Wheel Fell off at 75 MPH (New to Forum )
CF Veteran
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,097
Likes: 12
From: Tarpon Springs, FL / Denver, CO
Year: '98
Engine: 4.0 I6
For the axle shaft, assuming you have a Dana 35 c-clip rear axle;
Remove wheel
Remove diff cover
Rotate axle shaft to remove both c-clips
Slide axle out of diff tubes
For the wheel bearings, I just rent a slide jammer and bearing removal kit from O'Reillys. Rent the seal installer kit as well, makes getting the bearing in straight super easy.
I usually just pull the bearing and seal as one. Takes a bit more muscle but saves time. Press the new bearing in, use some RTV on the outer seal and let it tack up before you install it. Lube the rollers on the bearing with gear oil before sliding the axle shaft back in.
For gear oil, autozone has full synthetic Chevron Delo 75w90 for $6 a quart. Cheap and good
Black RTV or Permatex "the right stuff" gasket maker when reinstalling.
Edit:
Check your brake hardware also. Chances are it got trashed if the drum came off and the backing plates were laying on the pavement.
Look for where the axle was scraping against the pavement and try to just check and see if anything looks out of place, bent, etc
Watch this video - should explain the majority of the process.
Remove wheel
Remove diff cover
Rotate axle shaft to remove both c-clips
Slide axle out of diff tubes
For the wheel bearings, I just rent a slide jammer and bearing removal kit from O'Reillys. Rent the seal installer kit as well, makes getting the bearing in straight super easy.
I usually just pull the bearing and seal as one. Takes a bit more muscle but saves time. Press the new bearing in, use some RTV on the outer seal and let it tack up before you install it. Lube the rollers on the bearing with gear oil before sliding the axle shaft back in.
For gear oil, autozone has full synthetic Chevron Delo 75w90 for $6 a quart. Cheap and good
Black RTV or Permatex "the right stuff" gasket maker when reinstalling.
Edit:
Check your brake hardware also. Chances are it got trashed if the drum came off and the backing plates were laying on the pavement.
Look for where the axle was scraping against the pavement and try to just check and see if anything looks out of place, bent, etc
Watch this video - should explain the majority of the process.
Last edited by investinwaffles; Apr 12, 2017 at 10:06 PM.


