mfisher2112

Ok, so the second rear was a MESS. Opened the pumpkin and the diff fluid was black and had water in it, and on top of that, the gears just tumbled out.

Went and got yet a THIRD rear. If this doesn't work, I'll be selling a jeep REAL CHEAP!

mfisher2112

Ok. Got the rear in. Road tested. Feels kinda funny. When I let off the accelerator, it feels like it pulls back harder than it did before. You know that hard drag when the trans is in low and you accelerate and let off the gas and it drags back? That's what it feels like. Not that extreme, but definitely harder than it did before. Any thoughts?

ok93zj

Make sure a brake isn't dragging. Or if your parking brake is set up to tight.

mfisher2112

That was what I was thinking. I used the parking brake assembly that was on the rear because I don't ever use the e-brake anyway.

What would it feel like if the gears were off from the front rear?

ok93zj

That shouldn't matter until your in 4wd and I think it would start breaking stuff cuz your t case would be trying to turn the same speed but your gear would be trying to turn at different speeds. I don't know exactly but thats what I think would happen. Hopefully blue or someone else speaks up on that part.

mfisher2112

Drove the thing around a bit yesterday. The "drag" on the rear seams to be working itself out, but now I have a vibration and a growl when shifting into overdrive at about 50 mph.

I'm really getting fed up quickly with this thing.

When I reseated the DS after installing the rear, it seamed that the shaft that inserted into the TC didn't go in as far as it did on the other rear. I know that shouldn't be the case, but I saw a heck of a lot more "clean silver" on the DS input shaft than I did before I pulled the DS out. Am I going to have to replace DS with a longer DS? The rear I have came out of the same jeep, so that shouldn't be the case, but it certainly feels like a DS vibration to me.

mfisher2112

Just checked the drive shafts. They are solid as a rock. U-joints don't budge a millimeter when you try to shake them. I'm lost and about to give up on this thing...

ok93zj

If its same reared then you shouldn't need a longer driveshaft.

After you put the rear in did you tighten up the sways bar and control arm bolts with the weight of the vehicle on them with the tires on and on flat ground? I know that when doing a lift your supposed to tighten all bolts with the tires on and on level ground.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong plz.

ol"blue

Correct. You're only supposed to have the upper & lower control arm bolts and trac bar bolts finger tight until you have the weight of the vehicle on the axle, then tighten them.
For the ZJ Rear: Upper control arm bolts= 55 ft lbs; Lower control arm bolts = 130 ft lbs; Trac bar bolts = 74 ft lbs.

mfisher2112

Crap. Did not do that. I tightened everything with the frame on stands.

So I need to put this up, pull those nuts, drop the jeep and then torque them down?

ol"blue

Correct. You tightened it down while it was hanging down. That actually moved it to the rear as far as the bushings would allow. IMO

Bustedback

Take a look at the bushings to make sure none of them are torn and destroyed.

ok93zj

Make sure you do the rear away bar links too if you still have a sway bar. You'll be fighting it until you loosen it up. And then tighten it last.

mfisher2112

Climbed under this morning, all the bushings look ok at a glance.

Can I jack the rear to just release the pressure to loosen these bolts, or does the jeep have to come off the ground again?

ok93zj

You can jack it up to loosen them. Don't have to be that hard on yourself. Lol