Wheel bearing dead

[lfhoward]

Hi Jeepers,

I have been monitoring the sound of a bad wheel bearing in the front for a little while, and couldn’t quite tell which side the grrrrrrr sound was coming from. Came home last night, 15 mile trip, parked it. Well today I went to drive it and there was a terrible squeaking/squealing from the drivers side before I went a few blocks. Something was seized in there, and it eventually broke loose when I put the Jeep in reverse, so the wheel does turn freely again. However, I am not thinking this is safe to drive anywhere.

I have a hub bearing replacement, Mopar, waiting to go in. Today I took the wheel off and attempted to do that job. But no dice. I only got as far as the axle nut. It’s crazy stuck. I used:
- lots of PB Blaster
- A hammer on the 35 mm socket
- An 18 inch breaker bar, standing on it

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I would have tried this with the wheel on, and my pipe extension on my breaker bar, except my 35 mm socket doesn’t fit through the hole in the wheel. Instead, my pipe extension is holding the wheel steady while I try to turn the nut (see photo). I couldn’t get it to move this way. I need more leverage.

My 35 mm socket is impact quality, so maybe it’s thicker than the average socket that could fit through the wheel. Should I look for a thinner one?

What else would you try? If I can’t get the nut off, it’s over, and I’ll have to call for a tow to a shop.

Please advise.

 

[LibertyTC]

Got a propane torch? Heat that 35mm up & see if it will break free then. Often an air impact is what is needed.

 

[ElCheapo]

Yup, air impact wrench. Also clean those threads with a wire brush before running the nut off. You're going to need the brake caliper off anyway, might as well remove it now ang get a little more room to work. If you heat it you may need a new nut.
Next issue, getting the bearing off, as it will probably be seized in the spindle. Just run the bolts out partway, put a piece of metal (a socket works) between the head of the bolt and the axle tube turn the wheel with the steering wheel. That will press the bearing out. You might need the motor running.
Neverseize everything when you put it back together.

 

[duderz7]

I've had better luck with a large screwdriver into the disc vents against the brake caliper bracket rather than a bar on studs. Other than that use a longer breaker bar. Mine is 32 or 36 inches I think.

 

[lfhoward]

The West Philadelphia Tool Library has an air impact and compressor I’m going to try to get on Tuesday. Hopefully that will do the trick.

Thank you all for your ideas and support. I’ll keep you in the loop.

 

[tommudd]

Wish I were closer, have what you need in the back of the 05 as we speak to break it loose

 

[MarksmanAkula]

The West Philadelphia Tool Library has an air impact and compressor I’m going to try to get on Tuesday. Hopefully that will do the trick.

Thank you all for your ideas and support. I’ll keep you in the loop.

Yeah when i did the wheel hubs on my 07, I went strait for my 1/2" dewalt cordless impact. I never try breaker bars on axle nuts. But spraying the threads with PB and cleaning up with a wire brush is always recommended before removal.

 

[duderz7]

My impact is wimpy, so I always break stubborn ones loose with my manliness, then wind them of with the impact due to impatience. Just replaced a lower ball joint on my 2004 Yukon XL 3/4 ton yesterday, very similar job.

 

[lfhoward]

I’m interested in how the 1/2” DeWalt electric impact compares to an air impact of the same size. Which one packs more of a punch?

 

[MarksmanAkula]

I’m interested in how the 1/2” DeWalt electric impact compares to an air impact of the same size. Which one packs more of a punch?

I dont have access to air tools, or i haven tried them yet at least. But the dewalt ive got has up to 1,200FT/LBS of breakaway force and up to 700FT/LBS of torque for tightening. I've only used it on automotive tasks so far, but it hasn't skipped a beat yet. Will either tighten or loosen any bolt i give it, regardless of rust or if its cross threaded.

 

[lfhoward]

Update: Got the wheel bearing changed this afternoon.

A serious impact wrench was awesome and necessary. No bolts or nuts could stand up to it.

The biggest issue of the day was popping out the old hub bearing so a new one could be installed. I had a slide hammer / puller and a 2 lb sledge. I bathed that sucker in PB Blaster and pounded on it continuously for 2-1/2 hours before it popped out! That was the stuckest stuck part I have ever had to deal with. It was the original from 2007 so it had 13 years to get nice and rusty. Mileage is just over 170K.

Here are some pics from today to prove it happened.

Caliper & rotor off, and wheel bearing exposed! Axle nut put back on so it's flush so I could tap back the axle.

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Slide hammer attached. I had some old lug nuts lying around and used those. The slide hammer will trash them so don't use your only good ones from the wheel.

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About 1.5 hours into pounding on it, I start to see a tiny gap forming. Spray PB Blaster in there!!!

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It's getting there!!! As more space opens up, tighten the slide hammer rod down on the axle to maintain outward pressure. You can see how much I've smashed the metal by pounding on it. Gotta bend that brake dust shield back later, too. (oops)

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Victory!!! Got that sucker off. 2.5 hours of banging, and not the fun kind. The YouTube videos make it look so easy!

