I have a 98 Grand Cherokee (Dana 35) that I'm pretty sure has a bad rear wheel bearing. According to the Haynes manual, you remove the axle and then with a slide hammer puller remove the bearing from the axle housing. My question is does the axle just slip fit into the inner race of the bearing or do the bearings ride on the axle surface? That's the way a lot of Ford trucks are made and most of the time the axle must be replaced since it is the also the inner race and tends to get pitted. Thanks in advance.

 

You my have to open diff cover, remove the pin to have access to C clip. The C clip is there to hold the axle inside. If you have "play" in wheel (sideways or up-down) then could be wheel bearing, but if you do not have "play" then most likely pinion or diff bearing is going out. Most of the time, when wheel bearing go out the seal will leak too.

 

Let me answer my own question in case someone else is searching in the future -

The rear axle bearing is a cylindrical bearing - not a taper bearing. That means that it does not have an inner race. The bearing rides on the axle shaft - the same design as a lot of Ford trucks. Personally, I think it is a crummy design. If the bearing goes out, it will likely wipe out the bearing surface which is the axle. Much more expensive to replace an axle than an inner race.

BTW - in my case the noise was from the differential carrier bearing. But I did replace axle bearings and seals since they are cheap enough.

 

Thanks for posting the answer, especially since you found out the hard way. Were you able to replace differential carrier bearing?

Do you have any comments about the type of noise you were hearing in your rear axle to help someone else who may be trying to diagnose their noise?

 

like me!!!!!!

 

Did you test those shocks yet?

 

yes and its bouncy but no creeking or squeeking

 

The "bouncy" is the weak shocks, the squeaking/ creaking would be springs, and would (hopefully) require more weight than you're exerting. Your springs should handle 1,000+ lbs. But hopefully you'll get more info about what noise the diff carrier bearing makes here.

 

ya. im plannign on replacing those shocks when i do the bb. and ya dude what noise did it make lol!

 

You can buy axle repair bearings if your axle has groove wore in it the bearing rides in a new location on the axle.

 

Yes, the diff carrier bearing was replaced. It had to be pressed on/off but the local NAPA store shop did it for $10.

As far the noise - you could only hear it when sitting in the back seat. It was kind of a low pitched roar. Once you got over 30mph it was very noticeable.

 

Any noises when turning?

 

I assume you mean "turning" by hand. No, with the Jeep on jackstands you could turn the driveshaft and wheels by hand but could here no abnormal sounds. I has to have some load on it.

 

while driving and making turns you load differential bearing. Axle bearing can be easily diagnose with car on stand by grabbing a wheel at 12-6 and 10-3 and see if you have any play. If the wheel have no play and no noise coming from then most likely your differential bearings are bad.