Rant about a rear axle change

[Wageslave]

So, I am in the middle of changing out the clapped out Dana 35 in my grand Cherokee and it has been a less than smooth process.

I picked up a junkyard replacement and the junkyard torched it out of the vehicle that it was in. Normally this wouldn't be an issue, but where the brake lines to the calipers meet is on a block that is welded to the axle. This block has two threaded ports for the brake lines to the calipers, and a welded on hard line goes to a flex line between the body and axle. They torched off this hard line so I have no way to connect the brakes back up to the new axle. I would just cut the block off of the old axle, but the vent line for the differential also goes through this block.

I can probably fix that with some tubing and a tee, but it is an issue that could have been easily avoided.

The other part of my rant is that Chrysler, in their infinite wisdom, decided to use Torx bolts to attach the upper and lower control arms along with the track bar. What moron thought it was a good idea to use a Torx bolt anywhere it would rust.

I don't like Torx anything, but that is a particularly bad place to put one. My old one isn't beyond hope, but the junkyard one was pretty crusty. They are soaking while I try to locate a T55 bit to remove them.

Good times

 

[64nailhead]

X2 on the torx bit thing. I've welded many a nut onto Ford pickup truck hold down bolts in the bed due to corrosion. I guess if you live someplace where salt is used as a dining room condiment, then you've never felt this pain.

 

[ssn696]

Another route is to cut flats on two sides with a cutoff wheel and use a wrench or vice grips.

The Tee fitting can be found at most parts stores, but also look at Inline Tube. They have a lot of really obscure stuff. If you need specific bits, I have a friend who is a Jeep guy and also lives at the local UPull and Pay on the weekends.

 

[Wageslave]

I hopefully won't have to use a cutoff wheel to get it off, as access is limited. Worst case scenario, I might have to weld a nut on but it is about 8 inches from a plastic gas tank.

As far as the brake line goes, the tee shouldn't be hard to locate but the flex line may be something that has to be searched out in a parts catalog. This is one of those times that I will be going to NAPA instead of Autozone. My NAPA still has their books on the counter like in the olden days.

 

[ssn696]

Don't forget Rockauto.com. Costs ya nothing to search their catalog for a part number. It may even be there...

 

[pontiacgp]

From what I have read Jeep used a thread lock on those bolts and they have to be heated up to 350° for the thread lock to loose it's grip.

 

[Wageslave]

I happened to be at a Chrysler dealer for unrelated reasons (wife's Charger), so I asked the parts counter person about my situation. He was quite informative.

He said that the block is not actually welded to the axle, but is held on by the vent tube bolt. The back edge is just machined to match the axle tube's curve. He also told me that the brake line with that block on it costs about $260 to replace. Also that the bolt/vent tube is unavailable anywhere and no dealer on the country has one (so don't break it).

Good times

 

[Ribbedroof]

X2 on the torx bit thing. I've welded many a nut onto Ford pickup truck hold down bolts in the bed due to corrosion. I guess if you live someplace where salt is used as a dining room condiment, then you've never felt this pain.

Roger that!

Even down here, they're a PITA. Lots of the time, the nut twists out of the j-nut clipped to the frame. Just a bad idea all the way around...why all the sealer?????? Not like the bed's going anywhere.

 

[ItsnotaGN]

Chrysler even found a way to make the Dana 44 on the back of some Grand Cherokees' crap. Aluminum housing and an apparent set of "howl-o-matic" gears.

 

[Wageslave]

Chrysler even found a way to make the Dana 44 on the back of some Grand Cherokees' crap. Aluminum housing and an apparent set of "howl-o-matic" gears.

The funny part is that they are the better of the options available. They can at least be made betterish with modifications. The Dana 35 is unredeemably crap.