to 1300 dollars for
>the both ball and u-joints. Does this sound reasonable (approx. 650
>parts and 650 labor)? I'd try to handle the u-joins myself (I've done
>water pump, brakes, suspension, etc.) but I do not have any air tools
>and I've heard getting the hub/bearing assembly off is really
>difficult. Can anyone recommend a good garage in the boston area? I
>bought this jeep for a few hundred and I really can't spend so much on
>it considering the body has some rot etc. Any help would be
>appreciated. I'm not so concerned about having it run like a dream.
>I'd just like to make sure it is safe on long drives.
>
>Thanks!!
>Breton


This is just a though but you might be money ahead to swap out the
whole front axle with a good one from a bone yard. It would only take
maybe a few hours of labor at most if mech knew what they were doing
and it would likely cost you less overall. You could tea into that one
and find damage in hub assemble and cost more money to fix and those
ball joints are a pain to change and could cost more in a rust belt
area if they are fused in there with rust.
-----------------
TheSnoMan.com

Re: u-joints and ball joints on 93 cherokee sport
 

breton wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I just figured out that my front left u-joint is busted (the one by
> the wheel). It is the bearings that are broken and not the actual u-
> joint. The other one is binding up a little bit. The jeep is a 93
> cherokee sport (v6 4-wheel drive) with 130k in Massachusetts (rust!).
> The guy who was looking at mentioned that there was a little bit of
> play in the front right left ball joint when leveraged with a crow
> bar. I proceeded to get a quote and it totaled up to 1300 dollars for
> the both ball and u-joints. Does this sound reasonable (approx. 650
> parts and 650 labor)? I'd try to handle the u-joins myself (I've done
> water pump, brakes, suspension, etc.) but I do not have any air tools
> and I've heard getting the hub/bearing assembly off is really
> difficult. Can anyone recommend a good garage in the boston area? I
> bought this jeep for a few hundred and I really can't spend so much on
> it considering the body has some rot etc. Any help would be
> appreciated. I'm not so concerned about having it run like a dream.
> I'd just like to make sure it is safe on long drives.
>

Sounds high. Even with new spindles both sides you should be under $300
for parts. Try "Cheap Jeeps" in Framingham. To him a favor by bying a
couple cans of Liquid Wrench or PB Blaster (not wd-40) a couple weeks
before the job and soak everything in the hub area down from the back
side of the wheels several times.

--
jeff

Re: u-joints and ball joints on 93 cherokee sport
 

breton wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I just figured out that my front left u-joint is busted (the one by
> the wheel). It is the bearings that are broken and not the actual u-
> joint. The other one is binding up a little bit. The jeep is a 93
> cherokee sport (v6 4-wheel drive) with 130k in Massachusetts (rust!).
> The guy who was looking at mentioned that there was a little bit of
> play in the front right left ball joint when leveraged with a crow
> bar. I proceeded to get a quote and it totaled up to 1300 dollars for
> the both ball and u-joints. Does this sound reasonable (approx. 650
> parts and 650 labor)? I'd try to handle the u-joins myself (I've done
> water pump, brakes, suspension, etc.) but I do not have any air tools
> and I've heard getting the hub/bearing assembly off is really
> difficult. Can anyone recommend a good garage in the boston area? I
> bought this jeep for a few hundred and I really can't spend so much on
> it considering the body has some rot etc. Any help would be
> appreciated. I'm not so concerned about having it run like a dream.
> I'd just like to make sure it is safe on long drives.
>

Sounds high. Even with new spindles both sides you should be under $300
for parts. Try "Cheap Jeeps" in Framingham. To him a favor by bying a
couple cans of Liquid Wrench or PB Blaster (not wd-40) a couple weeks
before the job and soak everything in the hub area down from the back
side of the wheels several times.

