2WD Unit Bearings

I recently came across a 50K mile '99 in near-perfect shape. The downside is it's 2WD, the upside was it was cheap, in great shape, and has the uber-cool overhead console. I can fix the 2WD part...

The "near-perfect" part is that it has a sound from the front end that sounds to me like bad wheel bearings - road speed related low growl that gets a little louder as speed increases.

I've jacked it up and checked for play, up and down, side to side, and there is none. As in zero slop. I've switched wheels and tires out with my other Cherokee and the sound remains. It came with very mild tires - Wrangler RT/S I think. Could it still be unit bearings? If not, what the heck could it be?

The 2wd ones have a different style hub that integrate with the rotor. If the wheel bearings are bad, you can change just the bearings.

If you are changing to 4wd soon you will be replacing all of that anyway.

4WD is probably coming in the fall, it'll take some time to save up play money and find a wrecked late-model donor.

If the wheel has no play in it, can it still be bearings?

Dry bearings make noise.

Sure it isn't pad/rotor noise?

Yeah, definitely not brakes noises. I'll just pull it in the garage and start tearing into it. I just wanted to rule out everything else it could be.

Thanks for the help!

joe_peters said:

Dry bearings make noise.

Click to expand...

Yup, then eventually they seize.

joe_peters said:

"This poster has Oldsheimer's"

Click to expand...

You got senile and bought an Oldsmobile?

I am having the same problem with my 2wd. What is the remedy for dry bearings?

DIKASUN said:

I am having the same problem with my 2wd. What is the remedy for dry bearings?

Click to expand...

Replace and lube. Spindle bearings usually like to be cleaned, inspected, and replacked at fairly regular intervals, provided they're not sealed from the factory (I'm thinking every year or so is about right - more often if you deal with water or a lot of towing.)

But, if a bearing gets run dry, the damage is already done. Don't bother trying to salvage it.