The Jeep performed great on the trails each time we have taken it out. Since I have committed to building this as a well used trail rig, there are several items that need to be strengthened before we encounter a break. Jeep has a history of weak links and the axles are one of those weak points. The problem with the factory axles is typically found in the taper of the shaft where the spline enters the gear housing. In order to get ahead of this potential break I decided to upgrade to chromoly steel rear axle shafts from Ten Factory, and 300m CV axle shafts from RCV Performance for the fronts. The other weak link is the ball joints. The Mopar ball joints are not made to withstand the stress of turning while the suspension is heavily flexed. I decided to go with the field serviceable upper and lower ProSteer ball joints from Dynatrac. These ball joints are expensive, but looking at the strength of design along with the ability to service in the field, I figured this would be a good choice.
The rear axle upgrade was not too bad. I had to remove the wheel and brake assembly to access the hub flange bolts. Slide the old axle out, slide the new axle in while being very careful not to knock the axle seal back into the gear case.
The front upgrade was a little more challenging since I had to disassemble down to the knuckle in order to change the ball joints. I used the 8031 ball joint service kit from OTC to press out the old, and press in the new. The front axle shafts went in smooth, again being careful not to unseat the axle shaft seal. The reassembly wasn’t too bad and the Jeep was back on the road.
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