Hypoid previously posted:
"If you repair what you have now, you'll avoid setting up the gears...twice."
You know it! And - it's a job I'd hire out as it's one I do not have experience in.
When I purchased the Jeep, the rear ARB was toast and the cost was $1500 (1K for the ARB + ring & pinion/bearings/seals + labor). That isn't what I have in financial plans for the beginning of the summer.
So, I might just go rear wheel drive only for the summer (remove front driveshaft and never lock in the front hubs and the internals won't spin). It depends upon cost for sticking in an open vs. just holding off to "do it right and do it once". Now, I could just stick in an open and call it good and decide if I want to go ARB up front or not.
Here are some carnage pix. The major item is that ALL of the ARB "hold together" bolts have loosened and come out of what they should be holding together. This makes me wonder if the person WHO PUT IT TOGETHER (before I purchased the Jeep) did a POOR JOB TORQUING THE BOLTS such that they didn't stay. I won't know but that could be the failure mode.
With the angled markings on the outer ARB body I'd like to see the condition of the pinion gear & nut holding it on.
Looking at the bright side of life - working on the driveline will get me well in tune with the condition of the vehicle.
Some sort of ring or seal, broken pieces and below, three remaining ARB hold together bolts (plus some chunk of metal)