cris well

I'm in the process of changing the LF joint on my 98 Cherokee XJ.

It was making a horrible grinding noise and the last time I drove it I thought it was gonna fly apart.

I got the joint knocked out and all the needle bearings look good and it still has plenty of grease in it it looks like.

Is there something else that would grind like that? Could the hub itself go bad?

If the inner bearing at the carrier goes bad will it grind?

I was sure the grinding was coming from the LF but I could be wrong.

Thanks for any info.

Jeepin'_Aint_EZ

Have you checked the wheel bearings? Wheel bearings will certainly make grinding noise when they're bad. With the tire in the air, grab the tire by the 12 and 6 o'clock position and push the top in and pull the bottom towards you. Then reverse. If it shakes back and forth, most likely the wheel bearing is bad. I say "most likely" because if the upper balljoint is wiped out, it can cause in and out play. Sometimes it can be a combination of both. It's easier to check with the tire on because it gives you more leverage but you can check the bearing without the tire. Just push and pull harder.

cris well

No.

It's my first time working on axles and I'm not familiar with all the different moving parts there.

Is the wheel bearing inside the hub?

Is there any way to check it with it all taken apart or will I have to put all back together first?

Thanks

Cane

the front bearings are what you call hub bearings (or whatever other names you can give them), so you have to replace the whole assembly.

by having it apart, try rotate it and play around with it, try to look for any unusual play (anything other than rotational play) or binding.

you could also bolt it back onto the hub and put the wheel back on to try the 12-6 o'clock way which makes it easier to check.

by your description of the sound, if the bearing is shot you would notice it right away.

cris well

I put the splined yoke back in the hub and it all seems ok.

It spins freely and doesn't seem to have any side to side, top to bottom slack in it.

I guess I'll try to check out the pass side and see if that side is bad.

67 GMC

If you've got it all apart, I'd replace the hubs and u-joints. It's pretty easy and you're already more than half-way there. The parts aren't expensive either (Rock auto has the hubs for $40 and the u-joints for $10 each.

Check differential fluid level too while you're at it and transfer case fluid too.

cris well

Yea I figure I'll go ahead and replace the hub and u-joint while I have it apart.

I also checked the pass side and it seems to be OK too. I did the 12 and 6 o'clock check and the u-joint looks good too.

If it's still grinding when I get it back together l guess I'll have to take it to a shop and get it checked out.

I'm on the east side of Atlanta. Any locals around here know of any good Jeep shops?

cris well

I still haven't put the new axle joint and hub bearing on yet.

I haven't driven it in about a year and was just thinking about what it was doing when I stopped driving it.

It was grinding really bad when I came to a stop like the brake pads were digging into the rotors but the pads are like new.

Is that a hint as to what the problem could be? I'm thinking it may be the inner bearing where the axle slides into the carrier, but I'm probably wrong.

I found a complete 3.55 Dana 30 in good shape for $100. I'm thinking about getting it even if i don't wind up using it at this time.

67 GMC

Just a note-In your original post you didn't say it only makes the grinding noise when you put on the brakes! Your calipers could be seizing. When you took them off, were you able to move them on the slides (take out the slides and see what they look like and lube them with caliper pin lube. Rotors and pads are cheap so it could be the brand of pad you got (not sure how loud the grinding is).

You can always take it to a garage for an estimate and see what a professional thinks is the problem. If he gives you an itemized list you can use that to see what it will cost and whether you can do it.

I've paid mechanics in the past to have a look at something and then I've done the work. If you can get a working relationship, they can be very helpful and come through when you need them. They know that you don't want to spend $1000 on a vehicle with a book value of $1500-sometimes they don't want to get into a mess either (change one thing but break something else). Local garages are usually the most helpful.

I had a rear diff on a '95 suburban that would make a clanging noise if I drove in circles but was fine straight on. I took it in, he said he could replace the whole carrier and pinion bearing since all were worn (u-joint too) but that the cost would be pretty high (>$700 in new parts). He then told me to go to a junk yard and just switch the whole rear end (which was good advice). Best $75 ever spent.

madmanmarty

Cris,check out my pics.
It will show you what to look for regarding your front brakes sticking.
It happened to me.

cris well

I just wanted to thank everyone for the advice.

It wound up being the hub bearing on the drivers side that was bad.

I watched a Youtube video of a guy showing what the play looks like with the bearing off (less side to side movement than you might expect) and mine was similar so I bolted the hub and wheel back on without the axle and it had a lot of play in it.

I put a Timken hub bearing and a Spicer axle joint in it and it drives like a new one now.

Found good prices on both from Amazon and Ebay.

At least I know how to check it now before I take it all apart in case it ever needs one on the other side. I also have another 98 Cherokee 4x4 2-door.

It actually wasn't that bad of a job.

Jeepin'_Aint_EZ

More points for me

cris well

HaHa.

I'm also curious about the torque on the axle nut.

I torqued it at 175 pounds but it seems like it's not enough.

When I broke it loose initially it seemed like it was a lot tighter.

67 GMC

175 is the spec. It seemed pretty tight when I did it. Wheel nuts aren't torqued nearly to that so it should be tight enough. The previous owner could have torqued it a lot more than that.

jordan96xj

Mine seemed higher than 175 when I initially took them off as well. If a shop or previous owner ever had them off, they might have just motored them on with an impact wrench or cheater bar, easily exceeding the 175. Running them too tight or too loose can shorten the hub life, but since you just replaced the hub, there isn't much too worry about.