High Hood 453-GB2

Joe’s tool arrived yesterday. I was pleased with the quick delivery, and the build quality. The design is so elegant that if I wasn’t married, I might be placing it on the mantel, like a piece of sculpture. But my wife likely would suggest that I put it somewhere else. Ouch.

Anyway, I will repot back next week, after the arrival of the box of parts from K-W.

Stay warm,


Jim
 
Yesterday I was able to remove and replace the oil seal, and install the e-brake shoes and other hardware. So what remains is only to adjust the e-brake, install the cable, and reconnect the driveshaft.
I have no doubt that Joe's removal tool would have worked well, had the seal not been installed backwards - as had been speculated, above. So the tool began pulling, but soon crushed the rubber seal and spring, so I had to use some hand tools to finish the removal. Anyhow, I am glad that task is behind me. One mishap and a reminder of what can happen - as I lay beneath the CJ wrenching, a socket slipped free as I pulled on the ratchet. The handle clobbered my face pretty good. The final assessment is: probably no teeth damaged, but I do have a really nice shiner today!

But now on to whatever task is next... Happy weekend & stay warm, everyone.
 
Good work getting her back together.
Wrenching under a vehicle can be hazardous to your health. Years ago, I changed an Allison Automatic behind a 653 Detroit Diesel in a 4x4 Snow Plow. After finishing up the transmission R&R. I was re-installing the drive shaft. I had the front u-joint finished and slipped the rear Joint into the Differential yoke. It fit nice and tight, (so I thought). I turned and reached for the tools and the drive shaft fell out and hit me upside the head harder than any human could have hit me. Talk about seeing stars and getting a shiner.
 
Wow, Rodney - My experience sounds pretty mild compared to yours. Like you, I saw stars and I blinked through a watery eye for most of the rest of the adventure. At least it dripped downhill as I lay on my right side! But these are good alerts to be vigilant!

I think the hydraulic brakes will be the next to get my attention, once I button-up the e-brake.
 
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So the rear of the D18 is all done. Oops. There's a leak from the front end...
So today I began with some other "easy" maintenance and review of various parts (electrics, body, etc.) - basically avoiding dealing with the leak from the front oil seal. Eventually, it had to be addressed. I temporarily got the CJ off the front dollies in order to get the driveshaft to rotate a bit, so that I could access all four nuts on the u-joint. Along the way, I cleaned-away at least another ten pounds of messy, oily, and caked crud.

Now I'm looking at that yoke spinning freely, retained by the 1 1/8" nut. I'm imagining that I might carefully wrap the yoke, to protect it while I use a pipe wrench to to hold it from rotating, as I attempt to break the nut free. Assuming that works, then how does a guy remove the Yoke? I am thinking of some oil and possibly the application of heat. ??? I'd like to avoid the purchase of another Special Tool - Possibly a rental?

Edit, 2/12/26: As I considered this - as I sort of slept during the night - it occurred to me that the nut will be stationary if the TC is engaged. Had the Jeep been downstairs in the garage, I'd have gotten out of bed to confirm this. If that's correct, then my pipe wrenching scheme is needless. And probably the Yoke will come off without too much trouble. [fingers crossed!]. Back up there tomorrow...

P.S. - The shiner has almost completely faded. Ha!
 
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For no more than I accomplished, yesterday mostly was a waste of gas driving to the Willys. I had PB Blaster and a MAP gas torch, along with a breaker bar and the proper socket. And a hammer. When I return, I'll chock the tires, in an attempt to hold the wheels from creeping, which may help to keep the Nut and Yoke from rotating as I wrench. As a backup, I'll also carry along a pipe wrench to apply to the Yoke, if needed.

Thinking positively, maybe that penetrating oil has been softening some of what is freezing that nut in-place? But the Realist in me says, "No".
Back at it tomorrow. [Will it possibly take an impact wrench?]
 
