GW Wheel Bearing, Spindle Bearing, Rotor Replacement - Information (Many Pictures)

[Kevin718]

Recently I did some work on my front driver's side wheel assembly, and I wanted to share this information with others who might not know the inner workings of that assembly.

Notes:
1. The following information is for a 1991 GW wiht a D44 front axle.
2. The following items were replaced:
Rotor
Wheel Bearings
Hub Grease Seal
Spindle Bearing
Spindle Grease Seal
Brake Pads

Picture #1:
This is a picture of the hub/rotor assembly with the tire/wheel removed:

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/1984-1992-GrandWagoneers/Kevin718-91GW-Wheel-Assembly-2.jpg

Picture #2:
This is a picture of what I found when the hub cap was removed. This is the drive gear held in place by a snap ring. After removing the snap ring, I had to pull the drive gear out using a hooked probe. The grease was all dried and hard so it did not want to come out.

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/1984-1992-GrandWagoneers/Kevin718-91GW-Wheel-DriveGear-1.jpg

Picture #3:
This is a picture of the hub after it was separated from the rotor. I drove out the wheel studs by putting a nut on the end of them and hitting them with a hammer.

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/1984-1992-GrandWagoneers/Kevin718-91GW-Wheel-HubRemoval-2.jpg

Picture #4:
This is a picture of the inside of the hub after the wheel bearings and outer races were removed, and after much cleaning. You can see where the outer races seat against the raised part in the middle.

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/1984-1992-GrandWagoneers/Kevin718-91GW-Wheel-Hub-5.jpg

Picture #5:
This is a picture of the hub with the two new bearings installed and packed in grease. Also note the sleeve between the outer bearing and the drive gear teeth. This was the confusing part. My service manual indicates that there should be a pressure spring and a spring cup inbetween the drive gear and the outer bearing, but mine did not have them. I went to the dealership, and they had exploded views that showed either the spring and spring cup or this sleeve, which is just a spacer. After seeing that, I was content to leave the sleeve in place.

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/1984-1992-GrandWagoneers/Kevin718-91GW-Wheel-Bearings-2.jpg

Picture #6:
This is a picture of the spindle with the two spindle nuts and lock washer. The point is to show what has to be removed to get the hub/rotor assembly off of the spindle. When installing, the service manual said to torque the first (inner) nut to 50 ft-lbs while turning the wheel to seat the bearings, then back off 1/6 of a turn. Then when the lock washer is put on, the first nut may need to be adjusted because it has a peg that fits into one of the holes on the lock washer. Then the second (outer) nut is torqued to 50 ft-lbs to keep it all in place.

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/1984-1992-GrandWagoneers/Kevin718-91GW-Wheel-Locknut-4.jpg

Picture #7:
This is a picture of the steering knuckle and spindle after the brake caliper suppor bracket has been removed.

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/1984-1992-GrandWagoneers/Kevin718-91GW-Wheel-SteeringKnuckle-1.jpg

Picture #8:
This is a picture of the spindle, with the nuts installed, after it has been removed.

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/1984-1992-GrandWagoneers/Kevin718-91GW-Wheel-Spindle-3.jpg

Picture #9:
This is a picture of the inside of the spindle and its bearing.

(To be added in next post, maximum number of pictures is 8.)

Picture #10:
This is a picture of the spindle axle and shows one part of the old grease seal and where the spindle bearing rides. The grease seal is actually made up of three parts. Two rubber parts and a plastic disc. When I got the bearing replacement kit, it only came with the two rubber parts, which was fine because the plastic disk was in good shape.

(To be added in next post, maximum number of pictures is 8.)

I hope you found this tour of the wheel assembly informative. Obviously this is for the beginners who have never done this before (like me). I have plans to replace the bearings in the passenger's side wheel assembly on another weekend.

