Fan bearing - replace?

[mhead]

I've a '92 XJ 4.0 with A/C and 190K miles. My experience with XJ's is that the I-6 is a very reliable motor, but the spinning things (water pump, power steering pump, fan clutch, idler pully, alternator) require replacement from time to time. I've replaced nearly all at one timer or other.

My idler pully was the most recent to go. It occurs to me that there is another bearing that I should swap out, this being the bearing upon which the fan/fan clutch spins. It appears that this bearing is located (pressed into?) within the aluminum bracket that holds my A/C pump.

What is the correct name for this bearing so I can do a searh on ?

Anyone have experience replacing it? Is it hard? Know of any instructions for doing this job?

Thanks!

[falcon556]

I don't think there is anything replaceable in the clutch.

[martin]

The bearing used for the fan clutch pulley is pressed into the AC compressor bracket on my 88 XJ. To change the bearing you have to get a new AC compressor bracket from the dealer.

That the only way to change it, learned that lesson a few years ago. I paid aroudn $75 for the assy if i recall, so figure $100 or less. I agree with you changing out idle pulley bearings is a good thing.

[MoFo]

Originally Posted by martin

The bearing used for the fan clutch pulley is pressed into the AC compressor bracket on my 88 XJ. To change the bearing you have to get a new AC compressor bracket from the dealer.

That the only way to change it, learned that lesson a few years ago. I paid aroudn $75 for the assy if i recall, so figure $100 or less. I agree with you changing out idle pulley bearings is a good thing.

Is there an opening behind this bearing where you can press it out? If it is in a blind hole, is there room to get hooks into the center race and pull it out?

Mine is making noise also, and I don't want to put another $100 into this old winter car.

[Spanky414]

Yep there is a hole behind the shaft and the end of the shaft sticks out the otherside a hair. It looks to me like there may be 2 bearings pressed into the casting, one for each end of the shaft and I can't see why you couldn't press them out from behind and press 2 new ones in. Thats what I'm thinking of doing personally.

Does anyone know if the A/C and Non A/C fan pully bracket are the same? Cause I have one off my non A/C parts jeep and I could get it all prepped and rebuilt and swap it in quicker then pulling it off the running jeep and rebuilding it. Thats what I just did with the idler pully. Pressed in a new bearing and put it on while changing my water pump.

[falcon556]

Originally Posted by mhead

I've a '92 XJ 4.0 with A/C and 190K miles. My experience with XJ's is that the I-6 is a very reliable motor, but the spinning things (water pump, power steering pump, fan clutch, idler pully, alternator) require replacement from time to time. I've replaced nearly all at one timer or other.

My idler pully was the most recent to go. It occurs to me that there is another bearing that I should swap out, this being the bearing upon which the fan/fan clutch spins.
Thanks!

Are we talking about the fan clutch or the A/C compressor clutch?

[mhead]

Originally Posted by falcon556

Are we talking about the fan clutch or the A/C compressor clutch?

On my I-6 4.0 liter there are 7 spinning things connected by the surpentine belt. These are:

Crankshaft pully
Alternator
Air conditioner pump
fan/fan thermal clutch assy
idler pully
power steering pump
cooling system water pump

The bearing(s) I want to replace are within the bracket that holds the A/C pump. The fan/fan clutch spins upon these.

[martin]

The AC mount is different from the non-AC mount on my 88 XJ. The non-AC mount has fittings to attache a large and small idle pulley to replicate the pulley positions of an AC equpped vehicle.

The brackets are not interchangable. When I went to buy my new bracked I asked for the 'bearing assy" and they showed me the ONLY way to buy it is to get the bracket assy which includes the bearing.

IF the bearing was avaiable from the dealer then I would of gone with the "press out-press in" approach but it was not which left me with replacing the bracket. How much money you want to spend is dependent on how much you need the vehicle. I was doing a "service life extension program" and I was replacing all the wear items.

I have NEVER seen a post on here where someone said their AC fan bearing went out. If money an issue drive it until the bearing quits, the only thing you may be out is a tow to the nearest garage to get it fixed. If I never go more than 10 or 20 miles from home I may do that but I just make the 600 voyage to Chicago in the XJ for Christmas, I can't afford to break down in the middle of TN, KY, IND, or IL and be at the mery of the local garage. This parts will take a day or two to get when you need one. It is a personal decision, I was fixing problems before they happen so it on my schedule not the failed component's schedule.

[Spanky414]

Well it sucks that the brackets are different, but you should still be able to just replace the bearings for the belt driven fan. Just because you couldn't buy them like that from your auto parts place doesn't mean you can't get them somewhere else, just press out the shaft and bearings and find a bearing supplier to sell you some new ones of the same sizes.

[Spanky414]

Originally Posted by martin

The AC mount is different from the non-AC mount on my 88 XJ. The non-AC mount has fittings to attache a large and small idle pulley to replicate the pulley positions of an AC equpped vehicle.

The brackets are not interchangable. When I went to buy my new bracked I asked for the 'bearing assy" and they showed me the ONLY way to buy it is to get the bracket assy which includes the bearing.

IF the bearing was avaiable from the dealer then I would of gone with the "press out-press in" approach but it was not which left me with replacing the bracket. How much money you want to spend is dependent on how much you need the vehicle. I was doing a "service life extension program" and I was replacing all the wear items.

I have NEVER seen a post on here where someone said their AC fan bearing went out. If money an issue drive it until the bearing quits, the only thing you may be out is a tow to the nearest garage to get it fixed. If I never go more than 10 or 20 miles from home I may do that but I just make the 600 voyage to Chicago in the XJ for Christmas, I can't afford to break down in the middle of TN, KY, IND, or IL and be at the mery of the local garage. This parts will take a day or two to get when you need one. It is a personal decision, I was fixing problems before they happen so it on my schedule not the failed component's schedule.

I'm not sure what your looking at but I just took a look at my 88 A/C and non A/C mechnical fan brackets and they look identical with a spot on top to bolt on an A/C compressor or a dummy pully. I really don't see why they didn't make the dummy pully the same size as the A/C pully so they only had to stock one belt.

[dietschs95yj]

I am a mechanic at a Jeep dealership ,and I have never replaced one,now all the other pulleys ,that is a different story.

[Bones]

Originally Posted by dietschs95yj

I am a mechanic at a Jeep dealership ,and I have never replaced one,now all the other pulleys ,that is a different story.

Just ordered mine today. $125 for the bracket, but I'm tired of the constant bearing chatter and squawk. I'm at 222K mi so I guess I got the good out of the original set up.

Bones

[lax17]

Can you replace the bearing the same way on a '98?

[Beetlejuice]

Originally Posted by Spanky414

Yep there is a hole behind the shaft and the end of the shaft sticks out the otherside a hair. It looks to me like there may be 2 bearings pressed into the casting, one for each end of the shaft and I can't see why you couldn't press them out from behind and press 2 new ones in. Thats what I'm thinking of doing personally.

I found this thread searching and this my exact question. Has anyone successfully replaced just the bearings on the AC bracket pulley?

[5-90]

Originally Posted by Beetlejuice

I found this thread searching and this my exact question. Has anyone successfully replaced just the bearings on the AC bracket pulley?

Not just yet - I'm still collecting brackets so I can redesign them to accept a serviceable bearing. Thrown away the old one yet?

5-90