I would use an impact wrench if one is available. I have a 1/2" Ryobi 18 volt that works well but not as powerful as air....but I'm guessing you do not have air available.

There are impact wrenches that are hand held and use a hammer to provide the impact......


Might take a couple of batteries to get it loose with the Ryobi. Hearing protection too.....Good luck!
 
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Thanks for your reply. I have an 18v Ryobi hammer drill, but no impact. I may look for a rental if my next attempt doesn’t go well. I appreciate the advice!
 
I would rent the impact before I went back out & wasted more fuel, time & frustration. Be sure you have a few extra batteries for it.
 
If you’re talking about the transfer case yoke nut, when I did the rear seal, that fought me super hard. Yes, use a pipe wrench on the yoke, it wont hurt it.
Try a dremel w wire wheel to clean the threads as much as possible. I tried an air impact, a 12 v and an 18v impact with no luck. A socket, breaker bar with 3 ft cheater pipe and me standing on the end of the cheater after several days of pb blaster ended up working finally. This really tested my patience and resolve.
Good luck!
 
IMHO...Rent a tool like that? Do a little research and buy one that fits your needs. It's not like you'll never need it again.

FWIW, I don't trust seldom used cordless tools to last as long as needed to recoup the purchase price because the batteries will become obsolete before you've used the tool enough to make the expense worthwhile. Corded tools are still being made and are a more economical choice for something that only gets used occasionally, but you'll be using for years to come.
 
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Thanks, everyone for your input! Within ten minutes of my setting up, I had the nut broken free and removed. First, a spritz of Kroil, and then letting it work while I chocked the tires, engaged the gears, set a pipe wrench on the crossmember with the jaws loosely holding the Yoke from rotating. Then I slipped a “cheater” piece of pipe over the breaker bar, and the nut broke free! From there, I used the ratchet to completely get the nut off.

After that, I flailed a bit over the Yoke’s removal. I began to fabricate a puller, but recalled that I have a couple different ones at home which are cheap HF tools for front suspension work, and probably can be used as-is, or can be reconfigured to work.
So I came home, lined-up the pullers, and feel pretty good [Always dangerous!] about the path forward. I wish I was free to get back to the project tomorrow morning, but I am committed to something else.

Again, I deeply appreciate all of the support, and I will report - probably next week - once the Yoke is out and its condition assessed. And, hopefully, that the oil seal has been replaced.
Thanks! Jim
 
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Back at it today. With the Nut removed, the Yoke released quite easily using just an inexpensive 2-jaw puller. Then Joe DeYoung's tool got the Oil Seal out with no trouble. The new Oil Seal set pretty easily by re-using a short (~4") length of Schedule 40 2" (ID) PVC - the same as I used for installing the rear oil seal. In both cases, I applied a very light film of RTV onto the seal to help them glide into position.

The Yoke has a small groove worn into it, so I am following someone else's approach by using some JB Weld in the groove. The Yoke was cleaned, the JBW applied, and is curing, now. After a full cure, I will figure how to go about shaving or sanding the excess epoxy to flush. Then, I'll button-up this project, and decide which project from my full deck is next.
 

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Davidgreen59 said:
Ten minutes?
That’s totally not fair! I worked for 3 or 4 or 5 days….
You must live a cleaner life than me ;)
Click to expand...
David, I promptly had replied to your post, but it must have gone into the ether. All I wanted to emphasize is, those ten minutes were preceded by repeated fruitless, frustrating visits to the Willys while trying to free that #@!! Nut. Jim
 
The JB Weld solution appears to worked to fill the groove. Everything went back together very quickly.

I am repeatedly appreciative of the simplicity of design of these vehicles, which makes tackling the repair projects so much less intimidating. My hand-wringing before starting these jobs so far has proven unnecessary; once underway they so far have been reasonably manageable. - This is thanks in a very large part to the trailblazing and advice by members here!

I am thinking that the next step probably will be examining the master cylinder and the rest of the hydraulic brake system.
 

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