[Kevin718]

Pictures not included above:

Picture #9:

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/1984-1992-GrandWagoneers/Kevin718-91GW-Wheel-Spindle-2.jpg

Picture #10:

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/1984-1992-GrandWagoneers/Kevin718-91GW-Wheel-SpindleAxle-2.jpg

[mdill9]

Looks like you got lucky ! Looking at your first pic, I would have expected to see the outer axle
stub and spindle to be to rusty to salvage.

Mike D.

[SpruceMoose]

nice timing! sure looks familiar! i replaced the pax side rotor and pads yesterday, and plan to do the drivers side today. forgot to buy new seals, so i managed to clean out the inner bearing and re-grease it while it was still in the housing.

btw, when you hear the tell-tale chirping from the front brakes, replace the pads before you need new rotors...... :( (too cold and too busy. thats my story and i'm sticking to it.)

sm.

[Joe's 89]

Heck..I didn't know the hub and rotor separated.

[SoCalCruiser]

Any more pictured of the spindle bearing job? I tore into both my front axles this last weekend, but didn't feel like getting into the spindles, although I should have.

Craig

[SoCalCruiser]

I almost forgot....where does the 'C' clip go, the first notch or the closest one to the center of the wag? I've always put mine closest to the center, but I just had all new ball joints installed and the guy (supposed to know Jeeps) put it on the outside notch.

Thx.

[Green Giant]

Clip goes in inner notch. Thread a bolt into the end of the spindle and pull it out enough to put the clip on.
But if I were you I would replace the u-joints on the axle shafts since you would have to repeat this process to get to them anyway.

[Joe's 89]

I wish we could put this in the FAQ's or something..GREAT reference material.

[Lambrewski]

Nice write-up - thank you. Do you have any pics or advice on removing and reinstalling the bearing races??

Does the spindle (caged) bearing just come right out, or is it pressed in?

Also - at pic#10 - does the axle just slide straight out (to have the U-joints replaced)?

Thanks again.

[Lambrewski]

.....and does anyone have a great writeup (with pics) on doing all this on a rear D44??

[Green Giant]

Do you have any pics or advice on removing and reinstalling the bearing races?? Brass punch to remove and a piece of 2X4 and the old race to install

Does the spindle (caged) bearing just come right out, or is it pressed in? See above answer

Also - at pic#10 - does the axle just slide straight out (to have the U-joints replaced)? Yes, be sure and vacuum out the axle tube before you re-install, they will be full of dirt. Shop vac with extensions worked for me.

.....and does anyone have a great writeup (with pics) on doing all this on a rear D44?? Haven't done this yet, but bearings are pressed onto axle shaft, means a trip to machine shop more than likely.

[Kevin718]

To answer some of the questions raised and comments made:

1. When I purchased the Jeep, the rotor was scored like that and I was told it was too deep to turn. So I just could not live with the squeaking anymore and finally replaced it. It is much better.

2. Here is probably the only additional spindle picture that I have that would be of any use to you.

Picture #11:
This picture shows the spindle with the bearing removed.

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/1984-1992-GrandWagoneers/Kevin718-91GW-Wheel-Spindle-5.jpg

Picture #12:
This is a picture of the grease seal for the spindle. The large part goes on the axle, the small part on the spindle up against the bearing, and the plastic disc inbetween.

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/1984-1992-GrandWagoneers/Kevin718-91GW-Wheel-Spindle-Seal-1.jpg

3. The snap ring goes in the notch towards the vehicle. The purpose of the spacer, or pressure spring and spring cup if you have those, is in my opinion not only to keep the drive gear lined up with the teeth on the hub, but also to put some pressure on the spindle grease seal. It is a lip seal that must be touching the spindle to provide any kind of seal. I think that if you put the snap ring on the outer notch, then the seal may not make very good contact with the spindle. And your drive gear may want to walk around.

4. Yes, the axle can just be pulled out. I did not pull it out very far because I had not researched how to put it back in.

Picture #13:
This is a picture of the spindle axle pulled out a little with the grease seal removed.