--
jeff

Re: u-joints and ball joints on 93 cherokee sport
 

breton wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I just figured out that my front left u-joint is busted (the one by
> the wheel). It is the bearings that are broken and not the actual u-
> joint. The other one is binding up a little bit. The jeep is a 93
> cherokee sport (v6 4-wheel drive) with 130k in Massachusetts (rust!).
> The guy who was looking at mentioned that there was a little bit of
> play in the front right left ball joint when leveraged with a crow
> bar. I proceeded to get a quote and it totaled up to 1300 dollars for
> the both ball and u-joints. Does this sound reasonable (approx. 650
> parts and 650 labor)? I'd try to handle the u-joins myself (I've done
> water pump, brakes, suspension, etc.) but I do not have any air tools
> and I've heard getting the hub/bearing assembly off is really
> difficult. Can anyone recommend a good garage in the boston area? I
> bought this jeep for a few hundred and I really can't spend so much on
> it considering the body has some rot etc. Any help would be
> appreciated. I'm not so concerned about having it run like a dream.
> I'd just like to make sure it is safe on long drives.
>

Sounds high. Even with new spindles both sides you should be under $300
for parts. Try "Cheap Jeeps" in Framingham. To him a favor by bying a
couple cans of Liquid Wrench or PB Blaster (not wd-40) a couple weeks
before the job and soak everything in the hub area down from the back
side of the wheels several times.

--
jeff

Re: u-joints and ball joints on 93 cherokee sport
 

breton wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I just figured out that my front left u-joint is busted (the one by
> the wheel). It is the bearings that are broken and not the actual u-
> joint. The other one is binding up a little bit. The jeep is a 93
> cherokee sport (v6 4-wheel drive) with 130k in Massachusetts (rust!).
> The guy who was looking at mentioned that there was a little bit of
> play in the front right left ball joint when leveraged with a crow
> bar. I proceeded to get a quote and it totaled up to 1300 dollars for
> the both ball and u-joints. Does this sound reasonable (approx. 650
> parts and 650 labor)? I'd try to handle the u-joins myself (I've done
> water pump, brakes, suspension, etc.) but I do not have any air tools
> and I've heard getting the hub/bearing assembly off is really
> difficult. Can anyone recommend a good garage in the boston area? I
> bought this jeep for a few hundred and I really can't spend so much on
> it considering the body has some rot etc. Any help would be
> appreciated. I'm not so concerned about having it run like a dream.
> I'd just like to make sure it is safe on long drives.
>

Sounds high. Even with new spindles both sides you should be under $300
for parts. Try "Cheap Jeeps" in Framingham. To him a favor by bying a
couple cans of Liquid Wrench or PB Blaster (not wd-40) a couple weeks
before the job and soak everything in the hub area down from the back
side of the wheels several times.

--
jeff

Re: u-joints and ball joints on 93 cherokee sport
 

breton wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I just figured out that my front left u-joint is busted (the one by
> the wheel). It is the bearings that are broken and not the actual u-
> joint. The other one is binding up a little bit. The jeep is a 93
> cherokee sport (v6 4-wheel drive) with 130k in Massachusetts (rust!).
> The guy who was looking at mentioned that there was a little bit of
> play in the front right left ball joint when leveraged with a crow
> bar. I proceeded to get a quote and it totaled up to 1300 dollars for
> the both ball and u-joints. Does this sound reasonable (approx. 650
> parts and 650 labor)? I'd try to handle the u-joins myself (I've done
> water pump, brakes, suspension, etc.) but I do not have any air tools
> and I've heard getting the hub/bearing assembly off is really
> difficult. Can anyone recommend a good garage in the boston area? I
> bought this jeep for a few hundred and I really can't spend so much on
> it considering the body has some rot etc. Any help would be
> appreciated. I'm not so concerned about having it run like a dream.
> I'd just like to make sure it is safe on long drives.

Hmm.. on the 93ZJ it's three bolts and the whole axle slides out.

http://www.chryslerpartsdirect.com/
A new OEM Right shaft is $473
If you have ABS the shaft is only $409
If you have disconnects the shaft is $348

--
DougW