Wheel Bearings

[randimal]

The front end of my new 2wd longbed is in desperate need of wheel bearings. The cheapest solution would be to put in my perfectly good XJ axle assembly (minus driveshaft), however, that would take about 6 hrs, and the weather sucks and my friends do not seem excited about working 6 hrs in bad weather.

 

The other option is replacing the wheel bearings. I haven't tried this on an XJ/MJ. I noticed the bearings themselves only seem to cost $20. What else do I need to replace these? Is this an easy job? Thanks.

[mjeff87]

Inner seals, some wheel bearing grease, and a couple new cotter pins, so long as the races in the rotor are serviceable. Remember to preload the new bearings as you tighten the spindle nut by spinning the wheel backwards as you tighten (when snug).

 

You could probably swap axles in the time it's gonna take you to do the bearings, tho ;)

 

Jeff

[JOMJ87]

Just pull the front axles and swap them out it only takes a few minutes I have done it everytime my needed replaced. ;) No time at all not even close to 6 hrs.

 

Cole

[randimal]

Not quite that easy. My XJ is 4wd. My MJ is 2wd. I don't think the XJ axles will fit real well... If I swap, the whole assembly has to go in.

[mjeff87]

The 2WD beam axle and the 4WD axle both mount in exactly the same places. Everything, and I mean everything, is the same :D

 

Jeff

[Twisty]

while you're at it, put the TC, and tranny in the MJ too :D

[Eagle]

Inner seals, some wheel bearing grease, and a couple new cotter pins, so long as the races in the rotor are serviceable. Remember to preload the new bearings as you tighten the spindle nut by spinning the wheel backwards as you tighten (when snug).

 

You could probably swap axles in the time it's gonna take you to do the bearings, tho ;)

 

Jeff

No way! Not if he has the style 2WD with a conventional spindle and inner and outer bearings. Shouldn't take more than 15 minutes per side, and that's if he's never done it before.

[JOMJ87]

OK i didnt read everything right I don't know about the 2wd and 4wd issue but if I was you Id just make the MJ 4wd and noyt worry with it. :cheers:

 

Cole

[mjeff87]

 

No way! Not if he has the style 2WD with a conventional spindle and inner and outer bearings. Shouldn't take more than 15 minutes per side, and that's if he's never done it before.

 

OK....well maybe not *that* quickly :D

 

But I'd rather swap an axle than have to clean wheel bearing grease off my hands ;)

[Eagle]

But I'd rather swap an axle than have to clean wheel bearing grease off my hands ;)

Thanks to a judicious mix of old and new ... that isn't an issue in the Eagle's nest. (a) I wear gloves, so my tender skin never contacts the yucky grease (until the gloves tear, about 37.29 seconds into the job; and (B) I'm old enough that I have a bearing packer station, left over from the days when people actually knew that wheel bearings should be greased periodically.

 

Even with cleaning up, repacking a couple of front bearings is a LOT less work than swapping out an entire axle assembly. There is no way the times would be even close to comparable.

[Oizarod115]

=

Even with cleaning up, repacking a couple of front bearings is a LOT less work than swapping out an entire axle assembly. There is no way the times would be even close to comparable.

especially with the number of stuck/breaking/breakable bolts on a 1990 MJ... and XJ. ugh. and re-alignign LCAs. ugh. could take a few minutes....

[pingpong]

The key to fast axle swaps.. is sawzall and torches. By myself and being safe I can pull a front axle out in under 1.5, and that is not cutting a thing :eek: On a junker cutting things with the smoke wrench less then 30 minutes the axle can be out. Now preeping the said scraped axle for install will take longer then that.

 

Remember it is only 4 control arm bolts, 1 trac bar bolt 2 shocks, and 2 brake lines

[randimal]

Thanks guys. It went pretty well. Parts were $75. Thats for 2 bearings per side (about $10 each), seals ($30), and grease ($5). The first side took me about an hour. The second only 30 minutes.

 

It sounded like a coffee grinder before. Now there is ablsolutely NO sound or vibes from the wheels. Like night and day. Thanks again.