Unit bearings
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 6,945
Likes: 13
Unit bearings
Did some searching, mostly came up with debates on moog vs. timken. Under normal circumstances id go with the timken and be done. Actually, was planning to do the conventional bearing conversion when this came around... but these things never come at a good time. The short of it is this, bank account is bled from being knee deep in an engine rebuild, ac rebuild and new clutch, turbo, IC etc. Trying to get all of this done in time to make the portland swap meet that starts the 1st (400 miles 1-way), then tow girlfriends Duster home. Problem is the noise that i thought was coming from my t-case that is slowly digesting itself, is actually coming from the fubar drivers unit bearing. Given my position, im looking at these: 2 New Premium Front Wheel Hub Bearing Assembly Pair Set for Left and Right | eBay
Basically chinese "premium" brand, both sides for $115 shiped. Anyone tried em? For the price, even if they do only go 50k i can live with it. Just worried about catastrophic failure right out of the gate.
On a side note, anyone care to elaborate on the greasing of these things? I just kinda winged it when i put the balljoints in here 15k ago or so. Drilled out the abs lead and stuck a zerk in it.
Basically chinese "premium" brand, both sides for $115 shiped. Anyone tried em? For the price, even if they do only go 50k i can live with it. Just worried about catastrophic failure right out of the gate.
On a side note, anyone care to elaborate on the greasing of these things? I just kinda winged it when i put the balljoints in here 15k ago or so. Drilled out the abs lead and stuck a zerk in it.
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 25,479
Likes: 742
From: Isanti, MN
I wouldn't worry about catastrophic failure, but I wouldn't expect them to last very long. If that's what you have to do to keep food on the table I'd say go for it. I'd budget to replace them down the road though.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 6,945
Likes: 13
Well the new bearings showed up a while ago, finally getting around to putting them on. Quality seems pretty decent, and appear to be packed with plenty of nice, sticky grease.
Ive run into a snag however. I have the drivers bearing installed and torqued, im to the point of putting the axle stub shims and snap ring in. Problem is, i cannot get the snap ring seated. When i ran into this problem before, a little wiggling and pulling on the u-joint allowed the snap ring to go into the groove, no dice this time. Ive tried turning the steering lock to lock, pulled and wiggled the shaft and no progress. There is very little play in the axle itself, and the u-joint appears to be centered under the C's. Anyone run into this and the fix? Im lacking the width of one of the steel round washers.
Ive run into a snag however. I have the drivers bearing installed and torqued, im to the point of putting the axle stub shims and snap ring in. Problem is, i cannot get the snap ring seated. When i ran into this problem before, a little wiggling and pulling on the u-joint allowed the snap ring to go into the groove, no dice this time. Ive tried turning the steering lock to lock, pulled and wiggled the shaft and no progress. There is very little play in the axle itself, and the u-joint appears to be centered under the C's. Anyone run into this and the fix? Im lacking the width of one of the steel round washers.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 224
Likes: 1
From: Taylorsville, KY
Are you sure you got the washers in the right order? Think I remember seeing somewhere that a fellow installed the plastic/fiber washer wrong and had the same problem as you. Not 100% sure.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,053
Likes: 21
From: Pittsburgh, PA
I just recently had mine apart. Its sounds to me like the axle seal is not seated all the way down on the axle shaft. It would stop the shaft from protruding far enough to get the clip on.
I would bolt the unit bearing in place and use a large pry bar and try to and seat the outer axle stub further into the seal.
If not, then it is a manufacturing problem with the bearing. Something is out of tolerance.
I would bolt the unit bearing in place and use a large pry bar and try to and seat the outer axle stub further into the seal.
If not, then it is a manufacturing problem with the bearing. Something is out of tolerance.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2008
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Likes: 13
Think i got it fingered. Someone somewhere must've had the bearings off before. The plastic jobby with the grooves for vacuum was on the hub side, not behind the bearings. Thats how i pulled it off, so thats how i tried to put it on. Dunno what the differences were between the two hubs that i couldnt reinstall that way, but the front driveshaft turns alot easier now. Also explains why the front DS would kinda spin with the hubs unlocked and 2wd. So now, at least according to the interwebs, i have it installed correctly-ish. Being that i have good ol' manual hubs on it, and no provision for vacuum, i just tossed the culprit piece. I cant see anyway it could harm anything not being in there. I did plug the vacuum ports on the knuckles when i got the axles, as well as stuck a grease zerk in the abs port. Hopefully this didnt do any harm to the axle seal, only one way to know, but things didnt look dirty / contaminated.
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