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Front pumpkin gearing

526 views 7 replies 8 participants last post by  5.9 ANDY 
#1 ·
I just picked up a zj. It's a 94 limited 5.2
I have an ugly sound coming from the pumpkin when moving forward. I was told I could rip the gearing out and run 2 wheel drive. I wanted to know if this was true, if so what is the best way to do it??
 
#3 ·
It is possible, yes. After you remove the ring gear and carrier you would also need to remove the inner halves of both axle shafts.

If you do this, you MUST leave the outer halves of both axle shafts in place with the axle nuts torqued to 175 ft. Lbs. or the front bearing hubs will come apart and your front wheels will fall off. You can separate the shafts by removing the u-joints.

Edit: upon seeing that you have a 1994 5.2 with presumably a NP249(AWD) transfer case, you have CV joints instead of u-joints, and I don't think a first gen. 249 would like not having gears in front.
 
#6 ·
Yup, even the 2wd's use stub shafts with the same unit hubs. The 175ft/lbs you put on the axle nuts is the preload for the wheel bearing, you gotta get it right.

Hubs will totes separate without a stub shaft.
 
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