Wheel Bearing Problem(s).

Well a bad wheel bearing left me stranded 100 miles from my house. Ended up ruining the wheel bearing and then ruining the oil seal.

I just figured it was pressed on wrong. Bought another bearing and seal and pressed them back on.

Same problem. Just took the jeep for a test drive and it sounds like the race of the bearing isn't staying put and instead of the roller bearings just spinning inside the race the entire race is spinning instead.

The inside of the axle tube looked a little mucked up. Is it possible that the axle tube got beaten up so much that someone sanded a little off to try to smooth it down and took so much off that the race won't stay put?

Is there any way to fix that? Pull the shaft out and put a few small small tacks of weld to hold the race to the axle tube so it can't spin?

This is all speculation by the way. It could be something different but i can't think of anything else that makes sense to me.

Here's a video. The sound starts at around 8 seconds. At around 45 seconds you can hear it really lock up good. It sounds like an air tool or something. It's that clinging that sounds like bells. I am not referring to the backing plate rubbing that is also audible.

It's a D44 in question.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlPe0mnvYzA&feature=youtu.be

You can usually tell with a visual inspection what is messing up on a bearing. If it turns blue and black it is overheating. If the race is turning you can see the scuff marks. Should be very little side to side movement of the axle if you push it sideway with your thump, typical is a few thousandths (with a new bearing), you can barely feel. If a bearing looks like it has an uneven almost pitted surface it is usually wear and has worn through the hardest par tof the bearing into the softer core, you sometimes see this in a bearing run that was let through quality control that should have been scrapped.

One thing to look at is the axle tube, it should have a good amount of gear oil in it. Sometimes when mechanics change out the carrier bearings, they cover the oil notch (or hole) in the shims and the bearings don't get oil.

If the race has spun out the seat, you can notch the seat every !/8" inch all the way around with a cold chisel. You have to grind the chisel so the cutting end is at and angle. It takes some practice and feel to do it successfully. Too much and the bearing isn't going back in, too little and it doesn't help much.

That noise may not even be your outer bearing (hard to tell in your clip), it may be your inner bearing (carrier bearing). If it gets louder in reverse, it is likely your carrier bearing or even your pinion bearing. Sound travels back there and it is difficult to nail down where it is coming from. Had one buddy (a master mechanic) who replaced every bearing in the rear end, we finally figured out it was the rear tranny bearing. Noise sometimes fools the professionals.

I'll pull the shaft again tomorrow when i get home from work. There was no play at all in the bearing. I only pushed and pulled on it though, i didn't go up and down or side to side. Will try that tomorrow as well.

I think the oil isn't the problem. When i broke down in the middle of nowhere i had oil dripping out of the end of the axle tube like a river. Ruined the USPS parking lot with gear oil.

Are you saying i notch the race? You might have to explain that one a little bit better if i'm going to attempt it.

I haven't really checked for the noise in reverse but i will tomorrow. Is it possible for me to change the carrier barrier? As long as it wouldn't mess up my gears i'm willing to try it. Would i need a case spreader?

The only reason i think it's the wheel bearing is because when i broke down my oil seal was totally mangled and the wheel bearing had like 1/4" of play in it.

Here's a picture of my old bearing. I wish i took more pictures.

Actually I still have my old bearing that I cut off.

Ill go look at it when I get home from school tomorrow and post pictures up of it.

I meant notch the race seat, the part the race sits in/or on. I doubt you'd be able to notch the race much. The seat for the race is fairly soft.

The way you described it, it sounded like the old bearing may have seized up and the old race may have reamed out the seat (or notched the axle) some and the new bearing race (inner or outer) is sitting in there too loose. Pretty much the same deal with the outer seat and the inner axle race, you can notch (knurl) them, but like I said, it does take some talent. This is old school stuff, but it does work. Now on days they fill the notch in the axle with a special welding rod (buzz box) that has tungsten particles embedded in it and then use a lathe to resurface the axle. A junk yard axle is usually cheaper.

Will reply properly to that tomorrow as I need sleep but here's why I want to keep my current d44 because it has 4.56s and an aussie locker.

I just hope I can narrow down the problem and resolve it from there.

Pretty sure you have the retainer backwards

I didn't even think that was possible. I just put it on without looking at it and pressed it on.

