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Couple things

 

#1 My 87 Comanche Pioneer 4X4 has a click, usually just once sometimes twice, when you're turning the steering wheel/wheels for a left turn. Steering gear boxes-pitman arms-tie rod ends...... just some worn steering component I don't know truck steering systems. Left turn click, anyone?

1a. What can be replaced to reduce play between the steering wheel moving and wheels actually turning?

 

#2 I believe I have a bad front wheel bearing/hub. I understand these are expensive items (like $140), and hard to remove. I want to pull one myself from a Cherokee in the pick-n-pull junk yard. Are ALL Cherokee/Comanche units the same, and what tools can I use to get an old one off in the junk yard?

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Couple things

 

#1 My 87 Comanche Pioneer 4X4 has a click, usually just once sometimes twice, when you're turning the steering wheel/wheels for a left turn. Steering gear boxes-pitman arms-tie rod ends...... just some worn steering component I don't know truck steering systems. Left turn click, anyone?

1a. What can be replaced to reduce play between the steering wheel moving and wheels actually turning?

 

#2 I believe I have a bad front wheel bearing/hub. I understand these are expensive items (like $140), and hard to remove. I want to pull one myself from a Cherokee in the pick-n-pull junk yard. Are ALL Cherokee/Comanche units the same, and what tools can I use to get an old one off in the junk yard?

 

 

Are they all the same... No.

Ealry models 85-89 use a different hub than the later models. There may be another break, but I know this one from switching from my 88 to 90 wheeling Jeep.

 

Tools needed to remove a unit hub:

13mm 12 point wrench or socket.

36 mm hub nut socket.

Brake caliper removal tools. (on my 88's, its a 7mm allen wrench, on my 90 its a 8mm 12 point wrench or socket.)

BFH and a chisel(you will need to drive the chisel down between the hub base and face of the knuckle to pop the hub loose.

Have a couple of Mountain Dew's and a bowl of Wheaties cause its not a fun job if its never been off.

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Depending on the quality of the wheel bearings, the size of your tires and the off set on your rims the 1 YR warranty sounds better. I fragged 2 wheel bearings on Pong in 1 month.. this was on 35's. Yeah it was a long month.. Did the VA annual run and Paragon 2 weeks apart.

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:yeah that:

 

but I prefer to use a slide hammer to break loose the wheel bearing from the donor vehicle. Less chance of damaging the wheel bearing.

 

 

Also beware some of the early XJ/MJ's have serviceable bearings, which are different from unit bearings

 

I've never come close to damaging a wheel bearing with the chisel method. Lay the chisel along the knuckle where the ears for the bolts are, and give it hell. I just removed one friday, and put it back on today. (my son disappeared with the U-joint on me)

 

IIRC the ones with the seviceable bearings were they VERY early ones with the CV shafts.

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The easiest way is to use a spare set of bolts.

First remove the axle nut and the hub bolts.

Then tread the spare bolts in half way and drive the bearing out by alternating hitting each bolt with a hammer.

Once the bolts bottom out unscrew the bolts slightly and all it will take is a couple of light blows to get it the rest of the way out.

 

If you chose to use a slide hammer make sure you leave the outer shaft nut tight until the hub/unit bearing is out.

If you don't you'll risk pulling the outer hub out of the bearing and damaging it.

 

I don't recommend using a chisel as the spindle and/or hub and heat shield are easily damaged.

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if you're replacing the hub check napa, IIRC my brother paid 70$ for one last week.

 

and a really really worn out hub will allow the wheels some slop when turning, so that'll tighten things up a little if its truly bad.

 

other than that, i'd try once-overing all the bolts

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NAPA's part is $145, Checker expensive too

 

Looks like I'll prob get a Valucraft part for $71

 

I've got stock suspension/wheels for now, I realize big offset wheels/lift can cause them to wear excessively.

 

(BTW I think they went bad with vehicle sitting in the same spot for 2 years)

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Autozone part ordered, coming in tomorrow.

 

The noise has gotten worse and I'm more worried about driving the truck a long way to work tomorrow.. (part comes so I could fix after work)

 

I can't believe there's not an easily identified worn part to diagnose front steering play / click when turning. I'm pretty certain its not just some loose bolt.

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UPDATE** new / still issue

 

With front wheels jacked up, you could easily tell the passenger's wheel was the one with prob.

 

Replaced pass. hub/bearing. 3 bolts tight and axle nut tight on new unit. When you turn the wheel bolts by hand, you can still distinctly hear the clanking problem. It is not the wheel bearing but is coming directly from inside that area, like axle/other turning part the hub bolts on to.

Hear is a phone video clip, can hear sound fine!:

 

Can anyone tell me what my problem is, can I get axle/etc from junk yard to fix. It would really be best for me if I could get it fixed tomorrow (sat 27th) I'll be watching this.

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I'm having that same problem

 

It didnt start right away, but after I got that 94 D30 on my truck, now it's making a clicking sound when I turn to the left. I know the pass wheel bearing has some play, but I could also blame it on that the CA hardware I used is slightly smaller than stock. (Stock was metric, I used SAE grade 8 bolts) So I'm gonna pop the original hardware back in and see if it works. Otherwise hopefully it'll go away when I change the bearing.

 

There's no play in the axleshafts or joints, so I don't think it's that.

 

Are they all the same... No.

Ealry models 85-89 use a different hub than the later models. There may be another break, but I know this one from switching from my 88 to 90 wheeling Jeep.

 

So I can't use a bearing from my 88 D30 on my 94? Well $#!&.

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Yes thank you, right it was really bad, and I said I have a new U-joint to replace now. Anyone have a how-to link on replacing, I can't get those little clips off for starters. Hard on a old rusted axle shaft?

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