Yukon Gear Replacement Front Spindle For Dana 30 / 79-86 Jeep / 6 Hole

A front wheel on a Jeep CJ5 or CJ7 that keeps working loose no matter how often you adjust the bearings, a spun inner race that has galled the spindle, a bent spindle from a hard trail hit, or a stripped adjusting nut thread are the usual reasons people search for a replacement Dana 30 front spindle. The Yukon Gear & Axle YP SP706537 is a new forged steel 6-hole spindle for the 1979-1986 Jeep CJ Dana 30 front axle. It is sold individually, so order two if you are replacing both sides.

What the spindle does in a CJ Dana 30

On the CJ Dana 30 the spindle is the stationary shaft the front hub turns on. It bolts to the steering knuckle with six bolts, and the outer stub axle passes through its center to drive the hub through the locking hub. The two tapered wheel bearings sit on machined journals on the outside of the spindle, 1.625 in. at the outer bearing and 1.781 in. at the inner bearing on this part, and the adjusting nuts thread onto its end. Every bit of the Jeep's front weight, braking load and steering force goes through those journals, which is why Yukon gives this spindle a deeper heat treatment at the bearing surfaces than the original part.

Symptoms of a worn or damaged CJ spindle

• Wheel bearing play that comes back days after a careful adjustment, a sign the inner race has been spinning on the journal
• Blued, scored or stepped bearing journals found when the hub is pulled
• Front end wander, shimmy or uneven brake pad wear from a spindle that is no longer square to the knuckle
• Damaged threads that will not hold the adjusting nut and lock washer
• A grinding or knocking from the hub area that new bearings did not cure

How to confirm before you buy

Jack the wheel off the ground and rock it at 12 and 6 o'clock. Play here can be bearings, ball joints or the spindle, so pull the locking hub, the adjusting nuts and the hub before blaming the spindle. Clean the journals and look for heat discoloration, scoring or a polished ring where a race has spun. Run a nut on the threads by hand. While the spindle is off, inspect the outer stub axle and its U-joint; a worn stub often wears the spindle bore, and the Yukon 4340 chromoly CJ outer stub is a common upgrade at the same time. Our Dana 30 front axle problems and rebuild cost guide walks through the rest of the axle.

Fitment

Yukon lists this spindle for the Dana 30 front axle, standard rotation, in the 1979-1983 Jeep CJ5 and the 1979-1986 Jeep CJ7. It has a 6-hole mounting flange, 1.625 in. and 1.781 in. bearing journals, and is built for the 27-spline stub axle. Earlier CJs and other Dana 30 and Dana 44 applications use different spindles with different hole counts and journal sizes. The CJ8 Scrambler is not on Yukon's chart, so confirm with your old part before ordering. Count the bolt holes, measure the journals, or send us your year and VIN.

Install notes

• Support the axle on stands, remove the wheel, caliper, locking hub, adjusting nuts and hub assembly.
• Remove the six spindle bolts. Old spindles are often rusted to the knuckle; tap around the flange with a brass hammer rather than prying on the journals.
• Clean the knuckle mating face completely so the new spindle sits flat, and check the stub axle U-joint before it goes back in.
• Install new wheel bearings, races and seals. Old bearings that ran on a damaged spindle should not be reused.
• Pack the bearings with wheel bearing grease and set the bearing adjustment and spindle bolt torque to the factory procedure.
• If the front diff is open for service at the same time, the Dana 30 27-spline spider gear kit and the Dana 30 1310 pinion yoke cover the common wear items, and a ball joint and U-joint press kit handles the stub joints.

More reading: wheel bearing noise symptoms, manual locking hub buyer's guide and how to replace a U-joint.

Does this fit a 1978 CJ5?

No. Yukon lists it for the Dana 30 front in 1979-1983 CJ5 and 1979-1986 CJ7 only. Earlier CJs use a different spindle.

Is it sold as a pair?

No, it is sold individually. Order two if both sides are worn.

What bearing journal sizes does it have?

1.625 in. at the outer bearing and 1.781 in. at the inner bearing, with a 6-hole mounting flange, for the 27-spline stub axle.

What else should I replace with the spindle?

New wheel bearings, races and seals on that side, and inspect the outer stub axle U-joint. If the stub is worn, replace it at the same time.

Does it come with bolts?

No hardware is included. Reuse good spindle bolts or buy new ones and torque them to the factory spec.