how do you know if a wheel bearing is going bad? i have never replaced one but a friend has a 1999 xj and it clicks with the tires spinning. is that a wheel bearing? also he has a severe wobble even over the smallest bump now. it usually gets really sensitive at a certain speed. i know there are so many things he should look at to figure out the wobble. what things do you guys think should be looked over at 220,000 miles?

 

Wheel bearing wouldn't cause a wobble. It would howl and grind. Sounds to me line a control arm came loose. How close am I guys? I'm tryin to sound smart and all.

 

jack up the axle so tires are off the ground. grab the tire at 12 and 6 oclock and wiggle it. if you feel a clunk or rattle, bearings are shot. you can check your ball joints this way too but takes some effort to show the play, if any is there. while you are at it, put the jeep back on the ground and have someone turn the steering wheel back and forth while you check each joint in the steering for play or looseness.

 

The wobble could be trackbar or control arm bushings.

The clicking could be u-joints.

Check the bearings and ball joints just as mudd suggested.


Jake why isn't your friend a member of CF so he can ask these questions himself??

 

I would definitely lean toward u-joint for the clicking sounds. Grap the axle shaft yoke behind whichever wheel the sound is coming from and give it a few good jerks. If there's play or clunking of any kind, the u-joint is shot.

As for the wobble, like everyone said check the ball joints, check the trackbar mounting locations, the LCA bushings and mounting locations...

 

If it is the wheel bearing they are easy to swap (36mm axle nut)...goodluck.

 

can you have new bearings pressed into the old hub? My wheel bearing just went out and I would like to do it and save some money.