Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ. Manual

has an iron center casting (differential housing) with
axle shaft tubes extending from either side. The
tubes are pressed into and welded to the differential
housing to form a one-piece axle housing.

The integral type, hypoid gear design, housing has

the centerline of the pinion set below the centerline
of the ring gear.

The axle has a vent hose to relieve internal pres-

sure caused by lubricant vaporization and internal
expansion.

The axles are equipped with semi–floating axle

shafts, meaning that loads are supported by the axle
shaft and bearings. The axle shafts are retained by
bearing retainer plates on the axles which are bolted
to flanges at the outboard end of the axle tubes.

The cover provides a means for servicing the differ-

ential without removing the axle.

For vehicles equipped with ABS brakes, the axles

have a tone ring pressed onto the axle shaft. Use

care when removing axle shafts to ensure that the
tone wheel or the wheel speed sensor are not dam-
aged.

The 198 RBI axle has the assembly part number

and gear ratio listed on a tag. The tag is attached to
the differential housing by a cover bolt. Build date
identification codes are stamped on the cover side of
an axle shaft tube.

The differential case is a one-piece design. The dif-

ferential pinion mate shaft is retained with a
threaded pin. Differential bearing preload and ring
gear backlash is adjusted by the use of selective
spacer shims. Pinion bearing preload is set and
maintained by the use of a collapsible spacer (Fig. 1).

Axles equipped with a Trac-Lok

y differential are

optional. A Trac-Lok differential has a one-piece dif-
ferential case, and the same internal components as
a standard differential, plus two clutch disc packs.

OPERATION

The axle receives power from the transmission/

transfer case through the rear propeller shaft. The
rear propeller shaft is connected to the pinion gear
which rotates the differential through the gear mesh
with the ring gear bolted to the differential case. The
engine power is transmitted to the axle shafts

198 RBI AXLE

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Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ. Manual - part 26