Wave spring replacement KJ AWD

[DeanoTS]

Have a search for a thread I started a few years back.

I had mine done (in a FWD but it would be the same) without removing the transmission.

I paid $900 or so from memory and I am very happy I did as the wave spring basically crumbled upon removal. I was lucky that the entire wave spring was there.

Keep in mind that the transmission place should piece the wave spring like a puzzle, if you are lucky it will all be there, if not then the transmission needs to be removed and opened up which will really add to the price.

Hi Spetz, thanks for the reply. You were lucky the transmission didn't have to be removed as everyone I could find on here said the transmission had to be removed. I basically was wondering if the AWD is any different as I had the wave spring replaced in my KL Verada (5 speed auto) 3 years ago and it cost me $1800 , the transmission was still ok as the wave spring bits had not got past the filter but the transmission guy said the transmission had to come out, weather he was telling the truth or not I will never know. My KJ AWD still drives fine but I can't afford the cost to repair it, so it may have to go very cheap, has more power then my KL Verada and the KJ has a after market exhaust system , sounds good but quiet.

[WytWun]

Hi Spetz, thanks for the reply. You were lucky the transmission didn't have to be removed as everyone I could find on here said the transmission had to be removed. I basically was wondering if the AWD is any different as I had the wave spring replaced in my KL Verada (5 speed auto) 3 years ago and it cost me $1800 , the transmission was still ok as the wave spring bits had not got past the filter but the transmission guy said the transmission had to come out, weather he was telling the truth or not I will never know. My KJ AWD still drives fine but I can't afford the cost to repair it, so it may have to go very cheap, has more power then my KL Verada and the KJ has a after market exhaust system , sounds good but quiet.

I had my TJ AWD's wave spring replaced at the same place Spetz had his done, also without the box being removed from the car. Mine was done a few months after his and the price was just under the $1k mark as best I recall.

Like his, the wave spring came out of mine in pieces which the shop were able to jigsaw together and be confident it was complete. If they can't find all the bits they can't be sure whether fragments are still floating around ready to get into the pump or gear sets; the only way to be sure all fragments have been removed is to pull the box out and strip it down... If some bits have already come out via the sump plug and you've kept them then they can be included in the jigsaw, but otherwise no shop would be able to give any confidence that all the parts have been found.

The guy I dealt with said with the box in the car the replacement required about 5 hours of labour; if the box was already out of the car the replacement would require 2 hours of labour.

[DeanoTS]

I had my TJ AWD's wave spring replaced at the same place Spetz had his done, also without the box being removed from the car. Mine was done a few months after his and the price was just under the $1k mark as best I recall.

Like his, the wave spring came out of mine in pieces which the shop were able to jigsaw together and be confident it was complete. If they can't find all the bits they can't be sure whether fragments are still floating around ready to get into the pump or gear sets; the only way to be sure all fragments have been removed is to pull the box out and strip it down... If some bits have already come out via the sump plug and you've kept them then they can be included in the jigsaw, but otherwise no shop would be able to give any confidence that all the parts have been found.

The guy I dealt with said with the box in the car the replacement required about 5 hours of labour; if the box was already out of the car the replacement would require 2 hours of labour.

Hi WytWun, thank you so much for that information, that is a big help, just wondering how long ago it was and was it done in Canberra? cheers

[DeanoTS]

It looks as though the early 5 speed autos have a pretty high rate of chewing up the wave springs, Ive had 3 4 speed autos no problems and 2 5 speed autos, wave springs failed in both. I find it hard to understand how the transmission can keep working fine when the wave spring disintegrates, why is it even used at all when it just seems to cause problems.