Topposting again...

Are these hubs on a two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive Jimmy? If
four-wheel drive, does removal involve disassembly of the front axle?

Recently, I've begun hearing/feeling a speed-dependent sound/vibration
coming from the front end of my '99 4X4X4door. The sound/vibration
does seem to change with turns to the left, though I have some more
investigation to do. I do know that the 4-wheel drive is disengaged
and seems to work fine.

Does this symptom sound typical of an impending wheel bearing
failure?

Not Dead Yet


On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 22:29:22 -0500, "Tim" <T&L (AT) askme (DOT) net> wrote:

My experience has been the if you turn the sound will increase that is the
side that needs replaced. It is not a easy job to fix. Mine is 4WD

This is based only on what I have learned. Jack it up and have good safety
devices under it. Take the tire and try to move it up and down then side to
side. I have confirmed a couple times that was the side that needed to be
done by doing that but it has not always been true.

Remove the tire. Remove the brake and tie it up out of the way. On the back
side start to loosen the large hub nut. I think its a 32 mm socket and its
very hard to get off. It will take a 1/2 drive, this last time I used an
electric impact which is well worth it if you have or can get one. Just
loosen it don't try to take it all the way back at this point. Now on the
back side of the hug you will find three bolts that hold the hub and
sandwich the splash guard, remove these bolts two will be hard to get to.
You should also unplug the ABS senor loose from the frame. Be sure and save
this sensor I wish I had a replacement one now. At this point you can remove
the large hug nut.

I would get a 3 point gear puller, hook it on and start cranking it down and
hit the side of the hug. It will take allot and it will come off hard all
the way.

The hub nut will go on as hard as it come off. First time it took me the
better part of a day.

Its hard for me to describe but I hope this helps.


"NotDeadYet" <don'tbother (AT) emailingme (DOT) com> wrote

Should add if you change one you might as well do the other side its not
long for it to go bad.



"Tim" <T&L (AT) askme (DOT) net> wrote

"Tim" <T&L (AT) askme (DOT) net> wrote

Just the opposite actually. If the sound increases as you hang a left turn,
it's usually the right bearing. That's because the bearing that is getting
loaded is the one that is subject to the centrifigul force.

Correct - and in fact is quite often not true. Not to dispute your point,
just to add to your concluding comment that no discernable movement is not
an indication of a good bearing/hub. I've tried to get movement to no
avail, only to remove the hub in two pieces.


--

-Mike-
mmarlowREMOVE (AT) alltel (DOT) net

Guys,

Before posting my original message I was already under the impression
that the vibration was located more to the right side of the truck.
At that point I took off the tire/wheel/caliper/rotor just to see if I
could feel anything when I turned just the hub. No such luck. I
couldn't really tell anything. There was little, if any, vibration
during rotation, and no free-play in the other axis. Maybe it only
happens when loaded with the weight of the vehicle? When I get time,
I will check the driver's side hub.

In the mean time, I do need to drive the truck occasionally. Am I
risking a catastrophic failure here? My only other experience with
bearing failure happened in a Ford van, where the steering got
progressively more sloppy. I had time to deal with that failure as it
didn't happen at highway speeds.


Not Dead Yet





On Sun, 28 Jan 2007 07:26:48 -0500, "Mike Marlow" <mmarlow (AT) alltel (DOT) net>
wrote:

"NotDeadYet" <don'tbother (AT) emailingme (DOT) com> wrote

Failing hubs will go a long time before they pose a catastrophic threat.

--

-Mike-
mmarlowREMOVE (AT) alltel (DOT) net

Did you check the ball joints?


"NotDeadYet" <don'tbother (AT) emailingme (DOT) com> wrote

Well, not really. While the truck is a '99, it only has 40K on the
odo and has been fairly well maintained. All 11 grease fittings get a
few squrits of Mobil 1 Synth lube every 3000-4000 miles.
..
I know these vehicles have ball-joint problems, but I wouldn't expect
any so soon (mileage-wise). One more thing to check, though it will
have to wait until it's above 0F outside....

Thanks for the continuing input....

Not Dead Yet

On Sun, 28 Jan 2007 22:31:18 -0500, "Tim" <T&L (AT) askme (DOT) net> wrote:

Should of done it today it was up to 6 here LOL.


"NotDeadYet" <don'tbother (AT) emailingme (DOT) com> wrote