How To Replace Rubicon Axle Air Fitting

[Mike_H]

I can work with that. Just great to know that is (likely) what will fix my issue. I’ll pick up some 3/16 fuel tubing just in case, but plan to open the diff up and reattach a tube I now know is hooked to nothing. I’ll jb weld the fitting in place with a tube on each end and hopefully have a rear locker that works like my front.

Thanks again! Cheers!

5/32 tubing. 3/16 is a wee bit too big.

 

[Shonuff]

5/32 tubing. 3/16 is a wee bit too big.

Got it. Thanks!

 

[PRNDL]

These fittings are now $110-125 online. I'm going to give this a go on my rear diff.

 

[Mike_H]

These fittings are now $110-125 online. I'm going to give this a go on my rear diff.

Mine has been working now for 5 years. I do need to re-epoxy the fitting though. Last time I was under, I noticed the slightest bit of dampness around them.

 

[PRNDL]

Pulled the cover to get this started last night. My fitting is rusted in there really good. I hit it with some PB blaster and let it sit for what its worth. I'm going to use a chisel and drill to see if i can break it free today. I'm doing all this with the axle still under the jeep and the carrier installed, fwiw.

Any tips for getting the internal hose of the fitting? I'm not sure how much pulling the tube can take without tearing it. I tried twisting it but had trouble getting my hand in there.

 

[Mike_H]

Pulled the cover to get this started last night. My fitting is rusted in there really good. I hit it with some PB blaster and let it sit for what its worth. I'm going to use a chisel and drill to see if i can break it free today. I'm doing all this with the axle still under the jeep and the carrier installed, fwiw.

Any tips for getting the internal hose of the fitting? I'm not sure how much pulling the tube can take without tearing it. I tried twisting it but had trouble getting my hand in there.

Its been a while, but I think I used a screwdriver to push the tube off. If you can get it to twist first, you're in good shape. I did mine with the carrier installed too.

 

[PRNDL]

Success! I have a functioning rear locker!

 

[Mike_H]

Success! I have a functioning rear locker!

View attachment 292079

Nicely done!

 

[JDRAM11]

welp, here i am i dont have the magical skills of @Mike_H so im trying to find something close to the original part so i can work with it. does anyone know the diameter of the hole? i found these in amazon and it might be close enough, i want to order it ahead of time to minimize down time.
the original part is discontinued.

 

[Flatbrook]

Mine were both rusted, so I made some new ones, instead of paying a ridiculous amount of money to the dealership. No Joke, the cheapest I found these was 35 bucks plus shipping. Local dealerships wanted nearly 50! I went to the hardware store, and for less than 10 bucks, bought the materials I needed. This is the front, after I whacked it with a cold chisel. I circled the fitting, as its hard to distinguish the rusty fitting from the rusty housing! It was pretty stuck, I started to drill it out with a 5/16" drill. As I suspected, the drill grabbed it and the force from that freed up the rust bond. I was able to press it out then.

View attachment 12074

I started with a 3/16" brass compression fitting and about a 1 foot piece of 1/4" flexible copper tubing.

View attachment 12063

Using my drill press and a couple files, I "turned" the end down to 0.295" which is close to the stock fitting size. Its a loose press fit to the diff housing.

View attachment 12068

View attachment 12069

Now that its sized, I drilled a 1/4" hole through the brass fitting for the copper. After the drill passed though, the copper is line to line. To get a nice fit, I used a burr in my dremel to open the hole up to fit the copper line.

View attachment 12070

Next, Heat the copper and bend it around something to 90 degrees. This is an axle shaft for one of my garden tractors that I'm rebuilding (another hobby). Its about 1.5" in Diameter.

View attachment 12071

Heating the copper help prevent the tubing from collapsing. Finally, cut the ends to length and solder the brass and copper together.

View attachment 12072

View attachment 12073

I tried a little flare at the ends to help retain the rubber tubing, but it was too difficult to assemble. Since the system only runs at 5 psi, I just went without. I did clamp the tubing on the exterior, but inside the diff, its just a friction fit. That tubing doesn't move anyway. I don't have any good pictures of it installed. If ya'll want, I'll grab one next time I pull the tires off.

Great fix I changed the plan and used 1/4 fittings with one nut used to lock tubing in place epoxied other machined end in casing and if line ever. Gets damaged I can lock niddelnose vise grip to center nut and loosen cap and change tubing with out disturbing expoxed in fitting drill press idea is great!!!

 

[Marklar1983]

The hole in the axle housing is the right size to tap 1/8” NPT. When I replaced mine, I got a 1/8” NPT press-lock fitting for 5/32” tube. Drilled out the fitting and JB Welded a stub of steel tube inside the fitting. The 5/32” tube fits well inside the factory rubber hose, and I used small hose clamps on the fitting and the tube for extra security.

Fittings: https://www.automationdirect.com/ad...components/fittings/push-to-connect/ms532-18n

Tube: https://www.automationdirect.com/ad...-a-_hoses/straight_flexible_tubing/n532blu100

 

[Wingback73]

The hole in the axle housing is the right size to tap 1/8” NPT. When I replaced mine, I got a 1/8” NPT press-lock fitting for 5/32” tube. Drilled out the fitting and JB Welded a stub of steel tube inside the fitting. The 5/32” tube fits well inside the factory rubber hose, and I used small hose clamps on the fitting and the tube for extra security.

Fittings: https://www.automationdirect.com/ad...components/fittings/push-to-connect/ms532-18n

Tube: https://www.automationdirect.com/ad...-a-_hoses/straight_flexible_tubing/n532blu100

This looks good, but I'm not entirely following, or perhaps my imagination can't fill in the gaps completely

I think you:
1. Got out the old piece
2. Tapped the existing hole for your new push to connect fitting
3. Screwed in the fitting
4. ?Jammed a really short length of blue tube into the inside portion of the push to connect fitting and then put the factory inner hose over the blue?
5. What are you doing on the outside? Another short piece of blue tube and then push the factory line over it?

Sorry if I'm slow, but have a front and rear that both need this repair and want to understand the specifics...

Thanks!

D-

 

[Marklar1983]

This looks good, but I'm not entirely following, or perhaps my imagination can't fill in the gaps completely

I think you:
1. Got out the old piece
2. Tapped the existing hole for your new push to connect fitting
3. Screwed in the fitting
4. ?Jammed a really short length of blue tube into the inside portion of the push to connect fitting and then put the factory inner hose over the blue?
5. What are you doing on the outside? Another short piece of blue tube and then push the factory line over it?

Sorry if I'm slow, but have a front and rear that both need this repair and want to understand the specifics...

Thanks!

D-

No worries. I got a couple short pieces of 1/4”stainless steel tubing from work, and drilled out the threaded end of the push-to-connect fitting so the tube could slip inside, ~1/4” deep. Then JB Weld-ed the tube and fitting together. Inside the diff, the hoses fits on the tube, and I used tiny hose clamps to guarantee security. Outside, I actually ran my own 5/32” tube to new solenoid valves, but I’m pretty sure the blue tube will slip inside the factory tube. It may need to be secured.