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/1984-1992-GrandWagoneers/Kevin718-91GW-Wheel-SpindleAxle-6.jpg

5. This is how I removed my bearings:
Wheel Bearing Races:
Since the wheel bearings are tapered roller bearings, the outer race is thick enough such that it sticks up above the raised part in the middle of the hub. I took a very large screwdriver and a hammer and knocked the races out that way. Note that you can scratch/gouge the seating surface in the hub. I did this, to a minor extent, and I used a Dremel to smooth the scratch back out. I probably should have used a brass drift or something like that.

Spindle Bearing:
This bearing was difficult to get out. Because of the raised part of the spindle (smaller inside diameter) just past where the bearing sits, you cannot take a screwdriver from the other end and drive this bearing out. I have a three jaw puller that can have its "jaws" (hooks, whatever) rotated to grab on the outside or the inside. So I got them inside the bearing, but there was nothing for the screw to push against. I tried a piece of suspended angle iron, but the jaws just wanted to slip off. So, I took a small socket (9mm I think) and wedged it inbetween the jaws to keep them from slipping out, and then used the screw to hold it in place. Then from the other end (outer end) I could use a large socket and extension and hammer to drive out the bearing by basically hitting the socket against the jaws of the puller. But make sure you have a replacement bearing, because the outer race/shell is thin. And you can see the damaged bearing in the lower part of picture #12.

Reinstalling Bearings:
As for reinstalling, like Green Giant said, there is nothing better than the old bearing. The spindle bearing was easier, since it is near the end. For the races of the wheel bearings, I found that the special nut tool that I had to buy worked very well to reach down into the hub and contact the old race to drive in the new race.

Sorry for the long bearing write-up, but it took me awhile to figure out how I was going to get that spindle bearing out. I am sure there is some special tool that will do the job very easily. I just don't have it.

[Green Giant]

Sorry for the long bearing write-up, but it took me awhile to figure out how I was going to get that spindle bearing out. I am sure there is some special tool that will do the job very easily. I just don't have it.
There is a small slide hammer with a tiny jaw puller(pilot bearing puller)link to Puller (http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?ForwardPage=/az/in_our_stores/loan_a_tool/clutch/clutch.jsp) , I was able to get a loaner from Auto-Zone for the 1st one I did, just have to put up a deposit, or in the case of my 2nd hub, just carried the hub in with me and let them pull it.
But I still like my brass punch and 2X4. ;)

Northern tool has a set of 3 brass punches cheap($6.99), I just put them on a grinder when they mushroom, and replace them when they get too short. Link to Punch set (http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&productId=126188&R=126188)

[nograin]

Brad,
The best way to make your write up availble into the future is cut and paste it into html and send it and the pictures to LRRH.
You can check with him first for details and OK. Click on his screen name which is found at the very top where it says "Moderators"
I'm 99% sure he's the person who can put this over on the IFSJA web site under tech.

If that's confusing, or you need help, e-mail me.

[thome]

I'm between picture 3 and 4.

I'm trying to remove the brake rotor, but its not moving.

Am I missing something?

[mdill9]

Good job, looks like you caught it in the nick of
time, I would have really been worried from the
first shot.

Mike D.

[andy d]

Thome, remove the hub from the spindle. Thread a steel nut with a 7/16 fine thread on to the stud until the nut is just a hair above the stud. Hit the nut until the stud backs out of the hub. I wouldnt use a chrome lug nut. Take one to a store and get a plain old nut.

[Kevin718]

Thome,

Picture #3 shows the brake rotor separated from the hub, but from your description is sounds like that is what you are trying to get to.

If you are trying to get the wheel lug studs out, you have to put a nut, or two nuts if you are worried about damaging the threads, on the lug and hit it very hard. And you cannot use a soft face hammer, it will just give.

And if you have the studs out, but cannot separate the rotor from the hub, that is just some more hammer work.

If it is still a problem, you may want to re-evaluate your hammer choice. The bigger the better in this case.

[backpack09]

I would like to bump this post and if possible have it sent over to the tech section.

I am in the process of doing ball joints on my 91 and this post is invaluable.

[shackwrrr]

88gw steve needs this right now and it needs put in the achives