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My hands feel bruised from the slide hammer, even using gloves.

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You can bet I used lots of anti-seize on those surfaces and on the axle splines after I got them all cleaned up.

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There is the b*stard.

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Yeah, I'm talking to you!

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New hub bearing going back on. Mopar, of course.

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Rotor and caliper back on. Once the brakes are back on, the wiring pigtail for the ABS sensor could be run & plugged in.

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And finally, the wheel, for the win.

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In case anyone follows after, here are the bolt sizes & torque specs you'll need:
Lugnuts: 19 mm, 100 ft-lbs.
Axle Nut: 35 mm, 100 ft-lbs.
Tighten or loosen with the other wheel on the ground & in 4WD on if you have an open differential like me. My 35 mm axle nut socket did not fit through the center cap hole of the wheel, so I could not do it that way.
2 brake caliper bolts: 21 mm, 100 ft-lbs.
I left the whole caliper together as a unit. Remember to hang up your caliper so there is no strain on the rubber line.
3 bolts holding the hub on: 18 mm (KK only-- KJ is different), 96 ft-lbs
To get the bolts off the back side of the hub, have a short impact socket and a u-joint swivel. You won't be able to get to them otherwise. Also, have the other wheel off the ground so you can easily steer the front wheels left and right to access the bolts.
Other stuff you'll need:
- Impact wrench, 1/2" size, the stronger the better
- Ratchet, 1/2"
- Torque wrench, 1/2", able to do 100 ft-lbs.
- 18 mm (short kind), 19 mm, 21 mm, 35 mm sockets & impact-worthy swivel
- Regular flat screw driver to help undo ABS wiring
- BFH (2 lb sledge hammer)
- Slide Hammer / Puller kit (loaner from the auto parts store; attach to hub with OLD lug nuts that you don't care about)
- PB Blaster, Aerokroil, or equivalent penetrating oil
- Brake cleaner
- Anti-seize
- Blue thread locker so stuff doesn't rattle loose
- Gloves
- Eye Protection
- Hearing protection
- Jack & Jack Stands
- Hook or old wire to hang up your brake caliper
- Wire brush & sandpaper to clean up the hub mounting surface
- Water, food, and ibuprofen!

Although you may see it done on YouTube, I did not need to pop loose any ball joints to access the hub bolts. The short socket & swivel, plus steering the wheels L&R worked just fine. No ball joints popped, no need for an alignment after.

 

[duderz7]

Glad you got it done, sounds like you had fun doing it!

 

[lfhoward]

Glad you got it done, sounds like you had fun doing it!

It was all fun except the part where I hammered on the hub for 2.5 hours before it popped loose! I had Incubus’ song “No Fun” in my head during that stage! It is definitely good to be done.

 

[LibertyTC]

2.5 hours eek, You know there is an easier solution right..

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[ElCheapo]

It would have been quicker and easier if you had read my post #3 and used that method. That's how we do it on the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. Pops them right out.

 

[DadOSix]

It would have been quicker and easier if you had read my post #3 and used that method. That's how we do it on the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. Pops them right out.

Thanks for referencing that post again! I've seen that done on Duramax etc, but had forgotten it could be applied anywhere. Love it! Built in hydraulic press!

 

[rotary_powered]

Goodness, this makes me grateful to live in Texas. I undid my three hub bolts and the hub literally fell out of the spindle after 140k miles and 10 years....

 

[tommudd]

Good job

 

[tommudd]

It would have been quicker and easier if you had read my post #3 and used that method. That's how we do it on the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. Pops them right out.

Does not always work, trust me, changed a couple of them on KKs from Northeaster Ohio
Each one took a few hours and yes I tried your method but no go
Now KJs are not nearly as bad for some reason
Changed a ton of them over the years and never had any that rusted like the KKs

 

[lfhoward]

Hey all.

Does a wheel bearing require any "break in" time? Well, I am hearing a droning noise still, and it's definitely speed-related (not engine rpm-related). I have to be above 35-40 mph before it becomes noticeable.

I know the wheel bearing I replaced was bad because it seized up and was squealing horrendously. It wasn't the brakes, and there was no evidence of a stone or anything getting caught in there. The new bearing I put in seems to be functioning fine.

I took out my thermometer gun and checked the temperatures of components after driving. Both hubs on the front are the same temperature, and both hubs in the rear are the same temperature as each other.

The front axle CV boots look fine. Both CV's were the same temperature.

The CV at the back of the front drive shaft before the transfer case was about 150 degree F, but the rubber boot is intact and it is not slinging grease. Does 150 indicate it's hotter than normal?

It is not a clicking noise nor is it a rattling chains sort of noise. Sounds like what I would describe as a growling bearing noise.

What am I missing and what should I check? Sort of bummed after doing all that work that it's still making noise.

I'm going to rotate the tires to rule them out but they were new 3000 miles ago and quiet.