Front bearing troubles...

[Matthew Currie]

I think I see some of the problem here. No matter what you jam into the U-joint,you're going to be dealing with lost motion, flex and stress. You'll have a helluva time getting that nut off unless the tire is on the ground.

Even if you end up having to replace all sorts of stuff, you'd do better just to take the brake off and throw in some new studs first. If you're sure you will be replacing the hub, you can get away with three studs. You could even buy the new hub and rob the studs out of it temporarily. But you'll have a much easier time on that nut with a tire on the ground.

 

[wanacj]

Did you remove that cotter pin and the nut retainer before your efforts?
I only ask, because i don't see any tool marks in your photos....

 

[kakirubi]

If you are replacing the bearing anyway, I would use a little heat, not much and hit it with Deep Creep. It's alot like PB Blaster but works much faster and better. Heat up the nut a little then hit it with the Creep. Do that a couple of times and the Creep will work its way into the threads. Then hit it with a good impact.

Upon reasembly use lots and lots of anti-seize. Not only on the bolts and nuts but on the hub itself where it presses into the knuckle. Might as well change the U-joint while your there too.

Done lots of these this way.

 

[KG6ZJM]

Ok, problem solved! I got a budy of mine to bring over his nice compresor and IR impact gun. after about 15 seconds of hammering on it with that, the nut spun right off. To answer wanaCJ, i did remove the retainer and pin, the photos were taken right after it came off the tow truck. Soooo.... lesson learned? harbor freight may have cheap tools, but you get what you pay for.

 

[Blaine B.]

How is your hub responsible for the lugnuts loosening up?

If it's not loose, you don't need to remove the axle shaft. Just remove the hub, press out the studs and replace the studs.

I'd guess that A) somebody loosened your lugnuts on that wheel or B) You forgot to tighten them

 

[KG6ZJM]

I'm leaning toward somebody loosening the nuts. I was parked in a schechy part of oakland the night before, so who knows. The reason I replaced the entire hub assembly is becacuse I knew that the new units came with the studs already installed, and I have never done wheel bearings on this axle, and I don't know its history, (pick-n-pull special) so I figured it cant hurt to do the whole job while i'm in there. Good thing too, because the right side bearing turned out to be bad. So all in all it turned out to be a simple job, and I now have the satisfaction of knowing that I've got new timkin bearings on the front end.

 

[Blaine B.]

You did the hubs on both sides?

Probably not a bad idea since the hub was going to be off anyway.

They aren't servicable FYI.

 

[Yucca-Man]

A little off subject, but isn't an 88 model still a disco?

If it had the NP231, it would be a disconnect front axle. The NP242-equipped models had the non-disco front axle. Both were hi-pinion D30s.

It's a little late now, but check out http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoHubReplacement.htm if you are searching and run across this thread.

Jim www.yuccaman.com