OEM 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Universal Joint

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Universal Joint Parts and Q&A

• Q: How to Maintain and Fix Universal Joints in a Double Cardan System on 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee?

  A: Take out the propeller shaft and then put marks on the propeller shaft yoke and link yoke to aid in assembly. Take a drift and tap around the outside of the bearing cap assembly to loosen the snap rings, then get rid of every snap ring and grease fitting. Put a socket on the press that will fit the bearing cap under the link yoke and set another socket on the bearing cap so it is slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the bearing cap. Press a bearing cap from the outside of the link yoke, grab it carefully between your vise jaws and use a mallet and drift to tap out this bearing cap. Now, after flipping the assembly, press and tap again, this time to release the other bearing cap. Pull the cross centering kit assembly and spring from the pivot, then push the bearings out the other end of the link yoke to finish disassembly. Be sure that all alignment marks on the link yoke and propeller shaft yoke are line up for assembly. Grease the inside of the yoke bores with grade 1 or 2 grease, fit a cross sleeve to the propeller shaft yoke and place the bearing cap over the trunnion so the needle bearings are aligned and upright while the cap is over the yoke bore. Inside the yoke bore, push the cap enough to close the space for the snap ring. Slide a snap ring into place, flip the shaft yoke and install the other cap with a snap ring on its trunnion. Place the link yoke on the trunnions that remain, press both caps into place on the bearings and set the snap rings. Assemble the centering kit assembly inside the link yoke and make sure the spring is in the right place. Screw two bearing caps onto the two nearby trunnions, then fit the open trunnions into the link yoke bores and the bearing caps into the centering kit, press the next set of bearing caps in and snap in the last set of rings. Place the snap rings into the grooves, bend the center of the joint to check that it snaps over-center in both directions and set in the propeller shaft last.