Would that cause that noise if it were backwards?

see how the seal is bent and fubar? The retainer is pushing in on the seal, seal is pushing against the bearing.

no bueno.

the lip on the retainer faces out.

The outer bearing race is a slip-fit into the tube. When assembled correctly it won't spin in the tube, and even if it does move a little it doesn't matter.

Hmmmmm.

This is the one i just put into my Jeep last night. Does it look backwards to you? If yes, is there any way to reverse that one without cutting everything in half and spending another $70?

Can i buy just a retainer? I literally bolted thing into my jeep, drove it down my driveway (100 feet) heard the noise and backed it back up. I doubt the bearing is cooked.

How would i diagnose/pinpoint this noise? What else could cause it? Backlash set wrong on gears? Pinion bearing? Carrier bearing?

Yes. most definitely backwards. That flange, which most don't have, faces out toward the axle flange. Also, did you not pre-lube the bearing? Can't run them dry and it takes a while after you refill the diff for lube from the center chunk to get to them.

You can use a jack and tilt the axle each way so it runs in a little faster but that takes quite a bit of wait time.

You should hand pack them with a petroleum based wheel bearing grease or at the very least flood them with gear lube right before you slide them in.

Overfill the diff slightly and go drive it easy for a bit...maybe 10 miles but no highway speeds, come back and check fluid level...

slowly pull the plug away and ...
It doesn't run out, do it again.. overfill and go drive.

If it runs out, quickly replace the plug and you're good to go. I like to check it again after driving it a couple of days and if it's too full I'll let it drain and recap it.

One last thing; Don't use a sealant on the flange. There is simply no need. It does nothing but make it that much harder to get apart next time. It, by design, cannot hold back any fluid if the seal fails.

I'm not following you. What exactly is backwards? Just the retainer ring? The piece closest to the left of the picture pressed onto the shaft? The thing looked the same no matter which way i flipped it so i figured it didn't matter. I still don't see what you're referring to.

No, i didn't prelube the bearing. It was already packed with grease so i just left it alone. Figured if the factory sends them that way they should be ready to run.

Is there any way to remove just the retainer ring or am i forced to buy another bearing at this point?

Would a bearing pressed on like this cause that noise in the video?

The retainer is the part that holds the axle in the tube... between the seal and axle flange.



From HERE

and, no, sorry there is no way to save the bearing or lock ring...

Hmmmmm. I was actually told to put that retainer that way.

I have discs on my rear 44 out of a ZJ and somewhere along the lines someone made it clear to me to put the lip facing towards the differential to hold everything in place.

No? My other side is the same way. No noise, no problems, no dripping, etc etc.

Well then. That's some info that is good to know. In that case then yes the retainer is correct.

By the looks of the seal in your first pic it didn't get seated correctly.

Did you have both axles out at the same time?

The retainer is turned correctly. No problem there.

There are a few different seals for the D44. I too have to go looking for the correct seal,....before I pressed everything together. That seal lip that is twisted out of shape is indication that something is wrong either with the seal or with the installation process.

By-the-way, the outer bearing race fit loose in the XJ D44 I have under my XJ for several years. I do not like how loose they fit but do not have a problem in more than 50,000 miles.

No. Just the passenger side axle. I highly highly doubt it as I measured about 6 times but maybe I put a shorter shaft in the side that requires a longer one.

That seal and bearing are correct for that D44.

The retainer ring is bent because when I broke down I slammed everything back together and attempted to use that to pull everything tight. I bent it back flat but it still looks slightly bent.

Ill pull the caliper and rotor off tonight and take some pictures for you guys. Ill also pop the diff cover and see if anything looks out of the ordinary.

I'm just super confused and I need to get this jeep fixed immediately.

But that retainer is used for discs to set the proper preload,. it should be facing inward like it is now, and I believe the seal is in the right place too.


http://www.billavista.com/tech/Articles/Dana_44_Rear_Axle_Disc_Brake_Conversion/

I know!

So what the ^%}* is that noise!!!!? Hahaha.

Pulling the shaft out now and popping the diff cover to look for clues.

Actually going to pull both tires pop the diff cover and try to recreate the noise and see if I see anything.

I also just noticed that the problem side is leaning 1" lower than the other side of the jeep.